Stylish Steel for a Modern Kitchen

Two of the hottest trends for a modern kitchen makeover are continuing to gain ground, partly because a sleek techno industrial style is.

The perfect place to splash out with those vibrant high-fashion colours that give such life to a decorating scheme lime green, cobalt blue, burnt orange without taking it over the top…

And what are those must-have items for a contemporary kitchen? Stainless steel think commercial-style appliances.

In a brushed metal finish and a crisp tile backsplash or accent strip, preferably in a horizontal subway tile rather than the traditional squares.

Wouldn’t it be interesting to take that urban-contemporary kitchen decor to the ultimate conclusion, with a backsplash made of stainless steel subway tiles? In a small space, the look would be clean and cool with an emphasis on pure function, very hip, but you’d definitely want to go with stainless steel appliances.

In a larger kitchen, where an unbroken line of sight is less critical, you could stick with the traditional white appliances or do a custom colour, then use the stainless steel subway tiles on the walls all the way around. The metal tiles can quickly and easily update the decor as they serve to bring the different elements of the kitchen together.

You could even think about siding an island or wheeled butcher-block utility cart with stainless steel, either in a flat brushed-metal laminate (Formica makes a nice version) or in the stainless steel tiles.And what about the rest of the kitchen decor?

Some of the modern-style kitchens that we’re seeing the North American builders installing in new homes, by default, seem to be more conservative — a tinted white paint on the walls, for example — which may appeal to the masses but doesn’t do justice to the full beauty of stainless steel.

Stainless steel almost begs for eye-popping bright colours to set it off in proper style, or else for the interesting contrast of warm traditional wood cabinetry, sparked with just a touch of accent colour that’s brought into the decor with a selection of easy-to-change accessories and kitchen linens.