Best of the Week: 31 Magnificent Minimalist Kitchens
These sleek and streamlined cooking spaces from around the world will have you clearing away your kitchen clutter
Joanna Tovia
1 March 2018
Houzz editorial team. Photojournalist specialising in design, travel and living well. Follow her photodocumentary about pets and the people who love them on Instagram @unfoldingtails
Houzz editorial team. Photojournalist specialising in design, travel and living well.... More
More renovators than ever are leaning toward the pared-back colour palettes and clean lines of minimalism in their kitchens, and as these standout designs show they’re doing so for good reason. Not only are they functional and free of mind-jumbling clutter, minimalist kitchens present a blank canvas on which homeowners can make their mark – be it with pendants, cabinet handles, tapware, even an arresting artwork that reflects who they are at heart. Which kitchen would you like to call your own?
1. Location: London, UK
Why we love it: That sculptural island may look like a solid mass, but it actually manages to incorporate two sinks, seamless drawers and multiple power points.
Why we love it: That sculptural island may look like a solid mass, but it actually manages to incorporate two sinks, seamless drawers and multiple power points.
2. Location: South Yarra, Victoria
Why we love it: A colour palette as soothing as this one just feels good to be around.
Why we love it: A colour palette as soothing as this one just feels good to be around.
3. Location: Stockholm, Sweden
Why we love it: Minimalist kitchens are all about clean lines, but that doesn’t mean they can’t be warm and welcoming. The use of timber for the cabinets achieves this instantly.
Why we love it: Minimalist kitchens are all about clean lines, but that doesn’t mean they can’t be warm and welcoming. The use of timber for the cabinets achieves this instantly.
4. Location: Blackburn, Victoria
Why we love it: It’s the details that can turn contemporary kitchens into works of art, as the pendants, stools and contrasting cabinet handles do in this one.
Why we love it: It’s the details that can turn contemporary kitchens into works of art, as the pendants, stools and contrasting cabinet handles do in this one.
5. Location: Albert Park, Victoria
Why we love it: It’s hard to look at this kitchen and not feel a little bench-space envy.
Why we love it: It’s hard to look at this kitchen and not feel a little bench-space envy.
6. Location: Salt Lake City, USA
Why we love it: All-white cabinetry and an absence of handles streamlines this butler’s pantry, and the main kitchen adjoining it has been designed in the same vein.
Why we love it: All-white cabinetry and an absence of handles streamlines this butler’s pantry, and the main kitchen adjoining it has been designed in the same vein.
7. Location: London, UK
Why we love it: Marble on marble is soothing on the eye, and we love the recessed shelf along the back wall, a feature commonly seen in bathrooms but rarely in kitchens.
Why we love it: Marble on marble is soothing on the eye, and we love the recessed shelf along the back wall, a feature commonly seen in bathrooms but rarely in kitchens.
8. Location: London, UK
Why we love it: A giant skylight, complete with motorised shade, means the mood and tones of this kitchen change through the day and into the night.
Why we love it: A giant skylight, complete with motorised shade, means the mood and tones of this kitchen change through the day and into the night.
9. Location: Cologne, Germany
Why we love it: Having to open cupboards and drawers to access what you need can be a downside of minimalist kitchens. Not so with this one. The owners have a section they can open to easily access oft-used appliances and ingredients, making their lives easier. And when guests are over and they want to put the kitchen on show, closing the doors restores the space to its minimal magnificence.
Why we love it: Having to open cupboards and drawers to access what you need can be a downside of minimalist kitchens. Not so with this one. The owners have a section they can open to easily access oft-used appliances and ingredients, making their lives easier. And when guests are over and they want to put the kitchen on show, closing the doors restores the space to its minimal magnificence.
10. Location: Miami, USA
Why we love it: Kitchens usually back up against a long expanse of wall. Not this one, and that’s what we like about it.
Why we love it: Kitchens usually back up against a long expanse of wall. Not this one, and that’s what we like about it.
11. Location: Melbourne, Victoria
Why we love it: Black and white is a classic combination, but we love the quirky design of the island front – it adds an edge and a bit of personality.
Why we love it: Black and white is a classic combination, but we love the quirky design of the island front – it adds an edge and a bit of personality.
12. Location: Milan, Italy
Why we love it: The floor is just the place to give a minimalist kitchen some punch. These hexagonal tiles add colour and interest without veering too far from the contemporary theme.
Why we love it: The floor is just the place to give a minimalist kitchen some punch. These hexagonal tiles add colour and interest without veering too far from the contemporary theme.
13. Location: Montreal, Canada
Why we love it: It isn’t just the reflective surfaces that give this kitchen its shine – we love the line of unexpected insect-leg pendants that descend from the mezzanine.
Why we love it: It isn’t just the reflective surfaces that give this kitchen its shine – we love the line of unexpected insect-leg pendants that descend from the mezzanine.
14. Location: Wandsworth, UK
Why we love it: The wide floorboards are enough to make us swoon, but the black-framed glass separating this one-of-a-kind kitchen from the living area is a fascinating way to make the most of a challenging roofline.
Why we love it: The wide floorboards are enough to make us swoon, but the black-framed glass separating this one-of-a-kind kitchen from the living area is a fascinating way to make the most of a challenging roofline.
15. Location: London, UK
Why we love it: Small spaces often benefit from a uniform colour scheme. All this kitchen needed to bring it to life was a splash of fresh greenery in the form of a few fronds in a shapely vase.
Why we love it: Small spaces often benefit from a uniform colour scheme. All this kitchen needed to bring it to life was a splash of fresh greenery in the form of a few fronds in a shapely vase.
16. Location: London, UK
Why we love it: An island free of sink, stovetop and clutter is a minimalist’s dream come true. And the outlook from this kitchen isn’t half bad either.
Why we love it: An island free of sink, stovetop and clutter is a minimalist’s dream come true. And the outlook from this kitchen isn’t half bad either.
17. Location: Grand Rapids, USA
Why we love it: With a soaring ceiling and a peaceful outlook, clean and simple was the right way to go in this kitchen.
Why we love it: With a soaring ceiling and a peaceful outlook, clean and simple was the right way to go in this kitchen.
18. Location: Sydney, NSW
Why we love it: Uninterrupted lines and a mostly white palette allow the dreamy view to take centre stage.
Why we love it: Uninterrupted lines and a mostly white palette allow the dreamy view to take centre stage.
19. Location: Sydney, NSW
Why we love it: This kitchen is full of surprises. A built-in gas fireplace, unexpected angles and bold use of marble dress this kitchen to impress.
Why we love it: This kitchen is full of surprises. A built-in gas fireplace, unexpected angles and bold use of marble dress this kitchen to impress.
20. Location: Manly, NSW
Why we love it: The challenge of a long and narrow block is solved with this kitchen/dining layout, drawing the eye straight out to the backyard.
Why we love it: The challenge of a long and narrow block is solved with this kitchen/dining layout, drawing the eye straight out to the backyard.
21. Location: Sydney, NSW
Why we love it: The atrium and skylight fill what would otherwise have been a dim and uninviting kitchen with natural light.
Why we love it: The atrium and skylight fill what would otherwise have been a dim and uninviting kitchen with natural light.
22. Location: East Bentleigh, Victoria
Why we love it: Timber and tiles give this kitchen the warmth and character it needs.
Why we love it: Timber and tiles give this kitchen the warmth and character it needs.
23. Location: Cotswolds, UK
Why we love it: Even the taps are tucked away in this amazing kitchen. The owner wanted to be able to stand in his living room and feel like he was standing in the forest with no visual interruption. This ultra-modern space adjoins an 18th-century country cottage.
Why we love it: Even the taps are tucked away in this amazing kitchen. The owner wanted to be able to stand in his living room and feel like he was standing in the forest with no visual interruption. This ultra-modern space adjoins an 18th-century country cottage.
24. Location: Oxfordshire, UK
Why we love it: The contrast between honey-toned wood and glossy white surfaces has won us over.
Why we love it: The contrast between honey-toned wood and glossy white surfaces has won us over.
25. Location: Watsons Bay, NSW
Why we love it: Concrete may have industrial roots, but our universal love affair with this humble material has it showing up in the slickest of kitchens, adding both functionality and style.
Why we love it: Concrete may have industrial roots, but our universal love affair with this humble material has it showing up in the slickest of kitchens, adding both functionality and style.
26. Location: Oatley, NSW
Why we love it: This innovative kitchen makes the best use of the space and is far from a cookie-cutter design.
Why we love it: This innovative kitchen makes the best use of the space and is far from a cookie-cutter design.
27. Location: Sydney, NSW
Why we love it: When you have as much natural light pouring in as this kitchen does, a gentle colour scheme and the cleanest of lines create a place of grace and repose.
Why we love it: When you have as much natural light pouring in as this kitchen does, a gentle colour scheme and the cleanest of lines create a place of grace and repose.
28. Location: Barwon Heads, Victoria
Why we love it: When there’s so much architectural interest in the rest of an open-plan space, minimalism is often the best approach in the kitchen. As this one so beautifully demonstrates.
Why we love it: When there’s so much architectural interest in the rest of an open-plan space, minimalism is often the best approach in the kitchen. As this one so beautifully demonstrates.
29. Location: Balgowlah, NSW
Why we love it: Black kitchens are having a moment that we hope is here to stay. In this shiny new kitchen, the green mosaic splashback is effective at bringing the outside in.
Why we love it: Black kitchens are having a moment that we hope is here to stay. In this shiny new kitchen, the green mosaic splashback is effective at bringing the outside in.
30. Location: Bondi, NSW
Why we love it: Timber isn’t a typical material of choice for minimalist kitchens, but here the uniformity of tone and texture achieves a similar result – a kitchen that’s easy on the eye and free of visual clutter.
Why we love it: Timber isn’t a typical material of choice for minimalist kitchens, but here the uniformity of tone and texture achieves a similar result – a kitchen that’s easy on the eye and free of visual clutter.
31. Location: Toorak, Victoria
Why we love it: Sometimes a kitchen needs to stand back to let the star of the space really shine – the artwork, in this case.
Tell us
What do you love most about minimalist kitchens? Comment below, and while you’re at it, tell us what other spaces you’d like featured in our ‘Best of the Week’ series.
More
Did you miss out on Best of the Week: 30 Wonderful Window Treatments?
Why we love it: Sometimes a kitchen needs to stand back to let the star of the space really shine – the artwork, in this case.
Tell us
What do you love most about minimalist kitchens? Comment below, and while you’re at it, tell us what other spaces you’d like featured in our ‘Best of the Week’ series.
More
Did you miss out on Best of the Week: 30 Wonderful Window Treatments?
Related Stories
Most Popular
Renovation Insight: How to Choose a Kitchen Designer
The right designer can bring your dream kitchen to life – three kitchen designers reveal where to look and what to ask
Full Story
Kitchen Expert Advice
7 Common Kitchen Design Challenges & How Experts Get Around Them
From bad layouts to poor storage, here are seven issues pros come up against (and overcome) in clients' kitchen renos
Full Story
Kitchens
A Good Fit: 10 Questions to Ask a Potential Kitchen Designer
By lwkkitchens
A good designer knows which questions to ask about your kitchen project. But what should you ask them before you sign?
Full Story
Most Popular
8 Dos and Don'ts for a Well-Functioning Butler's Pantry
Having a little help behind the scenes is key to a pristine kitchen – here's how to create a functional butler's pantry
Full Story
Most Popular
Key Measurements to Consider When Designing the Perfect Kitchen Island
By Anne Ellard
Discover the correctly proportioned kitchen island bench dimensions so your space works as well as it can
Full Story
Kitchen Renovations
10 Times You Should Hire a Kitchen Designer
These specialists can solve layout issues, save costs, update an older space and create custom design details
Full Story
Popular Houzz Series
How Practical Is... Handleless Joinery?
Handleless joinery is popular in modern homes. But how suitable are cupboards that can only be opened with a touch?
Full Story
Renovation Guides
Room by Room: Experts on Ways to Avoid Common Renovation Blunders
From the kitchen to the garden, and all areas in between, experts identify common mistakes and share priceless insights
Full Story
Most Popular
From Planning to Pendants: Kitchen Lighting Essentials
By Joanna Tovia
This valuable guide will give you all you need to know about choosing kitchen lighting for fabulous form and function
Full Story
Kitchen Renovations
A Kitchen That Uses Special Elements to Punch Above Its Weight
This couple wanted a well-designed kitchen that incorporated their pre-bought furniture; this designer delivered
Full Story
Just confirms that I can't do minimalism, I'd be just itching to put things on display, and fill these spaces with colour. Oh well - each to their own.
Some lovely example, vary in how minimalist they are.