About one in three North American kitchens can be categorized as Traditional – i.e., incorporating aspects of design from across multiple centuries and common to both the English countryside and modern-day Europe. Considered classic and timeless, but never ostentatious, traditional-style kitchens feature such details as glass-front cupboards, painted wood cabinetry, and vintage hardware and light fixtures. The use of warm, rich colors and plush furniture makes traditional kitchens warm and comforting.

About a quarter of kitchens can be classified as contemporary – i.e., incorporating modern, state-of-the-art materials in efficient, minimalistic designs. In a contemporary kitchen you’re likely to encounter such materials as stainless steel, glass, concrete, and chrome used in combination with a simple but bold color palette – sometimes limited to black, white and gray. But it’s not likely you’ll find much decoration, since the Contemporary designer is mostly focused on utility and efficiency.

While “contemporary” and “modern” are synonyms, they describe kitchen design styles that are actually quite different from one another. Whereas the Contemporary style of design is focused on the present, the Modern style harkens back to the mid-century modern era of the 1950s and 1960s, and sometimes more broadly, to the decades of the 1920s through the 1970s. Modern kitchens often showcase wood as their featured material, and color palettes that incorporate earth tones. About one in ten kitchens follows the Modern style of design.

In this case, the term “transitional” alludes to a blending of two styles: Traditional and Modern. In the vernacular, we might refer to this style as a blending of the old with the new. For example, a Transitional kitchen might combine stainless steel or black appliances and fixtures with dark cabinets exuding warmth, all juxtaposed against neutral-colored walls. The Transitional design style is followed in roughly 15% of kitchens.

Kitchens designed in Farmhouse style, typically described as open and inviting, encourage “simpler living.” Cabinets, tables, and chairs are made of quality hardwood. Such a kitchen might well showcase a farmhouse table, an apron-front sink, a wood-burning potbelly stove and a hearth. Another distinguishing characteristic of this style is its use of bright colors we often associate with rural settings, such as red, yellow, and blue, mixed with pastels.

Designers employ the Cottage style of design when the objective is to create a casual and welcoming atmosphere associated with vacation or summer cottages designed for relaxation and entertaining. More often than not, a cottage-style kitchen is characterized by a light and airy look achieved through the use of light, muted colors; white beadboard cabinets; a farmhouse sink; wood floors that add warmth; and vintage light fixtures that provide a “retro” feel.

As one might imagine, coastal or beach-style kitchens are likely to be cheery and bright, illuminated by abundant sunlight and featuring gentle and soothing shades of blue, green, white, and beige (in a callout to sand-colored beaches). Lighting tends to be subdued, and seaside or maritime-themed décor typically features seashells, sea life, sailboats and fishing, for example.