# Modern Kitchen Design



## tyskkvinna (Mar 23, 2010)

I'm working on designing a new kitchen, and I could use some inspiration pictures to help mull over designs. I have two desires:

1- Extremely clean, modern design
2- Wood

I'm thinking slab-style fronts, much like you see at IKEA. But, you know, with real wood and a little more soul than that.

I'm leaning towards either poured concrete or sheet aluminum for the counter tops, to give you an idea of where I'm going with this. And I'm basically planning on doing this myself, because I can't find anything "ready made" that really fits my taste.

I poured through a few dozen pages of "modern kitchen" searches here on LJ but found it hard to do because there were so many irrelevant things popping up due to the weird search algorithm. (If somebody had a "kitchen" project on the adjacent page of "modern end table", it showed up)

So- anything come to mind? I would really love to see some cool examples!!


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## Bertha (Jan 10, 2011)

Your ideas sound good. Basic cabinet doors, especially with euro hinges, will go up quickly and are very clean appearing. I'm a big fan of poured concrete counters. I also really like zinc. I've seen some modern kitchens incorporating glass tile mosaics that were pretty striking. I'm sure you'll get some excellent ideas here but alas, I'm more of a traditional kitchen type, brick, cast iron & copper, etc. Good luck.


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## North40 (Oct 17, 2007)

Solid wood slab doors have a tendancy to warp, so you might want to consider some cross-grain support. Breadboard-end doors can pull off a modern look if done in the right wood. Maybe a really white maple with aluminum pins?


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## North40 (Oct 17, 2007)

Another thought - I have also been ocassionally frustrated by the search system on LJ. Try this: go to google.com and type "site:lumberjocks.com modern kitchen" as your search string (without the quotes). Then you get a Google search that is limited to the LumberJocks website. Might get better results.


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## tyskkvinna (Mar 23, 2010)

From a warping standpoint, would plywood be better than solid wood? Or is the risk of warping basically the same for either?


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## CampD (Nov 8, 2008)

Peters right about solid slabs. Another way if you want that look is do veneer over MDF.
If you went breadboard ends for the doors, its leaning more towards rustic.
Poured concrete is pretty cool, you can change the stones to get a different look.
Aluminum for the counters. its harder to keep clean, maybe in a few areas (dont know what you have for a layout) Maybe modern aluminum hardware.
Modern is typically bright and clean.


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## IrreverentJack (Aug 13, 2010)

Lis, I've been doing a little kitchen mulling too. 
 Vonhagens desk knocked me out. Facing kitchen cabinets like this is on my "list".
I once finished cabinets covered in rough-sawn strips of chestnut by taking the "fuzz" off with fine sandpaper followed by about 8 coats of poly. That left an interesting, easily cleaned surface. If you can get a sealer that won't kill you, concrete counters are great. An end grain tumbling block counter top would be fun too. 
As far a design inspiration this link might be frustrating. I have been looking for this guys hardware to come out for years. Usable cabinet shelves up to the ceiling-wow. That would change a few kitchen designs. Maybe someone here can explain how to make the hardware. Good luck. -Jack


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## bunkie (Oct 13, 2009)

Hej Tyskkvinna,

I'm still working on my kitchen done is a modern Scandinavian style. Here's a link to my blog which has photos:

http://lumberjocks.com/bunkie/blog

I am almost finished with the lower cabinets.

I had problems with warping doors. I think the primary reason is that I did not seal the backs of the doors. However, I mad the mistake of buying my maple plywood from one of the big-box stores and I'm disappointed in the quality.

I finished the doors with spray-on lacquer and rubbed the finish out with automotive wet-dry sandpaper going from 400 to 2000 grit and then using automotive compound to get the final high gloss.

I would say that aluminum is too soft for a countertop. It will dent and scratch easily. The alternative is to do what my father did back in the 1950s which is to have custom stainless steel countertops made. He was a professional chef and had a friend who ran a professional kitchen supply company so it was easy for him to get this done.

I'm planning to install beech butcher-block countertops. They are on sale at Ikea right now and the price is right. I just can't see spending the money on granite or other expensive stuff that will eventually go out of fashion.


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## dbray45 (Oct 19, 2010)

I would not use aluminum for the countertop. Any acid - fruit juice, vinegar will turn it black with oxidation. Aluminum also has some interesting electrical properties that my not be desireable as well. Stainless steel may be a better option.


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## tyskkvinna (Mar 23, 2010)

If I go with metal I'm going to cover it in a cast resin, so any of the concerns about that are not an issue. I didn't feel it necessary to go into detail about it because I'm asking about the cabinets. 

Bunkie- those are really impressive for being big box plywood! Wow!


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## canadianchips (Mar 12, 2010)

When I started cabinets all the doors were made from plywood. (Just before the raised panel took off). We always spaced our doors to keep them 16" width or narrower. (Other than over fridge and under sinks) I know design has changed dramatically since then. One of the plywood cores I really liked was called solid core.
I made those kitchen, bath ,laundry cabinets from ash veneer with solid core . They were probably the nicest I ever done. Sorry I have no photos, (Hmmm ,did I even have a camera back then ?)
I would consider aluminum backsplash, not sure I would want it as a surface material. 
Their are great programs out there to do this properly (I no longer have access to one )
"MY VISION"


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## brianhavens (Nov 23, 2009)

When designing a kitchen do not forget to consider work flow. It is a workshop just like any other in that regard. I find work flow the most neglected and underestimated aspect of designing a kitchen.


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## CharlieM1958 (Nov 7, 2006)

Here is a page with some interesting concepts:

http://www.kitchen-units.org/modern-kitchen/


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## meestajack (Feb 1, 2011)

http://remodelista.com/architects/kitchens
http://remodelista.com/steal-this-look/kitchen


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## oldworld124 (Mar 2, 2008)

Lis,

Here is a link to my website. In it you will see a kitchen I did a few years ago. The wood is lacewood and ebonized lyptus. The backsplash was done in strips of stainless. I took a couple of sheets of stainless to a manufacturer and had him cut and bend the pieces. They are 5/16" x 3/4" x 5/16" U shaped channel. I then filled the channels and applied them to the backsplash area like any tile. This was cost effective and also allowed me to have them made full length without breaks. I just gave the manufacturer a list of lengths.

http://www.oldworld-construction.com/


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## tyskkvinna (Mar 23, 2010)

thanks for the suggestions, all!


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## Jered (Sep 15, 2010)

Like has been hinted at, for slab doors, mdf core ply-wood is pretty much guaranteed to be stable. If you want solid wood edge glued panels, this can be done.

There are relatively few woods that will be stable enough and since you want clean lines, woods like quarter-sawn white oak are out limiting your choices further. I think teak would be your best choice. It is very stable, very well-suited to a kitchen environment, can be found easily with uniform vertical grain, but as you mayknow, it is rather expensive. If you can find plantation teak, you could probably get it for around $12/bf. Problem is , it is harder to find the uniform grain in plantation grown. Burmese teak was $25/bf last I checked.

Vertical grain bamboo is fairly inexpensive and being an engineered product, it is very stable. I have seen this used nicely in contemporary kitchens. Not nearly as durable as teak but it would be my next choice for this type of design. Google some images to see if it fits your taste.


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## tyskkvinna (Mar 23, 2010)

Oooh! I LOVE the look of bamboo kitchens (after some googling to see what that'd look like). I will look into teak, too.

My current train of thought is to build the cabinets out of plywood, and if necessary veneer any edges that may be seen. (Although this will be minimal because of the design of cabinets I want) And then make the doors out of something special. The kitchen will be pretty small, and design is a very high priority for me, so I don't mind if it's not one of the cheapest solutions. I'm saving money in other areas so that I can have the kitchen look I want.


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## Sawkerf (Dec 31, 2009)

I do a lot of custom kitchen work, and one of my strongest selling points is that I seldom use filler panels to make up for odd-sized spaces. Instead of filler panels, I design the cabs to make maximum use of the available space.

I usually begin by asking prospective customers to show me pictures of cabinets or furniture they like. This gives me a place to start for style and color.

Next, they identify the "fixed" parts of their kitchen (appliances, sinks, range hoods, built-in features, etc) so I can size the parts that have required dimensions.

Then, I do a 3D CAD block diagram drawing showing an arrangement and approximate locations of their cabs. When they settle on the arrangement, I do a detailed drawing with specific dimensions of the cabinets, and we work out questions like drawer sizes, doors and shelves or drawers, etc.

For contemporary, slab-style doors, I've had good luck with edge banded, MDF core, cabinet-grade ply. It's very stable.


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## Jered (Sep 15, 2010)

You can get bamboo in 4×8 sheets. Plyboo is one brand name.

You can find some good teak images by simply typing 'teak kitchen cabinets' in a google search. I just tried it and close to half the kitchens that came up were contemporary, some good design ideas there.

As far as actual construction technique, you are on the right track. You are describing euro style construction which is conducive to modern designs. Not sure how much experience you have, are you familiar with blum hinges and how to mount them?

Pick up a book on building frameless cabinetry. Or check a couple out from the library.


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## tyskkvinna (Mar 23, 2010)

Not sure how much experience you have, are you familiar with blum hinges and how to mount them?

Not in the slightest. But I learn well! 

Sounds like a library trip is in my future this week!


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## Jered (Sep 15, 2010)

Frameless is the same as euro-style, and sometimes it is referred to as 32 mm construction. So keep that in mind when looking for books.

Blum is just a brand. Although it is a widely used brand, there are others and the generic term is euro-hinge. If you have not installed them before, it takes some tedious layout work if you are not using a hinge-boring machine. It is definitely possible to do with just a couple different forstner bits but the easiest thing to do would be to take the doors to a cabinet shop with a hinge-boring machine. I would especially recommend that if you go with teak since any mistakes in the layout would be costly.

Don't feel like you are cheating by having someone else bore the hinges. When I worked at a cabinet shop, there were several very experienced custom cabinet makers that had us bore their hinges. It's just not worth the hassle of doing it without the machine in my opinion. You will need to decide what hinges and drawer slides you are using before you do your final drawings since choice in hardware will effect what size your boxes will be.


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## tyskkvinna (Mar 23, 2010)

I have a CNC sheet router, so I will see if this is something I can reliably do with that, first. If it isn't, I do know a few cabinet shops in the area and would be comfortable asking them to bore them.


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## bunkie (Oct 13, 2009)

Blum-style hinges aren't hard to install. I had never installed them before my kitchen project and it went perfectly the first time. I bought a little kit from Woodline that consisted of the specialized forstner bit and a little yellow plastic gauge. I used a hand dril for both the forstner bit and I also used a Vix or hinge bit to get perfectly centeres holes for the screws.

One tip that makes installation easy is to set the hinges in the 37mm holes and then place a straightedge against them sothat they line up parallel to each other, then drill the holes with the Vix bit.

BTW, if you want to save some money, the generic hinges for 105 degree openings are just fine. Spend money on the specialized hinges (such as the ones for bi-folding doors and corner cabinets) from Blum or one of the other top-line sources. The savings can be substantial.


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## rance (Sep 30, 2009)

Lis, 
I helped a buddy build a counter top for his home office last weekend. Going for an industrial theme, he chose plain flat galvanized sheetmetal. We applied it just like Formica with contact cement. He plans on leaving it raw, of sorts. I like your idea of putting resin over it. Continuing that theme, he installed wavy galv. sheets on the underside of the soffit with Ash trim on the outer corner. That was cool. I should get some pictures.

You'll want to scuff the finish to get some of the glare off of it. On the back side before gluing it down, we played with the ROS, did some engine-turning(also called Demascening). Like what is on the cowl of the Spirit of St. Louis. It looked kinda cool.

Lastly, on the first sheet, we had a couple of shallow dents he thought he'd roll out with the J-Roller. It didn't happen, they didn't budge. On the 2nd sheet, we worked those out BEFORE gluing it down… Much better.


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## Jered (Sep 15, 2010)

Bunkie, just saying it is unnecessarily time-consuming to do it by hand. Even counting drive time to get to a shop with a hinge machine, it will still save you time if you have a lot of doors to do. Not to mention you could probably have it done for less than the cost of the bits. We could bore a whole kitchen's worth of doors for about $15. We had a low shop rate though. Besides, if you make a mistake, it would cost a lot if using teak.


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## Bertha (Jan 10, 2011)

She's got access to a CNC router, so boring for euro hinges shouldn't be too much trouble for one savvy with the mill. I would absolutely second the warping panel argument. I've had solid panels turn into skateboards before. If you're uninterested in floating panels, veneering ply might be the best option. I've had swelling issues with laminated MDF in moist environments, no matter how careful my laminating. Bamboo is an outstanding suggestion. Swirled metal under resin would be spectacular. This will be a rewarding project, I can tell.


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## rance (Sep 30, 2009)

Engine Turning:


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## Jered (Sep 15, 2010)

Bertha, again a hinge boring machine is going to be faster than a CNC. With a CNC you have to program it, bore your large hole then change bits and program it to do the small holes. Again, tooling for the CNC will cost more than paying $15 to have a shop bore the hinges for you.

To be honest, I would probably use every excuse I could come up with to use a CNC if I had one though.

Teak is an extremely stable wood. It is not immune to warping but neither is plywood. I would have just as much confidence in a burmese teak slab door as almost anything else. But you do need to know how to select the wood for stability. So I guess maybe it is not a good suggestion if you are not comfortable you would be able to select the ideal pieces out of a stack.

You can get MDF ply that uses all exterior glues. MDF itself is available in exterior grades. I wouldn't try to veneer it myself but you could find it in almost any species, you can even order it made to your specs (custom veneer thickness) if you are willing to spend the money.


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## tyskkvinna (Mar 23, 2010)

Bertha, again a hinge boring machine is going to be faster than a CNC. With a CNC you have to program it, bore your large hole then change bits and program it to do the small holes. Again, tooling for the CNC will cost more than paying $15 to have a shop bore the hinges for you.

While these statements are in fact true, they are also irrelevant. I have a 10-tool tool changer with 20+ toolholders and more tooling than I have any particular need for. I feel extremely confident I have some tooling that would be appropriate. Programming something as basic as the holes for this would be quick, tiny programs. I do CNC programming professionally. And it isn't a little CNC sheet router I've got in my basement, it's a professional Haas SR 100 4×8' 3-axis sheet router with table vac. 

But you do need to know how to select the wood for stability. So I guess maybe it is not a good suggestion if you are not comfortable you would be able to select the ideal pieces out of a stack.

Now that's something I have no idea how to do


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## Sawkerf (Dec 31, 2009)

Lis -

You have a full-on CNC machine in your basement!!? Would you like to adopt me? I can do the design and material selection and you can program the machine. Sound like a plan?? Let me check with the wife and get back to you, ok. - lol

Oops, I see you're in the upper midwest. Let's table this idea until spring.


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## FredG (Apr 11, 2008)

Some more inspiration perhaps.
http://www.cribcandy.com/kitchens


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## Jered (Sep 15, 2010)

Lis, if you already have the tooling, might as well do it. Just saying it's a lot quicker on a hinge boring machine. A hinge borer cycles at about 1 second and does all three holes at once. I wasn't questioning your programming abilities, knew from another thread you are adept at that. Just saying with a hinge borer there is absolutely no setup. Most shops will have their stops all set up and ready to go.


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## allisondesigner (Feb 23, 2013)

That's really great work if you are designing a new kitchen design and best of luck for that. Good selection wood work is really creates fab kitchen designs and give attractive design.


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## rossboyle52 (Dec 31, 2012)

Here is a good site for ideas. http://www.crown-point.com/


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