5 Creative Modern Kitchen Layouts

L Shaped, U Shaped, Galley Style… these are the typical kitchen layouts that come to mind. Want to break the mold? Custom kitchens give you the ability to plan all sorts of original and innovative layouts.

In order to highlight some of this diversity, we’ve compiled a list of 5 unique kitchen layouts from creative designers not afraid to use unexpected planning choices.

1. Nobilia Structura Open Layout Kitchen With L Shaped Library And Media Center

Open concept kitchens are quite popular in homes today since the kitchen and living room have become synonymous with one another. This layout by kitchen manufacturer Nobilia has a different take on the idea.

This kitchen, designed using wood-style cabinets from the Structura line, borrows living room elements within the kitchen itself. Off to the left we can see a sideboard, which showcases house plants and art alongside a dining table. To the right is a compact kitchen with just two main units: an island fitted with a sink and cooktop in front of a wall with stacked cabinets. The wall pantries have two integrated ovens and the refrigerator inside. The whole arrangement is built flush into the wall.

The most standout element, however, is the back wall. Standing between two floor-to-ceiling windows is an entertainment center with a backdrop of contrasting white brick. Media cabinets supporting the TV are framed by an L-Shaped shelving arrangement mounted on the wall. Introducing a library and television area into the kitchen like this puts the entertainment focus within the dining space, perhaps leaving a screen-free den elsewhere for peaceful recuperation.

2. Leicht Classic FS Contemporary Kitchen With Ceiling Suspended Cabinets

This kitchen made by Leicht is contemporary and industrial, but the most ingenious component is the set of suspended cabinets supported entirely by ceiling hangings. This set of cabinets is noteworthy not only for its placement, but for its size- twenty cabinets altogether are contained in a single unit, with ten on each side. Along with the staggered cabinets below lacquered in contrasting colors, this creates a partition of sorts, separating the cooking area from the dining room.

The Classic FS style cabinets give the kitchen an ultra-modern aesthetic, combining handleless cabinets in a silk matt lacquer with open shelving boxes for display. The back wall features a total of three integrated ovens, surrounded by open shelves with warm LED lighting inside.

3. Team 7 Loft Kitchen With Appliance Hutch and Table-Island Combo

Team 7 builds modern kitchens using 100% solid wood, so these cabinets are already quite striking before we even go into the design. This kitchen in the “Loft” style has a center island with cooktop attached to a large natural wood table with enough seating for the whole family. The cooktop even has a slim pillar-like induction hood suspended above.

And the innovation certainly doesn’t stop there. The high board cupboards feature an appliance hutch built in. Here, the oven, mixer, and toaster are all on the same level within a pantry work area. The prep surface is well-lit thanks to integrated cabinet lighting and surrounded by storage cabinets in beautiful knotted wood. The single exception is the frosted glass cabinet that slides upward upon opening.

Cabinetry on the back wall has a multi-layered appearance, with varied finishes and cabinet arrangements. Perhaps most prominent is the textured stone counter and backsplash with the added custom organizer compartments holding utensils and even a house plant. We also see frosted glass used on the mid-height pantries, and a thin shelving arrangement up top is backed with a reflective glass finish.

4. Nobilia Laser Riva Segmented Kitchen With Eat In Area Bench and Window-Style Cutout

Nobilia is known for their array of cabinet styles, and this kitchen with solid white and wood style finish certainly defies convention. The back wall, finished in a striking geometric backsplash, features a modern cube-style white range hood that matches the upper cabinets and high board. Lower cabinets are finished in wood-style laminate, matching to the bench table in the eat in area.

All cabinets have a modern handleless design. The white high board unit, as a separate element along the side wall, integrates the oven at chest height and a refrigerator behind what appears to be a pantry door on the outside.

This layout is special in its spaced out planning, with a bright and airy atmosphere created by floor to ceiling windows between the kitchen’s three regions. Above the dining bench, a window-like cutout finished in the same wood reproduction features a cabinet insert and hooks for storing odds and ends.

5. Leicht Concrete Topos Kitchen with Wraparound Open Shelving and Tabletop Extension

This German kitchen by Leicht uses custom shelving in an unexpected way. Instead of a backsplash, the wall above the counter has been fitted with open shelving that continues down a column to one side in a sort of upside down L formation. This allows for a long wall to wall picture window in the remaining space. Each custom shelf compartment varies in size and the arrangement features integrated lighting.

Each finish choice used in this kitchen is distinct and creates a delightful interplay with the others. Most unique is the textured concrete finish that sets Leicht apart from other cabinet brands, seen here in a bright white tone. The upper cabinets and open shelves are finished in a natural oak matching the tabletop extension.

While eat-in kitchens are a popular choice in kitchen design, this option is unusual because the peninsula table extends from the counter’s midpoint. A slim and practical dining solution, the table is a perfect prep surface when not in use by guests, providing an extra arm of counter space.