Modern Kitchen Cabinet Ideas to Complete Your Culinary Masterpiece

When it comes to renovating your kitchen, it's well-advised to invest in good-looking, well-made bones that will stand the test of time, style-wise. Most important? Your kitchen cabinets. Modern-style cabinets are functional and streamlined enough to go with every type of kitchen aesthetic, and chances are, they'll still look good several years down the road. Here are 10 of our favorite modern kitchen cabinet ideas to inspire you.

Color-blocked kitchen cabinets add midcentury appeal to the cook space and lend a feeling of unexpected playfulness, too. Opt for all-white splashed with a few yellow- and pink-colored cupboards, as seen in this kitchen by Belgium-based designer Dries Otten, or go for bigger swaths of color instead.

Green is the new neutral. Forego plain wood, white, or gray cabinets and paint your built-ins an all-over wash of emerald, sage, or olive instead.

For a super cool, almost industrial look, consider stainless steel kitchen cabinets. Though stainless is shiny and sleek, it's also highly practical, used often in commercial kitchens because it's easy to clean. Optional: Pair with dark cabinetry and walls, as seen in this New York City cook space designed by Chango & Co.

Can't choose between colors? No problem: Two-tone kitchen cabinets happen to be very of-the-moment as demonstrated by this situ designed by Emily Henderson. Paint the bottom set in a darker tone than the upper cabinets, rather than the other way around; it'll make the room look airier and more open.

If it's wood you like, keep cabinets looking modern with clean lines and minimal-to-no ornamentation. The cupboards in this kitchen designed by Amber Lewis have simple paneled slab doors in a light wood finish, but are otherwise streamlined and unadorned.

Cabinets without clunky hardware look simple, clean, and neutral enough to stand the test of time. Follow the lead of Dichotomy Interiors and keep the knobs as minimal as possible, or opt for the hardware-free route with cut-out pulls instead.

If you have the space, add a sleek dimension to the kitchen — and tons of extra storage space — with an entire wall of floor-to-ceiling cabinets. The finished look is clean and extra modern, especially when paired with streamlined hardware and flat cabinet fronts like this rustic cook space by Emily Henderson.

One of our all-time fave kitchen cabinet ideas: Go all-over dark. But select a hue that's not quite black, like Garrett and Cathy from The Grit and Polish. They went with Sherwin-Williams Jasper for a deeply dramatic and moody effect.

Gone are the days of cottage-y white kitchens: For a modern look, go for black instead. Pitch-black cabinets, paired with a bit of white — as seen here in Julie Van Daele's kitchen — look classic and oh-so-chic.

Last but not least, we always love the fresh look of plywood kitchen cabinets. And bonus: They're often hardy and cost-effective, too. Pair with a rich shade of green and elegant pendant lights to complete the look.