Your home’s kitchen is a haven where family and friends come together to create beautiful memories. Your kitchen design is essential to make it not only a functional space but also a reflection of your style and personality. But with an array of kitchen interior design styles to choose from, making a decision can present a challenge. Peacock & Company and our talented designers are here to show you around the kitchen design landscape so you can get a feel for the best style fit for you. Let's embark on a journey to explore the top kitchen design styles to inspire your dream kitchen remodel.
How to Find Your Kitchen Style
Before you dive into your big dreams, take a few minutes to define what perfect means for your own space. A clear vision keeps the design phase efficient, helps you communicate with your kitchen designer, and prevents costly change orders once construction begins. Use the quick checks below to narrow your focus and make sure the style you love today still serves you tomorrow.
Function First
Note how you actually cook, entertain, and store items. Layout and workflow often dictate which styles, cabinet configurations, and appliance packages will serve you best.
Home Architecture
A Scandinavian kitchen is gorgeous, but it may clash with a Tudor-style façade. Let your home’s bones guide you toward a cohesive look rather than forcing a mismatch.
Lifestyle + Maintenance
Glossy lacquer cabinets look sharp in a modern kitchen style, yet they show fingerprints faster than painted wood. Choose finishes that match the wear and tear of your household.
Budget Realities
Pull together a range, then share it openly. Your designer can suggest value-engineered alternatives (for example, quartz instead of marble) that still honor the aesthetic you want.
Check out our cost guide here for more detailed information.
Longevity vs. Trend
Ask yourself if you will enjoy that bold color palette in five years. Pair timeless elements with one or two trend-forward accents that are easy to swap later.
Personal Inspiration Bank
Collect photos on Pinterest or Houzz and mark what draws your eye. Peruse our gallery for your favorite look. Patterns will emerge that point you toward a consistent kitchen design style.
Professional Guidance
A short, low-cost Discovery Agreement with our South Bend team can turn your ideas into an initial floor plan and realistic budget. Seeing your possibilities on paper often clarifies which kitchen decor styles feel right.
Beautiful Kitchen Styles for Your South Bend Kitchen Remodel
Contemporary Kitchen Style
A contemporary kitchen blends crisp minimalism with right-now technology. This kitchen design style favors clean lines and uncluttered surfaces, giving South Bend homeowners a space that feels spacious, efficient, and effortlessly modern.
Signature Elements of Contemporary Design
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Frameless, slab-front cabinetry, often in bright white, charcoal, or matte black
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Subtle hardware or touch-latch doors that keep sightlines uninterrupted
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Bold monochromatic palettes accented by one saturated hue or natural wood tones
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Seamless countertops (waterfall islands, integrated sinks) for a continuous look
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Hidden or panel-ready appliances, induction cooktops, and voice-controlled fixtures
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Statement lighting: slim LED strips, minimalist pendants, or recessed tracks
Pros and Watchouts
Why homeowners love it: easy-clean surfaces, a sense of visual calm, and compatibility with the latest smart-home tech.
Things to consider: fingerprints show on glossy fronts, and the look depends on daily tidiness. Countertop clutter breaks the sleek effect. Choose durable materials and a storage plan that matches how you truly cook to keep this kitchen design style looking sharp for years.
Traditional Kitchen Style
Traditional kitchens celebrate the familiar comforts of classic design, including welcoming wood tones, decorative moldings, and a layout built for big gatherings. In South Bend homes, this kitchen design style feels timeless rather than trendy, blending raised-panel cabinetry, antique finishes, and soft, earthy colors to create a space where Sunday brunch or a holiday roast feels right at home.
Signature Elements of Traditional Kitchens
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Raised-panel or inset cabinet doors with detailed trim and oil-rubbed hardware
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Crown molding, corbels, and furniture-like island legs that add architectural interest
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Warm, muted palettes: creamy whites, sage greens, or stained cherry and walnut
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Natural stone counters, granite or honed marble, that age gracefully
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Classic tile backsplashes such as subway, mosaic, or hand-painted ceramics
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Vintage-inspired lighting: lantern pendants, glass sconces, or wrought-iron chandeliers
Pros and Watchouts
Why homeowners love it: traditional kitchen style feels cozy and inviting, pairs beautifully with older South Bend architecture, and tends to age gracefully as trends come and go.
Things to consider: ornate details require more cleaning time, and highly decorative cabinetry can stretch the budget. Keep the look fresh by balancing detailed millwork with simpler hardware and up-to-date appliances, ensuring your classic kitchen design stays both functional and timeless.
French Country Kitchen Style
A French country kitchen channels the relaxed elegance of Provence: warm stone colors, aged wood beams, and time-worn accents that feel collected over generations. For South Bend homeowners who crave a space that looks lovingly lived-in, this kitchen design style offers rustic charm without sacrificing modern convenience.
Signature Elements of French Country Style
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Distressed or glazed cabinetry in soft creams, pale blues, or muted sage greens
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Curved range hoods, carved corbels, and furniture-style islands with turned legs
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Natural materials: honed limestone counters, butcher-block tops, or terra-cotta tile floors
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Toile or floral fabrics on window treatments and barstool cushions
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Open shelves or glass-front hutches displaying vintage china and earthenware crocks
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Aged-metal fixtures and hardware, like oil-rubbed bronze or antique brass, and wrought-iron lighting that casts a warm glow
Pros and Watchouts
Why homeowners love it: the French country kitchen style feels inviting, hides everyday wear gracefully, and pairs beautifully with hardwood floors and stone fireplaces common in Michiana homes.
Things to consider: heavily distressed finishes can look busy in smaller spaces, and ornate detailing adds extra cleaning nooks. Balance authenticity with function by selecting durable sealers, incorporating modern appliances behind custom panels, and keeping open shelving curated so the look stays charming instead of cluttered.
Transitional Kitchen Style
A transitional kitchen blends time-honored warmth with streamlined modern touches. In South Bend homes, especially older ones, this design style lets you keep period charm while introducing clean lines, efficient storage, and up-to-date finishes.
Signature Elements of Transitional Kitchens
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Purposeful mix of materials: painted cabinetry paired with exposed white-oak accents, brass pulls alongside matte-black faucets
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Cabinetry built like furniture: legs, aprons, and paneled ends that read more like sideboards than boxes on the wall
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Full-height slab backsplashes (quartzite or quartz) for a seamless look, outlets tucked beneath upper cabinets to keep the stone unbroken
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Handmade tile touches. Think a slim decorative band or an accent niche, to warm up the sleek surfaces
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Neutral, warm palettes that avoid cold greys in favor of creams, beiges, and earthy wood tones
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Layered lighting: recessed cans for task work, understated pendants over the island, and under-cabinet LEDs highlighting natural textures
Pros and Watchouts
Why homeowners love it: transitional kitchen style feels current yet timeless, offers freedom to combine favorite finishes, and pairs naturally with both historic and new construction.
Things to consider: balancing multiple woods and metals requires a careful eye. Too many can look busy rather than curated. Anchor the palette with two dominant tones (for example, white paint and white oak) and let accent metals add subtle contrast.
Victorian Kitchen Style
A Victorian kitchen channels the grandeur of the late-19th century: ornate millwork, warm jewel tones, vintage-inspired appliances, and architectural flourishes that make every corner feel curated. In South Bend’s historic neighborhoods, this kitchen design style can restore period authenticity while giving you modern function behind the scenes.
Signature Elements of Victorian Kitchens
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Inset or raised-panel cabinetry with substantial crown molding and furniture-style toe kicks
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Rich color palette, burgundy, hunter green, navy, or creamy ecru, offset with warm wood counters or marble slabs
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Ornate hardware: unlacquered brass latches, ceramic knobs, or crystal pulls
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Vintage-inspired appliances (matte white or pastel ranges, brass trim refrigerators) that hide contemporary performance in period styling
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Decorative arches, leaded-glass cabinet doors, and ceiling medallions that echo 1890s architecture
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Statement backsplashes: patterned encaustic tiles, embossed tin panels, or hand-painted Delft accents
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Luxurious detailing: turned legs on islands, beadboard or shiplap ceiling treatments, and layered sconces for a soft, romantic glow
Pros and Watchouts
Why homeowners love it: Victorian kitchen style delivers historical charm that feels custom and collected, perfect for restoring older South Bend homes to their former glory.
Things to consider: intricate moldings and brass finishes demand more upkeep, and authentic materials, like marble or handmade tile, can push budgets higher. Keep the look livable by mixing in easy-clean quartz surfaces where they won’t compete with focal points, and by limiting ornate detailing to a few standout areas so the space reads grand, not cluttered.
Tuscan Kitchen Style
A Tuscan kitchen evokes the sun-drenched farmhouses of Italy’s countryside, earthy stone floors, hand-troweled plaster walls, and a palette of warm terracotta, ochre, and olive. In South Bend remodels, this rustic Italian kitchen style offers a Mediterranean escape right at home, pairing Old-World hospitality with modern convenience.
Signature Elements of Tuscan Kitchens
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Aged or distressed wood cabinetry stained in walnut or chestnut
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Terracotta or travertine tile floors; honed limestone or granite counters
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Full-height stone or plaster backsplashes accented with hand-painted ceramic tiles
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Wrought-iron hardware, lighting, and pot racks that add artisanal weight
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Arched range alcoves or niches for olive oil and spice jars
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Warm, sun-washed color palette, like burnt sienna, golden wheat, sage green, balanced by natural light and open shelving for copper pans and earthenware bowls
Pros and Watchouts
Why homeowners love it: Tuscan kitchen design feels relaxed, welcoming, and built for long, communal meals, perfect for family-centric South Bend lifestyles. The textured finishes hide everyday wear and invite casual living.
Things to consider: natural stone and wrought iron can raise the budget and require sealing to stay stain-free. Keep the space from feeling too heavy by mixing lighter plaster walls with warm woods, and by integrating energy-efficient appliances beneath custom panels so your Mediterranean kitchen style remains as functional as it is inviting.
Check out our complimentary kitchen remodeling guide to keep important details close at hand when you’re ready to remodel in South Bend!
Craftsman Kitchen Style
Rooted in the American Arts and Crafts movement, a Craftsman kitchen style emphasizes honest materials, visible joinery, and custom millwork that feels built to last. In a South Bend kitchen remodel, this translates to quarter-sawn oak cabinets with clean Shaker lines, handcrafted tile backsplashes, and solid bronze hardware, all finished in the warm, earthy colors that define classic Craftsman kitchen design.
Craftsman Kitchen's Signature Elements
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Inset or Shaker cabinetry in rich woods like quarter-sawn white oak or cherry, often finished with a clear or light stain to showcase grain
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Hand-glazed art-tile backsplashes featuring nature motifs or geometric patterns
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Sturdy, oil-rubbed bronze or hammered-copper pulls and latches that highlight visible joinery
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Built-in features like plate rails, bench seating, or a hutch-style pantry, that make the room feel like custom furniture
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Earth-tone palette: moss greens, deep russet, warm taupe, and creamy parchment whites
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Wide-plank hardwood floors and exposed ceiling beams to ground the space in natural texture
Pros and Watchouts
Why homeowners love it: Craftsman kitchen design feels handcrafted, durable, and perfectly suited to South Bend’s many bungalow and Prairie-style homes. The timeless woodwork ages gracefully and hides wear better than glossy modern finishes.
Things to consider: custom millwork and genuine art tile can raise material costs, and the abundance of wood tones may feel heavy in smaller kitchens. Balance the look by adding lighter wall colors, ample task lighting, and a few contemporary appliances disguised behind panel fronts so your Craftsman style kitchen remains both functional and warmly inviting.
Luxury Modern Kitchen Style
A luxury modern kitchen marries cutting-edge technology with couture-level craftsmanship. Glossy or matte slab cabinetry meets waterfall marble islands, while integrated smart appliances disappear behind bespoke panels.
Signature Modern Kitchen Elements
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Premium surfaces: book-matched quartzite or marble counters and full-height backsplashes
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Seamless, handle-less cabinetry in lacquer, rift-cut oak, or smoked glass with soft-close automation
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State-of-the-art appliances like column refrigerators, induction cooktops, steam ovens, disguised by custom panels or flush installs
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Designer lighting: sculptural pendants, recessed LED strips, and hidden toe-kick illumination that highlights floating base cabinets
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Integrated smart-home systems controlling climate, lighting scenes, and voice-activated faucets
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Minimal visual clutter: pop-up outlets, concealed charging drawers, and dedicated appliance garages keep counters pristine
Pros and Watchouts
Why homeowners love it: luxury modern kitchen style delivers a sleek, gallery-like atmosphere, top-tier performance, and impressive resale appeal. Materials are durable and easy to clean, making the space both glamorous and practical.
Things to consider: high-end finishes and smart tech elevate the budget, and the minimalist look leaves little room for everyday clutter. Plan ample hidden storage and invest in quality organizational inserts.
Coastal Kitchen Style
A coastal kitchen channels breezy beach-house vibes with sun-washed colors, light wood tones, and plenty of natural light. Ideal for Harbor Country retreats, this beach-inspired kitchen design pairs white cabinetry and soft blues with nautical touches for a relaxed, vacation-at-home feel.
Signature Elements of Coastal Kitchens
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Crisp white or pale-blue shaker cabinets, sometimes paired with rift-cut white-oak accents
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Sea-glass tile backsplashes or beadboard paneling for subtle texture
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Light quartz or marble counters, often with subtle veining reminiscent of ocean foam
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Brushed-nickel or matte-chrome hardware, rope or rattan lighting, and coastal décor like glass floats or shell bowls
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Wide-plank light-oak floors that echo boardwalk decking
Pros and Watchouts
Why homeowners love it: coastal kitchen style feels airy and calming, perfect for entertaining after a day on Lake Michigan.
Things to consider: an all-white palette can appear flat in winter light; layer natural textures and warm metals to keep the space inviting year-round.
Industrial Loft Kitchen Style
Industrial kitchens take cues from converted warehouses, such as exposed brick, raw steel, and utilitarian fixtures. In downtown South Bend lofts, this loft kitchen design marries rugged character with chef-level performance.
Signature Elements of an Industrial Loft Kitchen
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Flat-panel cabinets in matte black, charcoal, or reclaimed wood veneer
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Exposed brick or concrete walls paired with stainless or zinc counters
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Open shelving in black steel pipe or angle iron, Edison-bulb pendants, and visible ductwork
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Commercial-style appliances, pot fillers, and deep stainless sinks
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Mixed textures: leather bar stools, concrete floors, and reclaimed timber islands
Pros and Watchouts
Why homeowners love it: industrial kitchen style oozes character, hides dings, and suits open-plan loft living.
Things to consider: too much metal and dark color can feel cold. Soften with walnut accents, a rug, or warm LED lighting.
Mid-Century Modern Kitchen Style
Mid-century modern kitchens (MCM) revive 1950s–1960s design: flat-sawn walnut cabinets, geometric lines, and pops of retro color like teal or mustard. In South Bend’s ranch and split-level homes, this retro modern kitchen style feels perfectly period while offering 21st-century function.
Signature Mid-Centry Modern Kitchen Elements
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Horizontal-grain walnut or teak cabinetry, often with integrated finger pulls or slim edge pulls
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Breezy color accents—turquoise tile backsplashes, orange bar stools, or chartreuse accessories
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Clean, waterfall peninsula edges or boomerang-shaped islands
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Globe or cone pendants, starburst hardware, and tapered furniture legs
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Modern upgrades such as induction cooktops and panel-ready dishwashers that keep the silhouette sleek
Pros and Watchouts
Why homeowners love it: mid-century modern kitchen style feels fun, iconic, and instantly recognizable.
Things to consider: authentic vintage appliances can be hard to source; balance nostalgia with energy-efficient models hidden behind custom panels to keep your MCM kitchen current and convenient.
Peacock & Company Builds the Perfect Kitchen for You in South Bend and Harbor Country
As we conclude this tour of kitchen design styles, remember that the best kitchen design is one that reflects your personality and fits your lifestyle. Peacock & Company prides itself on creating new kitchens and other living spaces that cater to our clients' needs and exceed their expectations. Whether you want to incorporate the latest kitchen design elements or prefer a kitchen style that never goes out of style, we have you covered. Contact us today to start exploring your dream kitchen style possibilities.
