Modern Kitchens 101 with Rocio Romero

Acclaimed architectural designer Rocio Romero gives a primer on modern kitchen design using elements employed in her modern minimalist LV home in Perryville, Mo.

Art

KEEP ART SIMPLE. "Art in a modern space has to respect the architecture or else it will stick out like a sore thumb," says Romero. "Go simple. It's better to invest a significant amount on one really good painting than on 10 or 20 that are so-so and end up cluttering the space."

Storage

PUT EVERYTHING IN ITS PLACE. Incorporating significant storage minimizes clutter and preserves the clean lines of the space. It also keeps your tools within reach: "You can pretty much stand in one place, reach in front, behind, below, above, and have it all right there," says Romero. Simple and affordable IKEA cabinetry, used here, can be purchased and installed locally through is-design-kitchens.com.

Recessed Lighting

DON'T CROSS THE LINES. Canister lights in the ceiling and a hidden rope light behind the cabinets' trim provide additional lighting without disrupting the horizontality of the kitchen's design. "Subtle lighting sources create a warm glow and reflect nicely off the stainless steel elements," says Romero.

Natural Light

GO WITH THE FLOW. "I designed this kitchen such that the top of the cabinet meets the bottom side of the clerestory to allow a lot of light to come in, but also to blend in with the rest of the home," says Romero. "Modern kitchens are designed to fit the architecture of the home so it becomes part of the same vocabulary."

Modern Materials

REPEAT THE BASICS. Stainless steel and white lacquer are aesthetic staples of modern design. The stainless steel countertops match the clear, anodized aluminum of the windows and the stainless appliances, and the white lacquer on the cabinets and island matches that of the dining table.

Hidden Elements

IF YOU CAN'T FIGHT IT, HIDE IT. "Refrigerators, for me, are the trickiest element to design within the kitchen because they're vertical, which clashes with the clean, horizontal lines of the cabinets and countertops. So I came up with a wall that hides the refrigerator and includes a pantry for added storage. It keeps the fridge from being visually predominant from other points of the home."

Colors

REFINE YOUR PALETTE. "Pick a palette, keep it simple and stick to it," recommends Romero. "Here we've used white, metal, brown, beige and black; all these elements are repeated through furnishings and finishes throughout the home, which is important to creating visual flow."