A mid-century modern kitchen, tried on your own kitchen.

What makes a mid-century modern kitchen

• Flat-front cabinets. Slab doors with no frame or molding, in walnut, teak or oak veneer, or painted in a muted color.
• Simple hardware. Slim bar pulls, small round knobs or cut-out finger pulls.
• Plain counters. White or pale counters without heavy veining, so the wood stays the feature.
• Period lighting. A globe, cone or dome pendant over the table or island.
• One color. Olive, mustard, orange or teal on a backsplash, a few doors or the chairs.

What to check on your own kitchen

A photo of someone else’s kitchen can’t tell you how the style sits with your light, your proportions and the things you are keeping. These are the points to look at once it is on your photo:

• Wood against your floor. Wood cabinets on a wood floor can merge. See whether a painted lower run or a different floor tone separates them.
• Paint or replace. If your doors are already flat, a new color and pulls may be enough. Look at whether the design changes the cabinet layout or only the finish.
• The amount of wood. A full wall of walnut is dark in a small kitchen. Compare it with wood below and white above.

Before

After

Before and after comparison. Drag or use arrow keys to reveal more of either image.

Where it works, and where it doesn’t

It suits houses from the 1950s to the 1970s, galley kitchens, and kitchens open to a living area, where cabinets are seen as furniture. Slab doors are also simple to clean.

It is less convincing in a kitchen with ornate trim, arched openings or a traditional range hood. Real wood veneer usually costs more than painted doors and marks more easily near a sink, so ask about durable finishes when you get quotes.

How to see it on your own kitchen

1. Photograph the kitchen. Stand in the doorway with the lights on and use your phone’s normal 1x lens. Clear the counters first so the design isn’t built around clutter.
2. Choose the room and the style. In Remodel, pick Kitchen as the room and Mid-Century Modern as the style. Remodel is designed to keep the shape of the space and its windows and to change the finishes around them.
3. Run a second style on the same photo. Try Minimalist next and drag the slider on each. A style is easier to judge beside another one than on its own.
4. Refine the one you keep. On a paid plan, Edit changes one thing you describe and Brush changes only the area you paint over. Designs are saved in your Library beside the original photo.

Styles to compare it with

• Minimalist. The same flat fronts with less wood and no visible hardware.
• Contemporary. Sleeker and cooler, with darker tones and concealed lighting.
• Scandinavian. Paler wood and more white.

What a design can’t tell you

A design can’t tell you what the work costs, where plumbing and wiring can move, or what your local code requires. It has no measurements, the cabinets and counters in it are a look to match and not specific products, and it can change details you did not ask about, such as an appliance or the view out of a window. Moving a sink or adding an island needs a measured plan from a designer or contractor.

What it costs

On the web, the Kitchen room type and the Mid-Century Modern style are both included with a free account, which comes with starter credits and needs no card. Every paid plan adds Edit and Brush and unlocks all the styles and room types. The pricing page lists what each plan includes.

Common questions

What cabinet colors are mid-century modern?

Natural walnut, teak and oak are the classics. Painted options are muted: olive or avocado green, mustard, teal, off-white and charcoal.

Can I get the look by repainting my existing cabinets?

If the doors are flat or have a simple frame, often yes: a new color, new pulls and a period light go a long way. Raised-panel doors usually need new fronts.

What backsplash suits a mid-century modern kitchen?

Simple tile in a stacked or straight pattern, in white or one strong color. Busy stone competes with the wood.

Is the Mid-Century Modern style free to try on a kitchen?

Yes. On the web, a free account includes the Kitchen room type and the Mid-Century Modern style, with starter credits and no card. Paid plans start with Basic at $13 a month, or $91 a year and add Edit and Brush for changing one thing at a time. The pricing page lists what each plan includes.