Confident materials, chosen for real life.
Contemporary kitchens in Manchester and Cheshire
What we mean by a contemporary kitchen
Contemporary is less about one particular door and more about materials. Think large-format ceramic, back-painted glass, real wood veneer, ultra-matt lacquer and colour used with confidence. Plenty of contemporary kitchens are handleless, but they don't have to be. Our Montpelier kitchen in Altrincham pairs soft beige handleless units with black handles on the darker wood, and it still feels modern and elegant.
The materials that make a contemporary kitchen
Most of the character in a contemporary kitchen comes from what the fronts are made of. Each material looks different, behaves differently in a busy house and sits at a different price. Here are four worth knowing about before you visit. Your designer can put samples of each in your hands in the showroom and tell you honestly how they'll cope with your household.
Ceramic
next125 makes fronts in large-format ceramic, which brings the look of stone or concrete to the cabinetry itself. Ceramic worktops such as Systemo continue the same look across the top.
Glass
next125 offers back-painted glass for a deep, reflective colour. Schüller's Smartglas is a polymer glass with a soft, velvety feel and an anti-fingerprint finish.
Wood veneer
Real wood veneer from next125 brings warmth to a modern scheme and sits well beside matt black or a strong colour.
Matt and anti-fingerprint
Matt finishes look calm but can show marks. Keller's Perfect Sense and Schüller's Matera are anti-fingerprint, and Perfect Sense can repair fine surface scratches with heat.
Statement details need careful planning
The details that make a contemporary kitchen striking usually need the most planning. In Macclesfield, the extractor sits in a structural coffer in the ceiling. In our Green Way kitchen, the island seems to float on a strip of LED light. Features like these rely on wiring, ducting and pipework being exactly where the design needs them, and that's what Danil checks on his 40-point survey before anything is ordered.
The brands we use for contemporary kitchens
next125 is where we'd usually start for an architectural kitchen, with ceramic, glass and veneer fronts built on a 125mm design grid. Schüller has the widest choice of colours and finishes of the three, from Smartglas to anti-fingerprint Matera. Keller is the calmer option, known for matt slab doors in muted, earthy tones, and it's behind our Knutsford, Green Way and Withy kitchens.
next125
Ceramic, glass, veneer and ultra-matt lacquer, inspired by the Bauhaus and made in the same Bavarian factory as Schüller.
Explore next125
Schüller
Hundreds of finishes, from deep blue anti-fingerprint Matera to Smartglas, with or without handles.
Explore Schüller
Keller
Made to order in the Netherlands. Designs such as Perfect Sense and Northern Nature, and the dark matt finish of our Withy barn conversion.
Explore Keller
Using colour with confidence
Colour is the quickest way to make a contemporary kitchen your own. In one open-plan kitchen we kept the base units soft white and put the tall units in slate blue, which gives the room real presence without feeling heavy. If you'd like to go further, next125 makes fronts in a bright curry yellow, and Keller's Terracotta Dreaming design mixes terra, truffle and soft pink.
Contemporary kitchens we've designed and installed
Every one of these was designed in our showroom, surveyed twice and installed by our fitters. Open a project to see the brand, the materials and the appliances we chose.
Dark open-plan kitchen with smoked oak in Macclesfield
Matte black full-height towers and smoked oak units make this open-plan Macclesfield kitchen dramatic but easy to live with.
See the project: Dark open-plan kitchen with smoked oak in Macclesfield
Blue and white open-plan kitchen with a curved island in Prestbury
Soft white base units and slate blue tall units give this open-plan kitchen real presence without feeling heavy.
See the project: Blue and white open-plan kitchen with a curved island in Prestbury
Graphite handleless kitchen with a marble-effect island in Poynton
Deep graphite textured units with clean lines and plenty of storage, centred on a marble-effect island.
See the project: Graphite handleless kitchen with a marble-effect island in Poynton
Calm handleless kitchen with glass pendants in Mobberley
Light neutral units, a darker island and oversized glass pendants make this kitchen feel calm and cohesive.
See the project: Calm handleless kitchen with glass pendants in Mobberley
Schüller kitchen in dark wood and soft beige in Altrincham
A Schüller kitchen planned around family roasting and baking, with a white hob because the client wanted to avoid a dark induction hob.
See the project: Schüller kitchen in dark wood and soft beige in Altrincham
Keller kitchen with a floating island in Timperley
The island seems to float on a ring of LED light, and the utility room includes a sleeping spot for the pet.
See the project: Keller kitchen with a floating island in Timperley
Dark Keller kitchen in a barn conversion in Bowdon
Dark matt handleless Keller units and an 80mm live-edge oak table give this barn conversion a rustic, industrial edge.
See the project: Dark Keller kitchen in a barn conversion in BowdonWhat our clients say
Here's what clients have said about working with our designers and fitters.
“Lindsay took time to plan and design the kitchen with us, within our set budget. The end result was even better than we expected.”
“Every step felt organised, smooth and stress-free. Lindsay's design advice and attention to detail made all the difference.”
“Our priorities were a single entity to project manage it, and within six weeks. Lindsay nailed that for us, and Dan was always around for practical advice.”
Questions about contemporary kitchens
See all FAQsDoes a contemporary kitchen have to be handleless?
No. Plenty of contemporary kitchens use handles as part of the design. Schüller's Strato range pairs oak-look and matt black fronts with statement handles, and our Montpelier kitchen in Altrincham combines handleless units with black handles on the darker wood. Your designer will help you decide what suits each part of the room.
Can a contemporary kitchen work in an older house?
Yes, and it can look striking. Our Withy kitchen is a dark matt Keller design in a converted barn, with Dekton worktops and a live-edge oak table. The trick is choosing materials that sit comfortably with the building's character, which is something your designer will talk through with you at your design appointment.
Do handleless kitchens show fingerprints?
Because you open the fronts directly, some finishes show marks more than others, and matt lacquer is the most likely to. Anti-fingerprint finishes and ceramic fronts are much easier to keep clean. With a recessed rail, your fingers touch the aluminium channel rather than the door itself.
How much does a Suga kitchen cost?
It depends on the size of the room, the cabinetry and the appliances you choose. Our pricing guide shows real project costs at three levels of specification, so you can set a realistic budget. For a figure for your own kitchen, book a free design appointment.
Explore other styles
Handleless
Long, unbroken lines and German engineering you can feel every time a drawer closes.
Explore handleless kitchens
Shaker
A classic panelled door painted in the colour of your choice, equally at home in a Victorian semi or a new build.
Explore shaker kitchens
Traditional
In-frame cabinetry, handmade to the exact measurements of your room.
Explore traditional kitchensStart whenever you're ready
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