Modern kitchen with exposed beams: five ways to perfect them

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Published on 21 December 2021

Modern kitchen with exposed beams: five ways to perfect them

Exposed wooden beams are not the sole preserve of rustic kitchens. You can take full advantage of the charm of this interior design element in a modern kitchen. Here are our five ideas to make the most of them.

Beans of light

Generally made of untreated wood, exposed beams in kitchen ceilings immediately warm the room and offer a real decorative advantage. You can leave them as they are, in solid and natural wood, or bring them up to date by varnishing them. The shine of the varnish illuminates the kitchen and adds chic elegance. You can also paint them white, black or any other colour. In white, the beam blends into the overall design, while black or a dark colour makes it stand out. Two strategies are available to you in a well-structured kitchen: either you break with the rustic look to create a contemporary style, or else you embrace it for a kitchen with the spirit of a chic country house.

Ideas to make the most of your beams

There are various ways to achieve a modern contemporary kitchen with exposed beams.

Option 1: white-painted beams

You can achieve a more modern and refined ambiance by repainting your exposed beams white. This makes it possible to tone down their rustic appearance and make them more discreet, blending into the white of the ceiling, while retaining their attractive shapes. These are found in kitchens with a minimalist decor or shabby chic style.

Option 2: dare to paint it black

If you have a high ceiling, why not highlight your exposed beams by giving them a beautiful black coat? They will stand out against the white walls – ideal in an industrial style kitchen with a glass roof and metal shelves. With black walls, they create an original chic and understated atmosphere – ideal in a minimalist kitchen.

Option 3: invite colour into your life

There is also the even more original option of painting the exposed beams in a colour, which can then be reflected in elements of the kitchen. You can choose to be discreet, with a light grey that echoes a kitchen with stainless steel elements, or bolder with a blue for instance. Be careful not to oppress the atmosphere by opting for an excessively dark colour.

Option 4: contrast modern and authentic touches

Retain the authenticity of woodwork and offset it with an ultra-modern, designer, or even futuristic kitchen. The contrast will be all the more interesting if you have a dressed stone wall or cement tile floor. A kitchen with lacquered cabinet fronts, clean lines, equipped with the very latest in household appliances will be given the perfect touch of warmth in a traditional setting, such as that found in barns, farmhouses or old country houses.

Option 5: make the beams functional

Exposed beams can be very practical, for example for installing designer lights or hanging plants. So keep the charm and warmth of untreated wood. The modernity of the suspended lights or bulbs placed in a row will offset the old-fashioned look of kitchens with exposed beams.