Contemporary kitchen designs often emphasize universal design principles and eco-friendly materials. Choose a major subdued color accent like white, brown, black or metallic and pair it with one or two bright colors like red and electric blue. You should always remember though that size should be considered when finalizing kitchen colors. Smaller kitchens should always have light colors. Pastel colors will make your kitchen look bigger than it really is. modern designs often make use of manufactured materials and finishes such as steel, plastic, linoleum, chrome, molded plywood, laminate, acrylic, concrete, and glass, you can also soften and warm the modern kitchen design aesthetic with natural materials such as granite, slate, stone, and wood.