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Steel kitchen: stability meets style and design

    09/24/2025

    6 min.

    werkhaus küchen | Popstahl/Lars Pillmann | HolzKunst Holocher GmbH | Popstahl/Anton Brandl

Kitchens made of steel are considered cool and functional - but they can also be colourful, homely and stylish. Discover the true character of this special material. As a kitchen material, steel epitomises the industrial style like no other and is ideal for use in the kitchen thanks to its hygienic properties. You can choose between classic stainless steel and colourful, trendy designs.

What are the advantages of a steel kitchen?

A kitchen that is quick and easy to keep clean, offers robust, resistant and durable quality and radiates a purist, clean aesthetic: this is the dream of many people. With a steel kitchen, it becomes a reality. The material is the first choice for food processing for various reasons:

 

 

  • Steel, especially stainless steel, is rust-free, food-safe and has a very smooth surface. This gives germs no chance to settle in the long term and makes cleaning easier.

 

  • The material can withstand high temperatures. Hot pots and pans can be placed on a stainless steel worktop with confidence.

 

  • Scratches, knocks, sharp knives - steel takes it all in its stride. A steel kitchen therefore looks like new for many years, sometimes even decades.

 

In addition, steel has a timeless, understated look. Whether you opt for the matt look of a brushed steel kitchen, a colourful finish or black steel: Steel kitchens are absolute eye-catchers - and they allow varied combinations, for example with wood, glass or concrete.

The perfect symbiosis: aesthetic material combinations at a glance

Pure steel or combined with elements made of warm wood, cool concrete or glass - the choice is yours. Steel kitchen units harmonise perfectly with materials like these. This allows you to create the ambience you want - in a cool industrial style or as a skilful symbiosis of cool and warm materials.

  • When cabinet fronts and a steel worktop meet wooden accessories and kitchen utensils, the result is a balanced look with an exciting contrast of industrial and Scandi chic.

 

  • You can create lightness and transparency with a kitchen made of brushed steel with glass accents. The materials are similar in their properties, while their looks could hardly be more different. With glass splashbacks, cabinets and wall units with glass inserts, you skilfully create visual lightness.

 

  • A industrial ambience with brick walls, exposed concrete and untreated wood is reminiscent of a kitchen made of steel and concrete. Stainless steel base units and a concrete worktop or a kitchen island made entirely of exposed concrete transform your cooking and dining area into a loft-like design zone.

    Tip: Find out more about how aesthetically pleasing industrial-style kitchens can look.

      Planning steel kitchens: tips for a functional design

      Whether you prefer pure steel or a combination of materials, a steel kitchen needs to be planned carefully.

       

      • Keep in mind the magic kitchen triangle: short distances between the main areas of the hob, sink and storage area ensure efficient cooking.

       

      • Do you prefer a steel kitchen with wood or concrete elements? Opt for steel in high-traffic areas such as worktops and complement it with wood in less frequented areas.

       

      • An open design without wall cabinets gives the steel kitchen an airy and clear look. 

       

      Tip: An effective hob extractor – such as the BORA X Pure – is ideal, especially in open-plan kitchens, as it combines a clear view with quiet operation.

        BORA cooktop extractors: Efficiency meets aesthetics The BORA cooktop extractor systems at a glance

        Discover the benefits of innovative BORA cooktop extractors - from simple operation to maximum performance.

        Classic or colourful: creative kitchens made of steel

        Stainless steel is the classic - but steel kitchens have also long been available in colourful designs or in the striking black steel look of the industrial style. We present some special designs.

        • A brushed steel kitchen shines with an elegant, matt look. The surface finish transforms the material into a visual highlight and gives it a fine texture reminiscent of an industrial ambience. Fingerprints are less noticeable- and minor signs of wear can be better concealed in the brushed finish than with high-gloss steel.

         

        • With fronts and worktops made of black steel, you can perfect the industrial living style. The material also impresses with its irregular surface, which gives the ensemble tension, depth and that rough, imperfect look that makes the industrial style so characteristic. Important: Black steel is untreated and unalloyed. We recommend sealing the surface with special metal lacquer.
          • Kitchen furniture made of powder-coated sheet steel - such as that produced by the innovative steel furniture manufacturer Popstahl - can be manufactured in practically any colour, from kohlrabi green to raspberry red and quince yellow. This allows you to adapt the colourful steel kitchen to your individual living style.

           

          Good to know: At the end of their service life, the colourful steel modules can be 100 percent recycled. But it doesn't have to come to that: If you've had enough of the colour of your kitchen, you can have it sandblasted and recoated or simply replace the front.

            Whether purist in stainless steel, creative with colour or combined with wood and concrete - steel kitchens are as individual as your living environment. Let yourself be inspired and plan a kitchen that perfectly combines function and design.

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