Whether you are planning an indoor or outdoor kitchen, stainless steel kitchens tend to stand the test of time both in quality and aesthetics. When you invest in a kitchen remodel, you want it to last at least a decade, making built quality a deciding factor.

For durability, hygiene, and functionality reasons, stainless steel cabinets are the perfect choice for a commercial kitchen or outdoor kitchen, which is where you can often find stainless steel cabinets integrated. They can be a lovely option for a residential kitchen as well and tend to add either a modern or industrial touch to your space, depending on the shapes and lines you pick out for the cabinet and countertop design.

Because they are so often used in industrial and commercial kitchen settings, they tend to give a modern, industrial impression to your space. This can easily be balanced out with a minimal cabinet shape, the addition of warm materials to the setting, or a selection of accessories to balance out the look.

Have a look at the stainless steel cabinet designs in the list below to get inspired for your kitchen remodel.

Stainless steel cabinets in combination with gold hardware, wallpaper, and white tiles

This beautiful Scandinavian kitchen design combines eye-catching wallpaper, stainless steel cabinets with brass hardware, and a large wall of white tiles. While the stainless steel cabinets determine the lion’s share of the aesthetic, the romantic elements add a whimsical touch that makes the design personal.

The white tiling in combination with the stainless steel cabinets provides the space with an industrial look, while the wallpaper, vintage school board, and the wooden open shelving above the kitchen counter add a romantic touch.

The shelves can be filled with a selection of beautiful kitchen accessories and the wine rack and the magnetic knife holder on the right side of the stainless steel hood create a commercial kitchen appearance.

via Entrance Makleri

A stainless steel kitchen island combined with a dark oak cabinet design

Stainless steel elements can transform a kitchen design. I love the way the stainless steel kitchen island adds variety to the material palette of concrete, dark wood, and light hardwood flooring in this beautiful, modern interior.

The stainless steel drawers on the island match the hood cover above the stove for an elegant and cohesive look. The big size of the contrasting island provides ample worktop space if you have guests over that want to help cook.

I love the modern and minimal shapes in the cabinet design, combined with the rich palette of materials in the room.

Styled by Sarah Widman, photographed by Andrea Papini for Nordiska Kök

A butcher-like kitchen aesthetic with stainless steel cabinets

This Swedish kitchen is the most industrial looking one on the list. The combination of the black metal glass partition wall, the white tiles with the black grout, and the black fridge create a butcher-like kitchen setting that still looks cozy and inviting at the same time.

The stainless steel cabinets are finished off with brass hardware, a stainless steel countertop, and a flexible faucet for an elegant, finished look.

The small vintage wood table in front of the window balances out the black and steel tones in the kitchen layout and adds a beautiful warm touch to the setting.

via Fantastic Frank

A stainless steel kitchen combined with an island on wheels for an industrial look

This modernized loft has exposed beams combined with a light hardwood floor that adds a soft residential finish to the space. To adhere to the industrial flair of the building, an industrial kitchen with stainless steel cabinets and a stainless steel kitchen island on wheels fills this spacious apartment with high ceilings.

While the main kitchen block contains stainless steel for the cabinets, backsplash, and countertop, this stainless steel look is complemented by high cupboards in a beige laminate on the other side of the room and a clean white cover for the hood above the stove that goes over into a floating shelf.

The stainless steel kitchen on wheels in the middle of the loft space provides an extra worktop, while also functioning as a kitchen breakfast bar at the same time.

via Historiska Hem

Minimal stainless steel cabinets in a modern home

While the stainless steel cabinets are at the basis of this modern kitchen design, it’s the stainless steel countertop and backsplash paired up with a steel faucet that gives the kitchen its monotone look that contrasts beautifully with the hardwood flooring in this modern home.

The ceiling-high steel backsplash completes the look, yet it also makes sure to protect the wall while cooking.

The cabinet layout consists of a kitchen island that is surrounded by tall wall-to-wall cabinets on each side. From the sink, you have direct access to the stove, while the cabinet combination on the other side of the island can be used to store a variety of non-kitchen things as well, as they are part of the modern apartment design.

The sharp and minimal edges of the PLATE cabinets designed by Studio David Thulstrup make for a clean and elegant look inside of this warm and spacious loft.

via Reform CPH

Double-door stainless steel cabinets in a wood setting

If a kitchen design with complete stainless steel cabinets is a bit too much for your taste, you can always go for partial cabinets in stainless steel combined with wood tones for a more balanced and natural look.

In the case of this spacious kitchen design, the kitchen island and main kitchen module are made out of oak cabinets, yet the two large double-door cupboards by the window are made out of stainless steel. This subtle steel touch adds a modern appearance to the mixture of wood tones.

via Kvanum

Stainless steel cabinets with integrated handles against soft grey walls

The cooking space in this industrial loft home has a slight commercial kitchen vibe, as the stainless steel cabinets are completed with a stainless steel countertop as well for extreme durability and a strong industrial look.

This robust aesthetic, however, is balanced out by an elegant white floating shelf on the top half of the kitchen wall that holds wine glasses and spices.

The walls are painted with a soft grey paint color that makes the steel cabinets and the white shelf stand out in a subtle way.

via Alexander White

Stainless steel kitchen cabinets stand out against a delicate interior with white walls

This beautiful and minimal modern kitchen design with brushed stainless steel cabinets is part of the business showroom of Danish jewelry designer Sophie Bille Brahe. The cabinets have integrated handles on the top for a minimal look that is finished off with a stainless steel countertop and faucet.

The minimal shapes of the rice paper pendants, the sculptural vase, and the organic artwork on the wall create a strong contrast with the clean, sharp lines of the minimal PLATE cabinets designed by Studio David Thulstrup.

via Reform CPH

A modular stainless steel kitchen in a white turn-of-the-century apartment

The stainless steel kitchen cabinets in this impressive historic space are paired with a sculptural stainless steel chandelier above the dining table and black steel wire chairs around the table. The contrast between the steel and the elegant white historic details in this space is striking.

via Fantastic Frank

Clean Steel paired with a subtle farmhouse softness

The clean and minimal design of the stainless steel kitchen cabinets stands in stark contrast against the white shiplap walls and the light wood flooring in this soft-looking space. The steel cabinets are paired with a stone countertop and a minimal faucet for an even more modern impression.

via Fastighetsbyran

Pair Stainless Steel Kitchen Cabinets with Other Natural Materials for a Softer Effect

This modern stainless steel kitchen features matt steel cabinets and a thin stainless steel countertop for a contemporary effect in this space with concrete flooring. The steel is paired with a lava stone stove hood and a natural wood kitchen island for a perfect mix of materials that contribute to making the kitchen look softer.

via Nordiska Kök

Pair Different Cabinets together for an Interesting Look

If you have a big kitchen, designing it entirely with stainless steel cabinets can sometimes look too much like an outdoor kitchen. To avoid this, pair your steel cabinets with white cabinets as in the example below.

via Alvhem

Sleek Steel Cabinets and Shelves for a Modern and Minimal Effect

This gorgeous modern kitchen design pairs sleek stainless steel cabinets with a stainless steel countertop and backsplash. To complete the steel look, floating shelves are applied to the wall above the kitchen sink.

Photographed by Henrik Nero for Picky Living