Whether it’s a new build or a renovation, planning your new kitchen can feel like a daunting project. So where to start? We have condensed some of our top tips, to help you consider all key design and functional elements that should go into the creation of any beautiful and practical dream kitchen.  

Think of your new kitchen as the heart of your home, that special space where memories are made, your place to relax, be creative and much more.  

A great starting question when approaching the design of your new kitchen should then naturally be: what do you want to feel like when you walk into the space? Are you after a calming space or a more dynamic one?  Consider what emotions you would like to evoke. By asking yourself this question, you can already start to narrow down your colour and materials choices: a specific colour palette or texture will help you recreate the atmosphere you are looking for.   

SOME GENERAL TIPS. WHERE TO START FROM: 

• First impressions are everything when you walk into a room. What is the first element that will capture your/your guests’ attention when entering your kitchen? Find and choose a primary focal point for the space: the traffic flow should organically revolve around your key design elements. 

• Consider your workflow. What are your cooking habits, which appliances, utensils and cabinets do you use the most when you are meal-prepping and clearing up? Write down your habits to help your kitchen planner making the workflow efficient.  

• If you’ve undertaken a home renovation, consider practical additions and upgrades that will increase the overall value of your home and make your life a little easier. Finding the right balance between innovation and timeless solutions is key to get the most out of your budget. 

• When it comes to planning a new space, the key is in observing. If you want to find the best solutions, take some time to closely observe how you and your family use your current kitchen. What are the flows from a practical point of view? What do you absolutely love about the space?  

Let’s deep dive into more specific tips on how to get the best results.

THE STYLE: TRADITIONAL VS MODERN 

• Inject a mix of classic and new into your project. Certain materials and designs simply don’t age. Timeless designs that looked incredible 20 years ago will still do 20 years in the future.  

• When designing a modern space, ensure there is a balance between new and classic in your aesthetic, so you’re not only following trends that might date overtime.  

• Modern designs are best when they are injected with warm hues. In a kitchen, for example, you can help create a harmonious space by bringing in warm details (e.g. brass metal as opposed to stainless steel) and organic wood accents. You can see some examples of recent projects where we have implemented this design feature.  

• Incorporate natural materials whenever possible. Stone worktops, leather handles, wood open shelves or accessories, and cleverly mixed metal finishes will immediately add dimension and texture to any contemporary look. We work with the best suppliers in the industry and can help you find the perfect materials for any dream design you want to achieve. 

• To keep your modern look as streamline as possible, choose a sink colour/finish that disappears into the countertop. It’s usually possible to match the colour of your sink quite close to your countertop.  

• Our favourite design tip here? Silestone by Cosentino offers a gorgeous range of kitchen sinks manufactured from one piece of Silestone that match two of their best-selling worktops, with all the high stain and scratches resistance advantages of a Silestone product. 

• Handle-less systems are very trendy nowadays. Their success is not only due to the added architectural look they can give to your kitchen, but also because they allow for clever and practical opening mechanisms. There is nothing more satisfying than a single touch opening/closing door or drawers. These are particularly handy for waste bin pull-outs or drawers you need constant access to when cooking. 

STORAGE AND SPACE ORGANISATION  

• Cabinets should be your new best friend in your kitchen. If you want your new space to be easy to use and ergonomic, ensure you opt for base units with drawers over doors and shelves. Why? Simply, a drawer gives you full and easy visibility of what’s inside and makes all contents easier to get without having to bend or take out what’s at the front to reach your things at the back.  

  1. TOP TIP: never underestimate the practicality of a drawer for storing away pots and pans, plates and bowls. Equip deep pans drawers with a divider at the back to neatly store the lids. 

  2. TOP TIP 2: add an internal drawer for cutlery and small accessories. 

• Equip your wall cabinets, with lift systems instead of normal hinged doors. Their uplift mechanisms allow for easier access and for the front panel to be out of your way, so you don't risk hitting your head if the cabinet is in the middle of the room. 

MAXIMISE HEIGHT AND ELEVATE THE OVERALL LOOK 

Let’s talk about maximizing the room size and visual impact.  

• The best way is to make use of any available height. If you can’t raise the actual height of your ceiling, a great way to introduce a dramatic yet elegant note is to take your cabinetry up to the ceiling. By simply drawing the eye line upwards, you can make the room feel taller and even larger than its actual dimensions on paper. 

• In a compact home, making use of every inch is key. If you’re bringing your cabinets all the way to the ceiling, install a built-in step in one of your bottom cabinets. SPACE STEP by Blum for example, allows you to reach every area, right up to the ceiling so you can have easy access to those often-forgotten top shelves of your wall cabinets. If you have kids, the step will also help them reach the worktop space, so you can easily and safely cook with your little ones. 

• For a sleek and timeless look, clad the backsplash in the same stone/material as the countertop. This is also another great way to visually extend the height of the room. 

APPLIANCES: HOW TO MINIMISE THEIR VISUAL IMPACT IN YOUR DESIGN 

Appliances can make your kitchen aesthetic feel unbalanced and they can be imposing in the room if they are not incorporated in your design from the start. How to avoid this? 

• For the quintessentially sleek design, make sure your main appliances are as hidden as possible and incorporated in your theme and colour palette.  

• If you can, use the same brand for all big appliances so that they are matching, especially when they are positioned next to each other.  

• If you are going for a sleek and clean theme, integrated fridge/freezer and dishwasher are a must. 

• Another great way to minimise the visual impact of certain appliances is to have induction hobs with a downdraft extraction system built-in, so there is no hood dominating the view. This is a particularly clever solution when your cooking area is installed in the island or peninsula as well as for open spaces, where your kitchen extends into the living area. You might not want the hood to be the main feature you see when you enter the room or relaxing on your sofa.

• If you want to maintain a sense of tidiness on your worktop, create a tea and coffee station. Hide away your toaster and kettle in a stack cabinet. Combine this with an uplift opening, allowing the cabinet to be left open without causing any obstruction on your worktop.

  1. TOP TIP: add a small shelf above those appliances to keep your tea caddy and ground coffee within easy reach.  

  2. TOP TIP 2: Have power points installed at the back of the cabinet so you can leave the appliances plugged in and ready for use at a moment’s notice. 

This is a taster of some of the design aspects we will be chatting through with you when you book a consultation with us. If you have any questions about how we work and what the next steps usually are after the initial consultation, you can find more details in this blog post.