The kitchen is now the showpiece of a modern home. You would expect any luxury kitchen design to include cutting-edge technology with the newest appliances and highest quality materials. You’ll be the envy of your friends with the latest kitchen design trends and intuitive appliances that not only look good but make your life easier.
Read on for the latest interior design tips for your luxury kitchen project:
1. Incorporate two kitchen islands
A U-shaped kitchen design is well suited to a luxury kitchen project as this style of kitchen is often large enough to have room for a central island for additional food preparation and storage.
With a U-shaped kitchen you can even include two islands if you have the space. One island can be used for food preparation and the other can be used for entertaining. While you’re hosting you can prepare, cook and serve away from your guests, while still being able to chat to them as you do.
Many people make the mistake of forgetting about the comfort of the seating around their kitchen island and then find themselves perching uncomfortably on a bar stool for long periods of time.
Make sure that you include cushioned, upholstered bar stools around your islands for comfort. For ultimate ease, why not incorporate charging stations for your laptop and mobile phone? You can then work at your kitchen island for as long as you need to without worrying about running out of battery.
2. Include built-in storage
Make sure that you include plenty of built-in storage in your kitchen project. Hiding unsightly items is essential in a luxury kitchen and pull out storage offers the ideal solution - either with a straight pull out larder or in cupboard shelves that pull out and then fold out.
You also need to make sure that all your kitchen items are still easily accessible. For example, waste sorting cupboards and drawers will help you to organise your recycling while keeping it out of sight.
Think about ‘wall storage’ as opposed to ‘wall cabinets’. Shelves and open cupboards can be functional statements - both on-trend and offering practical space. Paint one or two shelves a bolder, brighter colour the others for a stylish look.
3. A hidden extractor is a must-have
The trend for using the kitchen as an entertainment space has seen the need for hiding unsightly objects or, if you can’t hide them away, making them look good. Flush fitted ceiling fans or fans on the worktop are popular in luxury kitchen designs, as are wire hung extractors.
Another tip is to purchase an extractor with a removable cover and to replace the cover with the same material as the kitchen surfaces or splashbacks.
4. Add luxury details
Kitchen personalisation is on-trend in 2018. An interior design tip is to add detailing on kitchen cabinets - consider rich colours, smoked glass and on-trend metallics.
Dark veneers and heavily grained wood are also additional trends you could incorporate into your luxury kitchen project.
Minimalist kitchens with push-in mechanisms to open cupboards have been popular in recent years, but luxury kitchen design is now moving away from this trend and incorporating striking, ornate kitchen handles as an alternative.
Copper and rose gold handles are popular, adding more visual warmth than black and stainless steel.
5. Make lighting a statement feature
What’s a luxury kitchen without enough light to truly appreciate it?
A true showstopper of a chandelier is sure to impress and will bring plenty of light into your kitchen, making it appear more spacious. It’s also easier to prepare and cook food in a good light. A striking chandelier will instantly make your kitchen stand-out.
For a futuristic look in your kitchen, install LED lights along your worktops, behind glass splashbacks and under your cabinets. Choose some that you can change colour by switch to create different atmospheres. This is a great option if you enjoy hosting parties.
6. Don’t forget about the kitchen sink
The most used appliance in the kitchen is the sink and tap combination, so when you’re planning your luxury kitchen project you need to allocate enough money towards this heavily used area of the kitchen. You should spend as much as your budget allows for high-quality designs that will endure years of constant use.
The popularity of the kettle is waning in today’s time-starved society so you will definitely benefit from a time saving hot water tap in your luxury kitchen project.
7. Consider alternative luxury flooring
There is no doubt that when we think of luxurious flooring we automatically think of opulent and decadent marble.
However if you want something different there are two other luxurious flooring materials you could consider:
- Stylish and sophisticated Moroccan floor tiles
The sky’s the limit with options for tile designs. You can find antique reclaimed tiles, handmade tiles, custom designed tiles or pebble mosaics - both shop bought or artist commissioned.
With a thin veneer top layer of solid wood and the base layer made from high-density fibreboard or plywood, engineered wood requires less maintenance than solid hardwood. It is extremely durable and needs no extra finishing or refinishing.
In addition to your new flooring, you can add a luxurious rug to create a cosy yet sophisticated appeal. Try a large Turkish carpet that fits perfectly underneath your kitchen table.
8. Use multi-functional appliances
The traditional ‘working triangle’ from kitchen designs of years gone by is less popular now you can buy multi-functional appliances. You can organise banks of built-in appliances in large drawers and behind cupboard doors.
Integrate technology into your kitchen design to create a smart kitchen - from lighting you can control via your smartphone to ovens which will text you when your dinner is cooked to perfection.
Including a new state of the art fridge or cooker into your kitchen project will ‘wow’ guests and will also make your life easier. Take a look at The Family Hub fridge from Samsung which includes entertainment and family organisation functions.
9. Include a butler’s pantry
One kitchen designer’s tip that you won’t regret in your luxury kitchen design is to incorporate a walk-in butler’s pantry.
The trend towards pantries isn’t just a result of nostalgia - pantries have a very utilitarian purpose, that has now become a luxury due to the extra space we demand from our kitchens.
With the move towards growing your own fruit and vegetables, you may well have more fresh produce to store, alongside your jars, packets and boxes. A butler’s pantry will solve this problem within the walls of well-organised shelves and drawers, all hidden away from your guests when the pantry door is shut.
You can even include a small butler’s sink, an extra dishwasher for entertaining and a rolling ladder to get to the higher shelves for maximum use of space.
If you work from home or your children like to do their homework in the kitchen, you can choose to incorporate a desk into your pantry, hidden away from the main kitchen. By adding a desk you will also avoid those unsightly piles of correspondence on a kitchen surface.
10. Include some standout pieces
When you’re entertaining in a luxury kitchen you’re sure to want to include some features to impress.
Some additions to consider before starting your luxury kitchen design project include:
A built in fast-fry or griddle with a flush induction wok and grill for theatrical cooking on your kitchen island
A wine cellar or an integrated wine cooler so you’ve always got a chilled bottle to hand
A built-in warming drawer for your dinner plates, meaning you’ll no longer have to squeeze them into the oven to warm
A proving drawer for those with aspirations to star in the next series of The Great British Bake Off
A premium kitchen design specialist will work with you to bring your concept of a luxury kitchen to life. Ensure they have experience of other premium kitchen projects and they’ll be able to suggest ideas, designs and creative tips that you won’t have even thought of, realising your dream of a bespoke kitchen.