Kitchen ideas
Depending on the available space, another option is to introduce a run of bridging units along the top of your wall cupboards. These usually have tall units on either side. Apart from extra storage, this creates a sunken effect for the wall units through subtle changes in depth. The lower wall units are usually 350 millimetres in depth, while the units above are 650 millimetres deep. The overall feel of this is a framed kitchen look, or else a feature-wall effect. With this arrangement, it’s best to store less-frequently used items in the top row of cupboards, and invest in a foldaway footstool for access. As pictured, you can also match your kitchen cabinetry to your wall colour for a seamless look in your kitchen and dining or living space.
Ghoniem specified High-Pressure Laminate (HPL) for the curved splashback and cold-formed overhead cabinetry, which has a sweeping bullnose return that echoes the curves of the island bench. In addition to incorporating macro-curves – seen in the cabinetry, island bench and archway – remember to factor micro-curves into your design as well. “Round little draw pulls are like caramel buttons,” says Ghoniem of the small-scale curves she used in this kitchen. “Vertical dowels add softened 3D appeal for the cupboard handles.”
Embrace Sculptural Elements While minimalism bows down to clean lines and right angles, maximalism hails sculptural curves in abundance. For a curvaceous motif that respects your project budget, consider how you might apply widely used materials in a creative way for maximum cost-effective impact. This is what Ghoniem achieved here by thinking outside the square, instead of binding laminates to customary right-angled joinery surfaces. “It appears sculpted,” she says of this kitchen design. “I learnt a lot about the dexterity and malleability of the laminate materials. The team was really open to carving and sculpting my design ideas. Above all, working with Laminex reduced the need to explore other materials such as solid timber and natural stone, so it was a huge time (and budget) saver.”
Tell us about the ribbed detailing on the island The client wanted to make the island a feature so I used Polytec Steccawood battens custom-cut to a linear width, so as you move around the space the island’s appearance seems to change. I specified it to run 20 millimetres off the ground to highlight the battening and also to marry up with the shadowline under the benchtop. Adding curves to the island in this way also softens its appearance and creates a feeling of movement. Could this add texture for our kitchen?
Select a larger hood If you’re not pursuing subtlety, consider an oversize range hood. A larger model will accomplish two things. First, it becomes an umbrella that can capture more grease and odour than one sized exactly to your range or cooktop. Second, it increases the distance between the cabinets next to it, visually creating more openness.
Move the warming drawer up There was a time when, in more generously sized kitchens, the warming drawer was routinely located beneath the double oven stack. In many ways this made functional sense, since it was near the ovens. But over time, many people stopped using them as they were so low, making accessibility a challenge. These days it’s all about function. Place your warming drawer, if you choose to have one, at bench-height and close to your cooking appliances. Tip: If you’re opting for a single oven instead of a double oven stack, it can also work nicely to position a warming drawer directly below it.
Pendant height I wish I could tell you the ideal height for island pendants, but it doesn’t exist. Consider many factors, from the pendant itself to the sightline height of the kitchen’s users. In general, pendants should be 75 to 100 centimetres above the island benchtop. Why measure from the top of the island’s bench height instead of from the ceiling? Because ceiling heights differ.
Uplighting Not all cabinetry goes to the ceiling. In the past, it was common to add a soffit to close the gap, but not everyone likes the look of a soffit. Uplighting creates a source of ambient kitchen lighting when the space above the cabinetry is left open. One caveat: the light reflects best off the ceiling when there’s a minimum space of 30 centimetres between the top of your cabinetry and the ceiling; otherwise it can create a halo effect above the cabinets. Tip: LED strip lighting is effective at avoiding the halo effect and providing an even distribution of light.
Hide it behind sliders Looking for ways to make your open-plan kitchen sit comfortably alongside the adjoining living area? One clever solution is to keep the working parts of the kitchen tucked away (but easily accessible) behind large, sliding doors. When closed, they’ll simply look like joinery; when open, they make the kitchen ready for use.
“The focus is on making the kitchen multitask as a place for meal preparation, conversation and entertainment. It is about creating a space that is as beautiful as it is functional,” says Sarcasmo. Could something work like this into the lounge if we get rid of Bardie's table & sideboard. This table ?could go East to West to bring the rooms together
A rolled steel joist (or RSJ, a type of steel beam) was inserted from which to hang the living room doors as they’re so heavy. Knocking through walls was a delicate business. “It’s always a bit nerve-racking,” says Taylor, “but it went smoothly.” Some of the plasterwork was inevitably damaged, however, says Beazley, “The builders made moulds to restore the cornicing and even restored part of the skirting board in the same way”.
To stay within budget, the kitchen remained more or less the same, but was refreshed with a lick of paint and new handles. “It’s a fantastic colour,” says Beazley of the Dulux Midnight Teal paint to the cabinetry. “Then my daughter persuaded me to buy these lovely handles, and the same for the barn doors, and that’s really revitalised the whole kitchen.”
…or be opened up to become lighter and part of the whole space. The engineered oak flooring runs throughout the three rooms and has unified the space. “I suggested Eva go for the widest boards she could, as narrow ones can look a bit cheap in a big space,” says Taylor. The sofa works nicely when the doors are open as well as closed. “You’re not in the kitchen, but close enough to talk or share the music,” says Beazley.
“We were chatting about how to open up, thinking of double doors,” says Beazley, “but then wondering where they would go [when open] – it would make it worse – when Nick said, ‘Barn doors!’ I didn’t even know they were a thing, but they were the big breakthrough, as they’d allow us to keep the architectural integrity of the sitting room.” The sliding doors are the perfect solution, as the kitchen can be completely open… IMBY3 Architecture & Design …or closed to the living room…
“The living room has an amazing ceiling and doors, and we didn’t want to lose the architectural integrity,” says Beazley. There was also a fairly limited budget, so Taylor had to keep as much of the building as possible as it was. The solution was three sliding doors – one leading into the pantry (behind the camera in this image), one leading into the living room on the right and one leading into the dining area in the extension.
Flush floor-to-ceiling units hug the left-hand side of the kitchen. Behind the doors are a fridge, a freezer, a pantry and wine storage. Behind this bank, accessed from the dining area, is a utility room housing the laundry appliances. The pantry and the wine fridge sit neatly within the bank of floor-to-ceiling joinery.
Deb's : As a thought for the kitchen if free standing fridge & freezer are not encased which is what I want. Plus my cook books etc allow you to see something when entering the kitchen from the front/bathroom of our place. Add shelves to create a wall When space is tight, it can be important to build in storage at every opportunity. In this Georgian home in London, UK, homeowner and architectural technologist Joe Stewart of YellowDoor Architecture, carefully packed in storage without crowding a busy, multi-functional space containing the kitchen and living room, which was also open to the hallway and stairs. These shelves are not only useful, but also conceal the end of the kitchen wall and a freestanding fridge-freezer, creating a more pleasing view from the entrance of the home.
High-fold cabinets We find Blum HM bi-fold cabinets to be extremely practical for high and mid-level wall cabinets. They open smoothly, items are easy to access as there are no doors in the way, and when closed the cabinets create a long, sleek look. For added luxury, you can also upgrade to Blum Servo-Drive so the doors open with a light push. These cabinets are more expensive than standard overhead cabinets, but so worth it.
Butler’s pantry Having a pantry is worth it because it gives you a dedicated area to make breakfast, tea and coffee. A walk-in butler’s pantry is the crème de la crème of pantries – it gives you maximum functionality and screams high-end kitchen. Position your butler’s pantry at the far end of the kitchen, ideally with a matching joinery door on a pivot system. Include bench space to house appliances so you can free up surface space in your kitchen. As with any pantry, you’ll need to incorporate a butler’s pantry at the design stage so you get the functionality correct.
Waterproof kickboards and sink cabinets When it comes to insurance claims involving kitchens, water damage is the biggest cause. This can be due to flooding, accidents, storms, faulty plumbing or appliances. Kitchens are primarily made of panels with a substrate of MDF board and particle board, which when exposed to water repeatedly or over a length of time will expand and become damaged. Upgrading your new kitchen to include waterproof board to at-risk panels, such as kickboards and sink cabinets, will save you a tonne of pain in the unlikely event you have one of the water issues listed above. Waterproof board is not cheap – expect to pay many times the cost of regular substrates – but it’s well worth the expense.
Bin drawer Keep waste under control by upgrading to a pull-out bin drawer. A bin drawer is ideally placed near the sink and typically has loose bins inside it for waste and recycling, but can also contain bins for soft plastics and compost too. A bin drawer can either be retrofitted to an existing kitchen (space permitting) or designed into new kitchens. The design options are greater in new kitchens and, as such, they tend to be more practical. For instance, a new kitchen can have a bin drawer fitted with a touch-to-open system so you can open the drawer with the bump of a knee, leaving your hands free to place items in the bin. This upgrade ranges from quite cheap (such as the retrofitted option) to more expensive.
Soft-close drawers and full-extension runners Soft-closing doors and drawers are extremely functional and well-worth installing. They close smoothly and softly without banging shut like standard doors and drawers do. If you’re interested in soft-closing doors and drawers, be sure to plan early; they need to be factored in at the costing stage to ensure you get the correct pricing. Full-extension runners are another worthwhile investment. The drawer pulls right out towards you so you can fit more into it and you don’t have to reach into the back to find items. Soft-closing drawers and full-extension runners used to be a costly luxury, but not anymore. You’ll find all sorts of options at different price points on the market. One I’d recommend is Blum’s Antaro soft-closing runner range – it’s an amazing system that won’t break the bank.
Vertical storage Storing cutting boards, trays and baking trays vertically makes them far more accessible than storing them horizontally – you simply pull them out when required. Plus, they’re easy to put back. Vertical storage comes at a minimal cost, but needs to be incorporated in the design phase.
Connection to the kitchen with carpet defining the space. New sliding doors and timber steps improve the connection to the rear courtyard, and new clerestory windows replace the smaller original windows, opening up the house to sky and treetop views. “The addition of new windows and doors also encourages air movement and cross ventilation for improved passive cooling of the house,”
The new living room was created by demolishing the two old bathrooms at the rear of the house. The large, light-filled room takes up the full width of the house and flows seamlessly from the kitchen and dining area.
The walk-in-pantry/laundry is an extension of the kitchen, and includes space for the coffee machine and wine fridge.
Walk in pantry. could this idea work at the North end of our kitchen and perhaps house the fridge & freezer? Also the microwave?
Long bench which we may have room for, ?seating allowed. These cupboards match in the lounge
slightly different angle & colours
Lounge & dining in the same room with carpet making different spaces, Lighting over the table to help different spaces, Colours quite similar to what I want: natural wood look, greys, white and light. Note matching cupboards as the kitchen bringing it all together.
Consider an inner drawer above the bin and within the carcass to store your bin liners
“It is super handy to be able to scrape food from plates or cookware into a bin, rinse at the sink and then place the items directly into the dishwasher. Therefore we try to place the bin to one side of the sink and the dishwasher to the other,” says Rose. “Other considerations include not locating the bin where someone often stands – for example, not directly under the sink or cooktop,” says Rose. “And we often try to keep the bin on the outer edge of the kitchen so that people can access it without having to come deep into the heart of the cooking space,” she says.
If the floorboards go in our renovated kitchen, could some of the floor boards be used for an island bench with not ability for water to sit on them unlike near the sink?
Like the light well in the ceiling when there are no windows or could put into the centre of the room with a veloux up the top?
Like the nice light colours for our darkish kitchen
Keep your most-used items in the front for easy access. If space allows, storing your bakeware vertically, using something similar to a pot lid organiser, will provide you with a clear view and easy retrieval.
Maybe colouring for sunroom kitchen cabinets with the light flooring + light benchtop
Like the lower viewing window. Don't know if we could use this concept
Here’s a view of that clever kitchen from the front
Squeeze in a slender butler’s pantry Dreaming of a butler’s pantry that keeps all your kitchen mess hidden away but don’t think you have the space? Consider a slimline design that’s tucked behind a feature tiled splashback. Go door-free, like the owners have done here, to make traffic flow as comfortable as possible…
How far do you have to travel to fetch a mop when there’s a spill? Or do you keep it shoved in the space beside the fridge? Here’s a fantastic solution: this pull-out keeps the cleaning essentials hidden away and beautifully organised – ready to clean up spills immediately. Amazingly, this broom cupboard will only steal 200 millimetres of floor space from your kitchen, but having the broom, dustpan and mop on hand right when you need them will prove to be one of life’s essential luxuries.
Who wants daggy and damp tea towels messing up their beautiful kitchen? That’s right, no-one. To maintain the visual perfection of this stunning French country-style kitchen, designer Dominique McAdam installed a slimline pull-out rack behind a cupboard front. The top section contains space to hang the damp tea towels, and there’s a little shelf for dishwashing necessities below.
Another way to organise the under-sink area is to install sliding racks on either side of the space. No more reaching into the dark depths of the cupboard to find those little-used cleaning products. This also frees up the base of the cupboard for larger items such as a bin and dustpan.
Under-sink cleverness Despite being an area that’s generally dedicated to cleaning products, the under-sink cupboard is often the messiest part of the kitchen, with plumbing and pipes and the sink bowl itself negating any functionality. Damp dishcloths and paper towels tangle with plastic bags; bottles of detergent and insect spray tumble about, and you can never quite put your hand on the item you actually need. Overcome these issues and restore order with a purpose-designed drawer unit that neatly fits around the sink and pipes, allowing you full access to the remaining space. The drawer unit pictured here even includes a handy spot to store the dishcloth, right under the sink.
The colour scheme for the space was to be neutral white and grey tones, with the addition of timber to add warmth to the space. It also ties all the timbers together with the original timber flooring, the ceiling beam, floating shelves and the rustic butcher’s block island. This was to be the centrepiece and part of the inspiration for the space. The bar area is positioned to view the rocky landscaped in the backyard and take in the morning sun while having a cuppa.
They’re Budget-friendly When it comes to planning a new kitchen or updating an existing one, working out where to spend and save can be tricky. Consider your lifestyle and how you use the space to begin with. For example, if you’re a keen cook, then professional (aka more expensive) appliances might be on your wish list. Or maybe you’ve spotted your dream benchtop that will eat up most of the budget. Well, the good news is, if you opt for hard-wearing polytec doors and benchtops that combine a super-matt surface and fingerprint-resistant technology with a great price tag, you’ll be guaranteed beautiful robust cabinetry that will retain its good looks for longer. Plus, you’ll have extra cash to splash on those extravagant wish-list additions. Styling tip: To create a minimalist aesthetic that’s on point, choose super-sleek handle-free laminate doors, such as the new Venette range, and enjoy easy-to-clean surfaces that are timeless.
It’s Multipurpose, Hardwearing and Durable Ultra-matt laminates are the new superhero of the kitchen and are viable for vertical application on drawers and cupboards, as well as benchtops, offering robust, hygienic and fingerprint-resistant protection across your entire space. Just imagine how hardy and easy to clean your busy kitchen space could be! What’s more, with an unsurpassed, super-matt surface finish that’s beautifully smooth to touch, these elegant laminates will elevate your kitchen’s luxury credentials. Styling tip: An island makes a wonderful central point in a kitchen where everyone can congregate, so consider adding two separate laminate surfaces, such as a sleek, dark style mixed with a wood effect, to define the food prep area and the eating zone.
Recent advances in technology have made High Pressure Laminate – or HPL – even more popular for kitchen benchtops, thanks to its supremely tough stain- and scuff-resistant surface, and its capability to mimic real stone and timber at a fraction of the cost. Created under extreme high pressure and heat to form a thin product, which is then glued to furniture or benchtops, these superior technologies have enabled a higher quality product and finish that’s incredibly easy to maintain. All that’s needed is a simple wipe down with a soft cloth, which has been dampened with plain water or a household detergent, to remove all common household spills. No special treatment required! Styling tip: Go for darker base units beneath your island to contrast with a lighter benchtop and you’ll create a bold design statement. Open shelves are a great display idea when an island faces an open-plan living space.
Choose soft neutrals Green-toned greys are great for echoing the great outdoors, especially if your kitchen overlooks the garden. But that’s not the whole story here in terms of what’s giving this kitchen a gentle feel. The matt colour is chalky, almost tactile. It’s the opposite of a ‘glaring’ shade or cold finish, which can appear harsh and, in turn, create a chilly effect. Tip: Varying the width of the kitchen cabinetry, which has been done here with great success in the upper and lower units, adds an organic feel and softens the scheme.
Appliance shelf You might not have space for a walk-in pantry, but you could still squeeze an appliance shelf into a regular cupboard pantry. Choose the shelf that’s positioned around waist level as the one on which you’ll store some of your small appliances. Storing them at this level eliminates the need to bend down or reach up too high. It also means that you can open your pantry doors and easily find the appliance you need without having to rummage around for it. TIP: You could also consider having the appliances stored in a pull-out drawer fitted inside the cupboard. Again, check the weight capacity of the drawers first before loading them up.
Walk-in pantry We all crave a big kitchen with a large walk-in pantry, such as a butler’s pantry. If you are lucky enough to have the space to incorporate a separate one into your kitchen plan, then this could be the perfect place to house all your small appliances. In the design stage, devote an area for a benchtop and make sure it’s deep enough to leave your appliances on, lined up and plugged in. Maybe you can create a baking centre, where everything you need to whip up some yummy muffins, from mixer to tin, is all in one place.
Slide-out shelf If you decide to store your small appliances plugged in and inside a cabinet on the benchtop, it’s best to pull them out of the cabinet when you switch them on. This is particularly important for coffee machines, kettles and toasters. It avoids a build up of heat and steam inside the cabinet, which can cause damage to both your appliances and cabinet surfaces and joinery. Pulling appliances out of the cabinet is made easier with the addition of a slide-out shelf the appliances can sit on inside the cabinet. They slide both ways, so just push them back in when you’re finished.
Appliance centre If you have enough space in your kitchen, it may be possible to create a separate, designated appliance centre (with numerous power points) where all your small gadgets can be lined up along one wall of a benchtop, yet remain hidden behind the closed doors of a cabinet. The appliance centre can be hidden behind a roller door or, if it’s a fairly wide space, then behind bi-folding doors as pictured here. This is understandably more costly than a conventional shelf, but it’s extremely neat and convenient. Just open the doors and use the appliances where they stand – a far better option, I think you’ll agree, than allowing your kitchen whizzes to gather dust at the back of a cabinet. TIP: If you regularly bake or make juices and smoothies quite often, keep your mixers and blenders plugged in and ready to use at any time.
Tea station One of the most practical storage places for the most regularly used small appliances in your kitchen, such as your kettle and coffee machine, is a cabinet (with doors and shelves) built over a benchtop, especially at the wall end or in a corner of your kitchen. This allows you easy access to your appliances, but keeps them out of sight when they’re not in use. TIP: Have some 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.
Add in drawer organisers While drawer and cabinet organisers are a handy luxury in any kitchen, they are especially important in a smaller kitchen. Squeezing in as much storage as possible isn’t helpful unless that storage is functional. Breaking up drawers into compartments allows you to store more objects, more effectively.
Get mirrored splashbacks Don’t have a wall you can open up to create a servery window? You can still create the look of one by using a mirrored splashback. The reflective surface gives the illusion of depth beyond your cabinets.
Starting the upper cabinets at the height of your range hood also creates a cleaner line compared to having your cabinetry at one height and your range hood cabinet at another.
Say hello to high uppers Upper cabinets often start about 50 centimetres above a benchtop, but starting them a little higher (60 to 75 centimetres) can help you feel a lot less boxed in as you work at the benchtop below. If you’re tall or don’t mind using a step stool, the extra elbow room and visual space below can mean a world of difference.
Consider bench-depth upper cabinets Rather than using typical 30-centimetre-deep upper cabinets alone, consider using these at eye-level and framing them with a row of 600-centimetre-deep cabinets above (or the same depth as your benchtop), as shown here. This makes your higher cabinets flush with a pantry or fridge for a tidy look and provides a bit more storage space for less-used or larger items, such as wide mixing bowls or seasonal table settings.
Thought for M/W too. A baking station can set up with stand mixer, ingredients, baking sheets, muffin tins, measuring cups and everything else you need to house efficiently in one place. It also provides a surface where you can roll out and knead dough.
Q