Just ask your friends and family, everyone has different ideas of what constitutes a luxury kitchen. For some, it means having an extra-large space with all the latest appliances. Others think their dream kitchen must have that “wow factor” that leaves all who enter their home in awe.
In our constant quest for the best, many brands, stores, and builders try to capture what makes a kitchen luxury. But these often end up focusing too much on style and appearances. No surprise there as it’s probably the first aspect we notice in a space. However, there’s more to high-end kitchens than outward lavishness and extravagance.
If what you want is a truly luxurious kitchen for you and your family, then read on. We’ve outlined some of the qualities that draw the line between a luxury kitchen and stock or semi-stock kitchens.
High-Quality Materials
The first factor most think of when we say “luxury” is the choice of materials. It is a fact that top of the line kitchens make use of the highest quality materials. This applies to every item in the space, of course. Luxury kitchen cabinetry won’t be made of cheap particle board. These will have solid wood doors and drawer fronts, and they use furniture-grade plywood for the carcass. Often these will be decorated with beautiful cabinet hardware such as those made of brass, nickel, or even stone. Surfaces will also feature gorgeous premium materials such as large marble countertops, porcelain tile backsplashes that reach the ceiling, and beautiful wide-plank wood flooring.
Luxury kitchens often use natural materials such as wood and stone because they add a bespoke element to the space. Natural stone and wood grain have unique patterns that give it a one-of-a-kind look fit for a high-end kitchen.
Ebony kitchen with marble countertops and backsplash by Wood & Co.
Organized and Uncluttered
Next thing that comes to mind when considering luxury kitchens is space –and lots of it. Having more than enough space allows even large families with young kids to keep their kitchens clean, organized, and clutter-free. In a luxury kitchen each and every small appliance, cookware, and dinnerware will have their own designated shelf or cabinet. It keeps the countertop from looking messy and cramped, making it pleasing to the eyes.
When your kitchen has a lot of allocated space, you can even have dedicated ancillary spaces to take the organization to the next level. A coffee corner or breakfast area can house all the needed appliances for a morning routine. Here, you can keep items such as the coffee machine, toaster, juicer, etc. After breakfast or tea time, it’ll be a simple affair to clean up, keeping the kitchen uncluttered. Another option is to have a prep kitchen or butler’s pantry. This allows us to put the messy kitchen activities out of sight. This is a boon especially when your kitchen also doubles as an entertainment area when you have guests.
In general, the more space you have, the easier it is to keep your kitchen looking spick and span.
Invested in Convenience
Aside from looking absolutely extravagant, a luxury kitchen needs to make you feel that you’re living in luxury. Your kitchen has to work for you. What this means varies from person to person, but here are some examples to give you an idea:
A large second sink to keep your prep and dishwashing areas separate
Pull down shelves for your upper cabinets so you won’t struggle to reach items stored high up
A pot filler above the stove to save you trips to the sink
A corner lazy Susan so you don’t have to dig through those deep corner base cabinets
Full extension drawers that slide all the way open making it easier to find and grab the item you need
A wine fridge to keep your drinks at the perfect temperature when you have guests over
This list can go on forever. Think of your own kitchen. Most of the features we love the most are conveniences that make it easier to use the space. A truly luxurious kitchen should not stress you out.
Home bar counter by Wood & Co.
Made Just For You
A luxury kitchen can be synonymous with a bespoke kitchen, entirely unique to you alone. Just like a perfectly tailored suit or dress, we want kitchens that fit us perfectly. This is one of the hallmarks of luxury.
Continuing with the clothing analogy, a modular stock kitchen is like buying a free-size shirt from the department store. There’s probably a kitchen out there that uses the exact same item you picked out. A semi-stock kitchen gives you a little more room to work with. You pick out from a catalog, but often the styles and sizes are limited. In terms of clothes, it’s like choosing the size and color you want. It fits you and you like it, but it wasn’t made with you in mind. It might be a bit longer than what you really wanted or the shade of blue is a little off the mark.
Such problems are non-existent in a luxury kitchen. Everything about it will be tailor-made to your requirements and needs. There are no standard sizes here. Your cabinets will conform perfectly to any awkward corner or protruding column along your walls. Creative storage solutions will make sure that no space is wasted and everything inch of your property is fully utilized.
In a way, a bespoke kitchen is also related to the previous point about convenience. What conveniences we deem necessary differs from person to person after all. You can make countertops as high or as low as you need. If you use plenty of oversized pots, you can have extra deep cabinets and drawers to house them. It’s next to impossible to find something like that with stock kitchen options.
Professional Design and Space Planning
The last quality of a luxury kitchen on this list is something less obvious at first glance. It’s the touch of a professional designer. No matter how many catalogs, magazines, and home renovation shows we watch, non-designers won’t know all the ins and outs of kitchen design. It takes an expert eye to combine various materials, finishes, equipment, appliances, and have them all fit into one cohesive whole.
It’s hard to spot great design, but bad design will stick out like a sore thumb and will continue to be a thorn on your side. Professionals can take all your ideas, requirements, and limitations and bring to life the luxury kitchen of your dreams.
Thank you for visiting Wood and Co.
