As our kitchens are increasingly becoming the heart of our homes, their design needs to be even more intelligent to accommodate the extra responsibilities. A well-designed kitchen can make your life much easier, giving you as few headaches as possible when you’re cooking, entertaining guests, and relaxing. Here’s our pick of the five best simple design ideas that can transform your kitchen and make it as easy to use and stylish as possible.
Clever storage
With all the appliances and paraphernalia associated with cooking, it’s important for any aspiring chef to squeeze the most out of every inch of available storage. Clever solutions like toe-kick drawers under your lower cabinets, pull-out corner shelving, and storage on the inside of your cabinet doors can help you keep your countertops as uncluttered as possible. Having your own custom storage fitted by a Trustmark-endorsed company that specialise in kitchen design, such as Kitchens Plus, is often the best way of getting the most from your available space, as they’ll be able to match your kitchen’s design to your needs.
A custom pantry
If you have the space, a custom pantry can offer an abundance of extra storage. Being a tucked-away space, a pantry has the benefit of being able to display all of your items in the open, so they’ll always be at hand.
In homes without the space for a walk-in pantry, a large cupboard or a pull-out larder can be used in the same fashion with the use of some clever dividers.
The sink
A quirky way to bring some style to your kitchen is with a statement sink. Installing a butler sink or a designer tap can transform a utilitarian piece of furniture in to a stylish feature. You can even make a bold statement by choosing a sink in an unusual colour, such as green or blue. If you’re looking to install one yourself, you can find butler sinks on Gumtree for great prices.
Splashbacks
A great way to add colour and style to your kitchen is with a splashback. Complement or contrast the hue of your countertop, and enjoy the practical benefits every time you come to clean up. Easy to install, you can pick up a splashback from IKEA from as little as £10.
Automation
Take your kitchen design to the next level with home automation. There are a number of automated appliances on the market, with more intelligent innovations being introduced every year. You can make coffee from your mobile while you’re still in bed with a Scanomat, setting the size, strength, and flavour of your morning cuppa from under the covers. You can also get instantly boiling water with a Quooker tap, and keep track of shopping lists and expiration dates from your phone or tablet by linking it to a smart fridge, like this one from LG.
These simple kitchen design ideas make great finishing touches to the busiest room in the house, and any one of them can help you transform your kitchen today.