Luxury kitchen must-haves

From sparkling water on tap, to shimmering copper sinks, there’s no shortage of ideas to inspire today’s luxury kitchen designs. Whether you dream of a glorious Hamptons-style kitchen, or a minimalist all-white entertainer, we’ve rounded up some of our favourite luxury kitchen must-haves to help inspire you.

The sky’s the limit, from an oversized fridge/freezer or under-bench cool drawers by American brand Sub-Zero, to Miele appliances that can ‘talk’ you through a recipe. If you’re placing your cooktop in an island bench, a height-adjustable rangehood is a winner as it can be pushed up and out of the way. A ‘work of art’ oven or cooktop is sure to add pizzazz, whether it’s a freestanding range from Smeg or Lacanche in a traditional home, or a contemporary combi steam oven in a deluxe small-space kitchen. Don’t want all your appliances on show? Integrated fridges, freezers and dishwashers can be concealed behind beautiful cabinet doors.

Essentially a walk-in fridge, the cool room is ideal if you need lots of extra chilled storage, whether it’s for food or wine. We’ve recently designed a home with a cool room for a vegetarian family who shop regularly for fresh produce at local markets.

Billi and Zip water units deliver instant boiling water for a refreshing cuppa, as well as chilled or sparkling water straight from the tap. Some of our clients are also adding a pot-filler above the cooktop. It’s not only convenient, but it’s also often linked to a reverse osmosis system that purifies the water for cooking.

Want to keep the design sleek and streamlined? Handle-free cabinetry featuring servo-drive technology will bring five-star style to a minimalist contemporary kitchen. Designed for ease of operation, doors and drawers open and close at the lightest of touches thanks to Blum’s electronic motion support system.

From copper butler’s sinks to Astra Walker taps in French Gold, Flemish Copper or Aged Brass, metallic finishes are adding a subtle shine to many top-end kitchens.

One-off artisan pendant lights or imported feature lights are big news, making a statement when hung over an island bench.

Marble-effect benchtops and splashbacks from Caesarstone’s ‘Super Natural’ range join the list of luxury must-haves, along with natural materials such as stone and timber. Antique-wash finishes on traditional cabinetry, or high-gloss two-pack lacquer in a contemporary kitchen, can be the perfect complement.

It’s not so much about the gadgets themselves, as giving them a dedicated space in a kitchen that is as functional as it is fabulous. It’s a case of a place for everything and everything in its place. A well-fitted scullery, for example, may include space that has been allocated for a Thermomix, KitchenAid and commercial-style juicer. 

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