6 must-haves in a dream kitchen

We’ve all got a dream kitchen – one filled with beautiful countertops, top-of-the-line fittings and every appliance under the sun. If you’re lucky enough be planning such a kitchen, we’ve put together some of the features you won’t want to miss – as well as a word of caution.

Quartz benchtops

The height of luxury, quartz is the benchtop material to beat. In addition to being extremely durable and completely waterproof, quartz can be tailored to your particular kitchen, with manufacturers able to produce a range of colours.

While it’s true we are talking about dream kitchen features, it’s worth noting that quartz is quite expensive.

Recessed lighting

Imagine being able to change the feel of your kitchen at the press of a button. With LEDs tucked into under cabinets, kickboards and other areas of your kitchen, you can adjust your light levels or colour whenever the mood strikes you.

It’s quite simple – LEDs can display a nearly limitless range of colours, meaning you can change your kitchen to match your mood. This is a definite must-have for a dream kitchen. 

Island cooktop

Move the cooktop from a wall-facing counter to the island, and you completely change your kitchen dynamic. Suddenly, cooking becomes much more of a social activity, as you’re able to interact with guests or family using the island. This isn’t to mention the practical benefits, like giving you a large work area around the cooktop and space to install a warmer drawer below.

Quick tip: Install long bar handles on your counters and you’ll have a place to hang your tea towels while working.

Flexible storage

Kitchen storage is often a tricky subject. Without separate pantries and sculleries, it may seem like you’re stuck with regular old shelves and drawers. The solution? Flexible storage. Regardless of the size of your kitchen, you can use pull-out pantry systems and single or double height drawers to create a kitchen that both looks great and is extremely easy to use.

Drawer storage is much more effective than cupboards – you’ll never need to get on your knees to pull a pot

Two sinks and two dishwashers

Make cleaning up a breeze by solving an age-old kitchen problem – the single sink. By installing an extra sink, you’ll have room to let pots soak and, at the same time, prep veggies for the next meal. Note that we’re not talking about installing a single sink with a partition, but two separate, full-size sinks.

You can also go one step further and install two dishwashers. While one is cleaning, you can load another.

Smart faucets

Bid ‘adieu’ to the faucets of old – smarter options have arrived. With new technology-enabled taps, ideally with touch features, you can summon boiling or freezing water whenever you need it. Such taps make cooking that much easier.

Oh, and they also mean a piping hot cup of tea is just a button-press away.

A word of caution

Whatever form your dream kitchen takes, remember that less is often more. With a careful, considered hand, you can create a kitchen that functions as well as it looks.

Most kitchen projects are stressful undertakings, so view some of our other articles if you’re still feeling a little lost. If you want to get started with a new kitchen, check out the kitchen section of our Top Tips hub.

Story by: David Renwick