In an increasingly fast-paced world, luxury kitchens are more than just a cooking space. They act as a hub for socialising, dining and creating memories. Every home deserves a modern kitchen that will be as functional as it is visually appealing.
Beyond looks, well-designed luxury kitchens are a careful and ingenious amalgamation of functionality and style. Unlike most interior spaces, kitchens are specifically designed with a function in mind – a space for meal preparation. You need to ensure that your design facilitates that as best as possible, and there are a host of innovative integrated design features that help make that possible.
From streamlined layouts to innovative storage options, from colour schemes to intelligent appliances – let’s take a deep dive into all the ingredients that go into designing the high-end modern kitchen of your dreams.
Traditionally, kitchens have been treated as nothing more than a place for food storage and preparation, often simply being filled with just the necessary appliances and utensils with little concern given the visual impact they added.
Over time, people realised that style and function can go hand-in-hand and that’s where the concept of a modern kitchen design developed. In fact, one of the driving mottos behind modernist design is ‘form follows function’. That means your design should enhance functionality rather than deter it.
A contemporary kitchen design usually follows clean, simplified lines with no unnecessary detailing. The details are added in subtle touches of texture, lighting and interesting materials. Colour palettes are based along neutral lines, with the occasional bold colour thrown in to create visual interest. At the end of the day, your interpretation of modern kitchen ideas will be a highly personalised and unique take.
The goal with your kitchen interior design, as opposed to a traditional kitchen, is to make it feel less like a kitchen and more like a multi-purpose room meant for socialising.
It’s all about enhancing the visual appeal without hindering productivity, or rather while improving productivity.
In a truly modern kitchen, you get the best of it all - be it design, storage or comfort.
A space that is so uncluttered and captivating that you’re just as comfortable sharing it with your family as you are with your guests.
This is what we aim to do through enhanced aesthetics and to achieve this, you need to understand all the elements that go into making a kitchen and how to mould them into creating a lavish kitchen space that looks like something worthy of a magazine cover.
One of the biggest factors that contribute to a thoughtfully conceived modern kitchen style is the layout itself. The layout and placement of crucial elements will determine how smooth the workflow of a kitchen is. A bad layout slows workflow, leading to slower preparation and a more stilted start or end to what could have been a wonderful day.
A general rule of thumb is to start by focusing on the ‘work triangle’; this means that the stove, refrigerator and sink must be arranged in a triangular-shaped proximity for an optimised kitchen experience. You can build on this rule by adding other crucial elements nearby such as an oven, pantry, workstation, etc. It should be in accordance with how you intend to use the kitchen to create a highly personalised experience.
You also need to keep in mind your kitchen’s dimensions when creating the layout, you should maintain a healthy balance of floor space to ensure ease of access. A cramped feeling completely strips a kitchen of any sense of luxury.
There are hardly any contemporary kitchens that are designed without a kitchen island. This simple yet extremely useful structure greatly uplifts a kitchen space by adding more surface area and easily accessible storage or functionality like a prep sink, stove or garbage disposal. Consider juxtaposing materials in your island, like pairing a wooden or metal base with a marble or corian top. This adds some textural variation that immediately pleases the eye.
Another good tip to truly enhance the aesthetics of your island is to create a ‘waterfall’ effect which makes the countertop trail down seamlessly to the island’s sides. You can choose from a range of luxurious finishes such as marble or granite which will add weight and structure to its appeal.
Quartz can also imitate the look of natural stone but requires much less maintenance. This style creates a refined finish that will really elevate your kitchen’s functionality. When completed with a set of stunning barstools, it creates a charmingly cosy corner for serving snacks or drinks.
You can’t expect to achieve that refined aura in a modern kitchen if it’s a clutter of appliances and kitchen tools. You need smart storage solutions to achieve a seamless flow.
Consider floor-to-ceiling sleek cabinets that will utilise every small corner of the area. Full-length cabinets have a sleek appeal that imbues the entire room with sleek modernity.
Floating shelves behind a workspace can house an array of smaller, more frequently used appliances like blenders, smoothie makers and the like.
You can decorate these shelves with plants, collectable mugs or picture frames; let your creative side loose and personalise your space.
A walk-in pantry is a must-have for a modern kitchen. With a swinging door for concealed and quick access from your kitchen, this simple addition will save you from some major headaches when it comes to storing and organising grocery items.
You can also use your kitchen shelves as storage spaces by adding pull-down shutters on wall-mounted cabinets so, when you’re done working, you can simply pull them down to quickly restore a neat, organised facade.
Visualise your table as a grid and divide it into three. Then place an item in each section.
Another great tip to stay clutter-free is to keep all your smaller electronics such as beaters, mixers, grinders in a cabinet with pull-out drawers and electric outlets inside - instead of leaving a mess of wires and machines on your counter space all the time.
The key word with a modern style kitchen is ‘concealed’. You want to portray a kitchen that’s so much more than just a cooking space.
Going handleless is a widely popular kitchen cabinet trend as it enhances the minimalist quality often associated with modern kitchens.
It imbues a sense of raw simplicity and space by concealing what can easily be seen as clutter from your space.
This simple omittance will allow you to focus more on the stunning materials used to construct a cabinet without obstructions.
If you’re someone who values handles for their tactile appeal, then opt for sleek, linear handles that will follow the form of your kitchen.
Matte finishes are popular for their subtlety. The more subdued the handles are, the better.
Cabinets are generally the first thing you see upon walking into a kitchen as they hold the most visual weight and take up the most area.
For a compact and contemporary aesthetic, opt for simplified slabs of a luxury-finish material such as hardwood, metal or glass.
We highly recommend going for bespoke joinery as these cabinets are designed specifically for your space - allowing you to make the best use of every inch and corner - including the most awkward spaces.
Ornamental carvings and excessive design elements take away from the dignified simplicity of a modern space, especially if used excessively so try to stay as far away from them as possible. Instead, opt for simple but statement-making finishes and materials and try to incorporate a mix of both open and closed storage with your cabinets.
The quality of the appliances you use in a kitchen will have a significant impact on its functionality.
Whether we consider basics like hobs, hoods, refrigerators and microwave ovens or additional items like warming drawers, dishwashers, and espresso machines; luxury appliances come with longer warranties, lesser carbon footprint and better performance levels - making your time spent in the kitchen a breeze.
Apart from using the latest technologies for innovative features, they also utilise high-quality materials that have a more polished appearance and will imbue sophisticated elegance into your kitchen.
Opting for built-in appliances allows for easier installations and takes up less counter space. If you’re looking for new luxury appliances, we highly recommend brands like Gaggenau and VZUG as they’re some of the world’s best brands and their appliances are perfect for modern, luxurious kitchens.
Lighting is key when it comes to creating an appealing ambience. Your lighting should be a combination of big and small lights. Let’s elaborate.
Big lights refer to large, bright and white lights which will create sufficient illumination for you to perform your daily kitchen tasks with ease. Consider using motion-activated lights along your workspace for an added wow factor. Such lights also prove useful when you’re out venturing for a night-time snack.
Small lights are warm-toned lights that are more ornamental than functional. Pendant lights placed in corners will create a play of light and shadow. A luxuriously modern chandelier above the kitchen island or dining table will create a focal point in your interiors and mark out the said space.
Accent lights concealed along the cabinets or counter space will emphasise its simplified linear forms with a hint of panache.
Modern colour palettes usually build up on cool, neutral tones; think a pebble stone grey, a dove white, a muted greige.
The subtle nature of these colours allows you to treat your kitchen as a canvas and highlight other elements such as the kitchen cabinet or island. The layering of colours creates depth and offers a more mature, sophisticated appeal.
If that sounds a little too minimalist for you, colour blocking is a good option. It includes placing a contrasting, bolder, and often darker colour.
You can opt for a lavish navy blue or a warm olive green – some trending colour options in interior spaces.
The colours of your cabinets, shelves, walls and accessories should be aligned to create a unified colour scheme for a cohesive environment.
At FCI London, we house the answer to all your kitchen ideas and needs. Innovative storage solutions, stunning counters, bespoke open shelving, high-end German kitchen appliances, accessories, lighting – we have it all. Even better, we have a highly esteemed team of interior designers who will guide you across all the elements that go into making a kitchen tailored to your personal taste, lifestyle and kitchen space.
FCI London has more than 40 years of experience in the luxury furniture and interior design industry, and we pride ourselves on being a trusted name creating luxury interiors both large and small. Our longstanding relationships with the best craftsmen and designer brands from all over Europe are at your disposal, and we offer first-class delivery and installation of any product you purchase through us, ensuring that your experience is stress-free and convenient.
Visit our 30,000 sq. ft. showroom, the largest luxury kitchen showroom in London, to discover, explore and experience a wide range of appliances and joinery ideas for a completely bespoke kitchen, along with professional advice from a team of experienced and award-winning interior designers.
Utilise our complementary services like 3D Rendering, project planning, and enjoy our signature personalised service. We aim to make your design journey as seamless as possible, saving you time and effort wherever possible.
Book your appointment today!
From giving you advice on the latest appliances to designing your floor plans and exclusive custom cabinetry, our dynamic team will help you kit out your kitchen in style.
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