Well-Liked and Winning Kitchen Designs
A kitchen expert reveals what kitchen features will make your kitchen a hit with homebuyers right now
Every day I get asked numerous questions about the kitchen industry, and without a doubt the most common question is ‘What’s popular?’. Sure, some people are curious about what business is like, how we deal with the housing shortage, or how we handle smaller footprints in new builds, but crowd-pleasing kitchen styles and features are what most customers want to know about because, when it comes time to sell, they want to maximise their capital gain. No matter what shape and size your kitchen is, here’s how to get the look and functionality you (and potential buyers) want, in the most cost-effective way possible.
Simplify the layout
Simple, well-thought-out designs have as few corners as possible. Corners waste space and they cost more in both cabinets and tops. If your design does have corners, try a blind-base cabinet, called a void, to fill in the space to allow a standard corner cabinet to be fitted. Standard sizes mean less waste and a simpler kitchen installation, and this is an approach now favoured by even the top-end German and Italian manufacturers. Of course, function and storage should be front of mind when designing an easy kitchen in which to work. This is where kitchen designers come into play.
Simple, well-thought-out designs have as few corners as possible. Corners waste space and they cost more in both cabinets and tops. If your design does have corners, try a blind-base cabinet, called a void, to fill in the space to allow a standard corner cabinet to be fitted. Standard sizes mean less waste and a simpler kitchen installation, and this is an approach now favoured by even the top-end German and Italian manufacturers. Of course, function and storage should be front of mind when designing an easy kitchen in which to work. This is where kitchen designers come into play.
Spend more on countertops, less on cabinet fronts
In the past two or so years, we have started to see a shift in customers’ thinking. Three years ago, a typical kitchen would most likely feature high-gloss white cabinet fronts: they looked great and it was what people wanted. But there was a dilemma; high-gloss cabinet fronts cost more, so customers would have to weigh up the budget for cabinet fronts versus countertop materials. Some chose to keep within the budget and go with laminate countertops, others would blow the budget and go for a stone or acrylic countertop. But today I’m seeing less emphasis on cabinet fronts and more on countertops, as this big-dollar item adds more value at resale.
The Ultimate Guide to Kitchen Countertop Materials
In the past two or so years, we have started to see a shift in customers’ thinking. Three years ago, a typical kitchen would most likely feature high-gloss white cabinet fronts: they looked great and it was what people wanted. But there was a dilemma; high-gloss cabinet fronts cost more, so customers would have to weigh up the budget for cabinet fronts versus countertop materials. Some chose to keep within the budget and go with laminate countertops, others would blow the budget and go for a stone or acrylic countertop. But today I’m seeing less emphasis on cabinet fronts and more on countertops, as this big-dollar item adds more value at resale.
The Ultimate Guide to Kitchen Countertop Materials
Countertops are big news
Now that we are spending less on cabinet fronts, we can spend more on countertops. There have been big shifts over the past few years towards stone countertops, and as demand has increased, prices have come down. You can still spend a fortune on countertops if you want to (building them up to 50-60 millimetres deep, for example), but the large selection of self-supporting 20-millimetre-deep stone countertops on the market now provides a huge choice at very good prices. This is deep enough to allow you to still do all the cool things like under-mounting sinks, adding waterfall ends and island overhangs for seating, but now at less cost.
Now that we are spending less on cabinet fronts, we can spend more on countertops. There have been big shifts over the past few years towards stone countertops, and as demand has increased, prices have come down. You can still spend a fortune on countertops if you want to (building them up to 50-60 millimetres deep, for example), but the large selection of self-supporting 20-millimetre-deep stone countertops on the market now provides a huge choice at very good prices. This is deep enough to allow you to still do all the cool things like under-mounting sinks, adding waterfall ends and island overhangs for seating, but now at less cost.
Rethink old materials
The most common kitchen material, low-pressure laminate, has changed radically over the past few years. Remember the fake-timber look? Well these days, some of the low-pressure laminate is so real looking that most buyers don’t know the difference. This is good news for controlling the budget and, with less focus on cabinet fronts, low-pressure laminate (Melteca) and new materials such as Ultraglaze acrylics are fine.
Today, both of these materials are delivered to the kitchen manufacturer in a pre-finished state, ready for cutting and edging – a quick and simple process that’s cost effective. Melteca costs less than Ultraglaze-type products, but Ultraglaze is still very affordable.
The most common kitchen material, low-pressure laminate, has changed radically over the past few years. Remember the fake-timber look? Well these days, some of the low-pressure laminate is so real looking that most buyers don’t know the difference. This is good news for controlling the budget and, with less focus on cabinet fronts, low-pressure laminate (Melteca) and new materials such as Ultraglaze acrylics are fine.
Today, both of these materials are delivered to the kitchen manufacturer in a pre-finished state, ready for cutting and edging – a quick and simple process that’s cost effective. Melteca costs less than Ultraglaze-type products, but Ultraglaze is still very affordable.
Smart, seamless edging
Another improvement that sounds like a tiny detail but has a big advantage in the low-pressure laminate market is the edging. In the past, there were issues with edges peeling away from cabinet doors, but now zero-joint (or laser edging, as it is commonly known) is applied using heat or a laser to apply the bonding reactant to the edging itself. No glues to fail or peel away.
Another improvement that sounds like a tiny detail but has a big advantage in the low-pressure laminate market is the edging. In the past, there were issues with edges peeling away from cabinet doors, but now zero-joint (or laser edging, as it is commonly known) is applied using heat or a laser to apply the bonding reactant to the edging itself. No glues to fail or peel away.
The result is an almost seamless edge that’s far more moisture-proof than anything we’ve seen before. And since laser edging can be applied to a range of low-pressure laminates and acrylic-type products, it offers a great look at an affordable price.
Get the handleless look with extruded handles
So far we have a sleek-looking modern kitchen that hasn’t cost us a fortune. Next, many also want a handle-free kitchen. A true handleless look comes with advantages and disadvantages, but combined with that other must-have item, soft-close, it gets complicated – combining both is hard to do and costs more money. For this reason, we sell a lot of extruded types of handles, the sort that sit on the cabinet front in a minimal way. The real trick here, however, is to use a handle that works independently of the cabinet: it sits on the front panel and is not fixed to the carcass.
So far we have a sleek-looking modern kitchen that hasn’t cost us a fortune. Next, many also want a handle-free kitchen. A true handleless look comes with advantages and disadvantages, but combined with that other must-have item, soft-close, it gets complicated – combining both is hard to do and costs more money. For this reason, we sell a lot of extruded types of handles, the sort that sit on the cabinet front in a minimal way. The real trick here, however, is to use a handle that works independently of the cabinet: it sits on the front panel and is not fixed to the carcass.
Having an independent extruded handle will keep costs down. To make it truly minimal and disappear, you can powder coat the handle in the same colour as the front, or make it a real feature by using a contrasting colour.
Grab tips on designing a handless kitchen
Grab tips on designing a handless kitchen
Minimise openings, hide the workings
These days the look is for very few opening fronts. You still need to pack the kitchen with as much storage as possible, so the answer is internal drawers. Add these to a tall pantry and you have a great organised space with a large storage capacity hidden from view. Having internal drawers, with a drawer-by-drawer approach to accommodate items of different sizes, offers a clean designer look. Items such as oil pull-out racks made with drawer systems, not wire ware, are great too.
Why Didn’t We Think of That: 14 Storage Ideas for Kitchen Drawers
These days the look is for very few opening fronts. You still need to pack the kitchen with as much storage as possible, so the answer is internal drawers. Add these to a tall pantry and you have a great organised space with a large storage capacity hidden from view. Having internal drawers, with a drawer-by-drawer approach to accommodate items of different sizes, offers a clean designer look. Items such as oil pull-out racks made with drawer systems, not wire ware, are great too.
Why Didn’t We Think of That: 14 Storage Ideas for Kitchen Drawers
Clean up the lines
One of the best tricks for a high-impact kitchen that gives you big returns on your money is to aim for less fuss – a clean line of drawers, rather than a mix of cupboards and drawers, for example. People love this look and it means you can spend more money on good countertops. For big savings, keep island units to a maximum 3 metres long and 800-900 millimetres wide, to get the best yield out of the raw stone material (you can get both the back wall and island in one top).
One of the best tricks for a high-impact kitchen that gives you big returns on your money is to aim for less fuss – a clean line of drawers, rather than a mix of cupboards and drawers, for example. People love this look and it means you can spend more money on good countertops. For big savings, keep island units to a maximum 3 metres long and 800-900 millimetres wide, to get the best yield out of the raw stone material (you can get both the back wall and island in one top).
Style up the sink
Again, sink details show buyers you’re on-trend. These days under-mounting sinks is almost standard and they work well in stone tops at both the expensive and cheaper ends of the market. Try a big single sink, or double sink with a 10 millimetre internal radius and you have a great-looking sink that’s easy to clean.
Again, sink details show buyers you’re on-trend. These days under-mounting sinks is almost standard and they work well in stone tops at both the expensive and cheaper ends of the market. Try a big single sink, or double sink with a 10 millimetre internal radius and you have a great-looking sink that’s easy to clean.
Team up with timber
We are seeing more flat colour tones appear in kitchens, and combining them with timber accents is a modernising, high-impact move that won’t break the bank. Open shelves are an easy way to bring in wood accents. It gives you a chance to show off a few items and adds a bit of personal style less like a kitchen, and more like a living room.
Woody, Warm and Dark-Hued Kitchen Goodness
We are seeing more flat colour tones appear in kitchens, and combining them with timber accents is a modernising, high-impact move that won’t break the bank. Open shelves are an easy way to bring in wood accents. It gives you a chance to show off a few items and adds a bit of personal style less like a kitchen, and more like a living room.
Woody, Warm and Dark-Hued Kitchen Goodness
TELL US
Where have you saved money on your kitchen? Did you take resale value into account? Tell us in the Comments.
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Browse more modern kitchen design photos
Where have you saved money on your kitchen? Did you take resale value into account? Tell us in the Comments.
MORE
Browse more modern kitchen design photos
Most design briefs I see for kitchens are for a contemporary style using a back-wall-and-island layout in white (or sometimes grey) tones. Details have also become important – there’s a huge uptake of handleless kitchens, timber accents, and seating around the island. Combine these elements and you have yourself a good-looking design that won’t date too quickly, and is something I call ‘non-objectionable’, which means the kitchen will have broad appeal if you’re planning on selling your home.
For most kitchen renovators in today’s market, the non-objectionable aspect is huge, because they are all thinking about resale value. If I had a dollar for every customer who says the new-build house they’re working on now will be resold in two or three years, I would be a rich man. For this reason, we are seeing a pattern in a large proportion of kitchens we sell – customers want non-objectionable designs so they can maximise their capital gain at sale time.