9 Unexpected Design Details to Get Right in Your Kitchen
Sometimes, with a big project, the smaller details can get forgotten, so check out these suggestions from a kitchen pro
As a kitchen designer, I’ve developed many secrets for achieving a successful renovation. Read on for some of my tips for getting the details of your kitchen, such as the cooker hood, appliances and lighting, just right.
Cooker Hood Strategies
1. Use door restrictors
Due to the projection of some cooker hoods, the doors on any directly adjacent wall cabinets will hit the hood when opened if they’re set back from it.
To avoid dinging your beautiful cabinet doors, you have two options. You can either add a restrictor to the door, keeping it from opening past 90 degrees, or you can use a door that opens away from the cooker hood.
1. Use door restrictors
Due to the projection of some cooker hoods, the doors on any directly adjacent wall cabinets will hit the hood when opened if they’re set back from it.
To avoid dinging your beautiful cabinet doors, you have two options. You can either add a restrictor to the door, keeping it from opening past 90 degrees, or you can use a door that opens away from the cooker hood.
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2. Consider a ceiling-mounted extractor
In the past, if you had a hob on your island, your only choice for venting, other than a downdraft, was an extractor placed over the island. It then became a focal point, often obscuring sightlines. These days, I specify ceiling-mounted extractors to alleviate this issue.
Looking to renovate your kitchen? Find a specialised kitchen designer near you, browse images of their work and read reviews from previous clients
In the past, if you had a hob on your island, your only choice for venting, other than a downdraft, was an extractor placed over the island. It then became a focal point, often obscuring sightlines. These days, I specify ceiling-mounted extractors to alleviate this issue.
Looking to renovate your kitchen? Find a specialised kitchen designer near you, browse images of their work and read reviews from previous clients
3. Select a larger cooker hood design
If you’re not pursuing subtlety, consider an oversize cooker hood. A larger model will accomplish two things. First, it becomes an umbrella that can capture more grease and odour than one sized exactly to your hob. Second, it increases the distance between the cabinets next to it, visually creating more openness.
If you’re not pursuing subtlety, consider an oversize cooker hood. A larger model will accomplish two things. First, it becomes an umbrella that can capture more grease and odour than one sized exactly to your hob. Second, it increases the distance between the cabinets next to it, visually creating more openness.
Appliance Placement
Anyone can design a beautiful kitchen, but it should also function well. Pay attention to the placement of your appliances.
4. Get your microwave height right
Microwaves are often positioned too high and warming drawers too low. A maximum of 120cm above the floor is an ideal height for a microwave for most people – unless you’re a towering basketball player like LeBron James.
Anyone can design a beautiful kitchen, but it should also function well. Pay attention to the placement of your appliances.
4. Get your microwave height right
Microwaves are often positioned too high and warming drawers too low. A maximum of 120cm above the floor is an ideal height for a microwave for most people – unless you’re a towering basketball player like LeBron James.
5. Move the warming drawer up
There was a time when, in more generously sized kitchens, the warming drawer was routinely located beneath the double oven stack. In many ways, this made functional sense, since it was near the ovens. However, over time, many people stopped using them, as they were so low, they made accessibility a challenge.
These days, it’s all about function. Place your warming drawer, if you choose to have one, at worktop-height and close to your cooking appliances.
Tip: If you’re opting for a single oven instead of a double oven stack, it can also work nicely to position a warming drawer directly below it.
There was a time when, in more generously sized kitchens, the warming drawer was routinely located beneath the double oven stack. In many ways, this made functional sense, since it was near the ovens. However, over time, many people stopped using them, as they were so low, they made accessibility a challenge.
These days, it’s all about function. Place your warming drawer, if you choose to have one, at worktop-height and close to your cooking appliances.
Tip: If you’re opting for a single oven instead of a double oven stack, it can also work nicely to position a warming drawer directly below it.
Lighting Solutions
6. Carefully position uplighting
Not all cabinetry goes to the ceiling. In the past, it was common to add a soffit to close the gap, but not everyone likes the look of a soffit. Uplighting creates a source of ambient kitchen lighting when the space above the cabinetry is left open.
One caveat: the light reflects best off the ceiling when there’s a minimum space of 30cm between the top of your cabinetry and the ceiling; otherwise it can create a halo effect above the cabinets.
Tip: LED strip lighting is effective at avoiding the halo effect and providing an even distribution of light.
6. Carefully position uplighting
Not all cabinetry goes to the ceiling. In the past, it was common to add a soffit to close the gap, but not everyone likes the look of a soffit. Uplighting creates a source of ambient kitchen lighting when the space above the cabinetry is left open.
One caveat: the light reflects best off the ceiling when there’s a minimum space of 30cm between the top of your cabinetry and the ceiling; otherwise it can create a halo effect above the cabinets.
Tip: LED strip lighting is effective at avoiding the halo effect and providing an even distribution of light.
7. Calculate pendant height
I wish I could tell you the ideal height for island pendants, but it doesn’t exist. Consider many factors, from the pendant itself to the sightline height of the kitchen’s users.
In general, pendants should be 75cm to 100cm above the island worktop. Why measure from the top of the island’s worktop height instead of from the ceiling? Because ceiling heights differ.
I wish I could tell you the ideal height for island pendants, but it doesn’t exist. Consider many factors, from the pendant itself to the sightline height of the kitchen’s users.
In general, pendants should be 75cm to 100cm above the island worktop. Why measure from the top of the island’s worktop height instead of from the ceiling? Because ceiling heights differ.
Extra Details That Count
8. Buy comfy bar stools
There are many bar stool styles to choose from, but if you plan on eating meals at the island, consider a stool with a back. The back support will let you enjoy sitting there for longer. A bonus would be if the stool swivels.
Tip: Bar stools that swivel often take up less room, as people don’t have to push them out from the island to sit down or stand up.
8. Buy comfy bar stools
There are many bar stool styles to choose from, but if you plan on eating meals at the island, consider a stool with a back. The back support will let you enjoy sitting there for longer. A bonus would be if the stool swivels.
Tip: Bar stools that swivel often take up less room, as people don’t have to push them out from the island to sit down or stand up.
Pot filler with a spout higher than the water source.
9. Tailor your pot filler position
My old pot-filler rule was this: if I put it in, you must promise to use it. But at what height should it be placed? I recommend measuring your tallest pan and then adding about 5cm. And before your plumber plumbs the waterline, be sure you have the pot filler on-site.
9. Tailor your pot filler position
My old pot-filler rule was this: if I put it in, you must promise to use it. But at what height should it be placed? I recommend measuring your tallest pan and then adding about 5cm. And before your plumber plumbs the waterline, be sure you have the pot filler on-site.
Pot filler with a downspout.
Pot fillers come in different configurations. Some have a spout that’s higher than the water source, while others have a downspout and require the waterline to be placed higher.
Tell us…
Which details lifted the style or function of your kitchen redesign? Tell us in the Comments.
Pot fillers come in different configurations. Some have a spout that’s higher than the water source, while others have a downspout and require the waterline to be placed higher.
Tell us…
Which details lifted the style or function of your kitchen redesign? Tell us in the Comments.
Recently, I bumped into an old client and asked if she still loved her chartreuse kitchen seven years later. She does, and chartreuse is still her favourite colour.
Remember that trends come and go, so select the finishes that make you happy. Now, on to design tips for your kitchen renovation.