A Kitchen Designer Reveals 17 Details to Make a Great Kitchen
A designer spills her secrets for camouflaging power points, adding task lighting and avoiding common kitchen annoyances
Great design is all about the details – especially those that, when done right, you don’t notice at all. As a kitchen designer, I have a number of special techniques to create gorgeous kitchens that function beautifully. Here are 17 of my best kitchen design secrets.
2. Hide strips of power points below wall-hung cupboards
One option to achieve an uninterrupted backsplash is to install a strip of power points in under-cabinet moulding. When done well, if you bend down you’ll see the sockets, though at eye height they can be perfectly hidden if you recess them beneath your wall-hung cupboards or create an overhang with your cupboard doors.
One option to achieve an uninterrupted backsplash is to install a strip of power points in under-cabinet moulding. When done well, if you bend down you’ll see the sockets, though at eye height they can be perfectly hidden if you recess them beneath your wall-hung cupboards or create an overhang with your cupboard doors.
3. One size doesn’t fit all with power points
I always ask clients if a toaster or a coffee maker will permanently live on their countertop. If so, I add a power point in the wall behind that appliance as it will always be plugged in.
In these cases, wall-mounted power points are better suited than strips beneath wall-hung cupboards, because electrical cords will be visible as they dangle from the power points above.
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I always ask clients if a toaster or a coffee maker will permanently live on their countertop. If so, I add a power point in the wall behind that appliance as it will always be plugged in.
In these cases, wall-mounted power points are better suited than strips beneath wall-hung cupboards, because electrical cords will be visible as they dangle from the power points above.
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4. Go for pop-up power points
Another option for a power point-free backsplash is a pop-up power point that disappears into your countertop. These are especially useful in places where there are no wall-hung cabinets to hide a strip of power points below.
Another option for a power point-free backsplash is a pop-up power point that disappears into your countertop. These are especially useful in places where there are no wall-hung cabinets to hide a strip of power points below.
5. Turn power points on their side
If wall-mounted power points are your desired solution, install them sideways and closer to your countertop for a less obtrusive profile than the common vertical orientation.
If wall-mounted power points are your desired solution, install them sideways and closer to your countertop for a less obtrusive profile than the common vertical orientation.
6. Create a charging station
A plethora of devices need charging these days. Create a docking drawer with a hidden charging station or power points so you can keep your smartphones and iPads out of sight.
11 kitchen specialist storage ideas to know now
A plethora of devices need charging these days. Create a docking drawer with a hidden charging station or power points so you can keep your smartphones and iPads out of sight.
11 kitchen specialist storage ideas to know now
7. Introduce task lighting
The primary purpose of under-cabinet lighting is to illuminate the countertop. Task lighting – as opposed to ambient lighting – makes food preparation easier because it spotlights your primary work surface instead of shadowing it.
Always install the task light toward the front of the cabinet, not toward the back. If the light is stationed closer to the back wall, it primarily highlights the backsplash and not the countertop, defeating the purpose of the lighting.
The primary purpose of under-cabinet lighting is to illuminate the countertop. Task lighting – as opposed to ambient lighting – makes food preparation easier because it spotlights your primary work surface instead of shadowing it.
Always install the task light toward the front of the cabinet, not toward the back. If the light is stationed closer to the back wall, it primarily highlights the backsplash and not the countertop, defeating the purpose of the lighting.
8. Make cabinets glow
In the past, lighting the interior of a wall-mounted cupboard meant that each shelf had to be glass. The light source came from the top of the cabinet and needed to penetrate the shelves to illuminate those below. The farther away from the light source, the dimmer the shelf.
But times and lighting have changed, and these days I prefer to install an LED lighting strip on both sides of the cabinet. That way, each shelf can glow. Hide the LED strip behind the cabinet’s face frame. If it’s a frameless cabinet, embed the strip in a prepared groove in the cabinet’s side wall.
In the past, lighting the interior of a wall-mounted cupboard meant that each shelf had to be glass. The light source came from the top of the cabinet and needed to penetrate the shelves to illuminate those below. The farther away from the light source, the dimmer the shelf.
But times and lighting have changed, and these days I prefer to install an LED lighting strip on both sides of the cabinet. That way, each shelf can glow. Hide the LED strip behind the cabinet’s face frame. If it’s a frameless cabinet, embed the strip in a prepared groove in the cabinet’s side wall.
9. Hide the dishwasher
Whether or not you hide your fridge by choosing an integrated model, consider using the same technique with your dishwasher for a clean, harmonious look. In this kitchen, the dishwasher is positioned to the left of the sink, but because it’s fully integrated, you’d never know.
Whether or not you hide your fridge by choosing an integrated model, consider using the same technique with your dishwasher for a clean, harmonious look. In this kitchen, the dishwasher is positioned to the left of the sink, but because it’s fully integrated, you’d never know.
10. Conceal the microwave
Microwaves are still an integral part of most kitchens for reheating beverages and leftovers. Most clients prefer to keep them out of sight rather than occupying valuable counter space.
There are a plethora of options you can draw on to hide your microwave. Cupboards do the trick in this kitchen, though sliding panels, lift-up cabinets and other clever joinery solutions can also conceal microwaves.
Microwaves are still an integral part of most kitchens for reheating beverages and leftovers. Most clients prefer to keep them out of sight rather than occupying valuable counter space.
There are a plethora of options you can draw on to hide your microwave. Cupboards do the trick in this kitchen, though sliding panels, lift-up cabinets and other clever joinery solutions can also conceal microwaves.
11. Don’t crowd the cooker hood
When using a range hood, always leave at least seven centimetres between the furthest reaches of the range hood and the wall-mounted cabinets to the left and right. Visually, the range hood will not look cramped, and the sides of the cupboards will avoid being frequently splattered with food.
When using a range hood, always leave at least seven centimetres between the furthest reaches of the range hood and the wall-mounted cabinets to the left and right. Visually, the range hood will not look cramped, and the sides of the cupboards will avoid being frequently splattered with food.
12. Rethink glass cabinetry next to a range hood
Glass-fronted cupboards create a lovely focal point when placed next to a range hood, but are they practical? Unless you’re prepared to constantly clean the glass of the grease and grime that emanates from cooking, it’s best to install them elsewhere.
Glass-fronted cupboards create a lovely focal point when placed next to a range hood, but are they practical? Unless you’re prepared to constantly clean the glass of the grease and grime that emanates from cooking, it’s best to install them elsewhere.
13. Define the zones
Think in terms of preparation and clean-up zones when planning your kitchen. If you have the luxury of two sinks – one for preparing food and one for cleaning dishes – position the prep sink where you perform other food prep tasks, and locate your clean-up sink in a separate zone near your dishwasher and crockery.
Think in terms of preparation and clean-up zones when planning your kitchen. If you have the luxury of two sinks – one for preparing food and one for cleaning dishes – position the prep sink where you perform other food prep tasks, and locate your clean-up sink in a separate zone near your dishwasher and crockery.
14. Maximise prep space on kitchen islands
I love symmetry, and for years I would centre the sink in kitchen islands. But unless the island was over two metres in length, the preparation area on both sides of the sink was limited. These days, I hold the sink to one side of the island to allow for maximum preparation space.
Another consideration when placing a sink in a kitchen island is the height of the faucet. The taller the faucet, the more of a focal point it becomes.
I love symmetry, and for years I would centre the sink in kitchen islands. But unless the island was over two metres in length, the preparation area on both sides of the sink was limited. These days, I hold the sink to one side of the island to allow for maximum preparation space.
Another consideration when placing a sink in a kitchen island is the height of the faucet. The taller the faucet, the more of a focal point it becomes.
15. Countersink the screw
When ‘lazy Susans’ are installed inside cupboards with bi-fold doors, sometimes they can scratch the cabinets on either side when they spin. This can happen when the head of the screw holding the lazy Susan’s cabinet hardware in place protrudes and scrapes across the adjacent cabinet when the door is being closed.
For an easy fix, have your contractor countersink the screw, so that the head of the screw is flush with the wood and no longer protrudes.
When ‘lazy Susans’ are installed inside cupboards with bi-fold doors, sometimes they can scratch the cabinets on either side when they spin. This can happen when the head of the screw holding the lazy Susan’s cabinet hardware in place protrudes and scrapes across the adjacent cabinet when the door is being closed.
For an easy fix, have your contractor countersink the screw, so that the head of the screw is flush with the wood and no longer protrudes.
16. Account for lid storage
In some kitchens, storing pot lids can be a nightmare, especially if you stack your pots and pans inside each other or if your drawers or cupboards are too shallow to store these bulky items with the lids on. There are many ways to solve this problem, but my favourite is to create a divider in a pull-out drawer, as shown in this photo.
In some kitchens, storing pot lids can be a nightmare, especially if you stack your pots and pans inside each other or if your drawers or cupboards are too shallow to store these bulky items with the lids on. There are many ways to solve this problem, but my favourite is to create a divider in a pull-out drawer, as shown in this photo.
17. Clear the decks
Don’t forget to add accessories such as a soap dispenser to keep additional kitchen accessories from cluttering your counter.
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Don’t forget to add accessories such as a soap dispenser to keep additional kitchen accessories from cluttering your counter.
Your turn
Did you find this story useful? Tell us in the Comments below. And don’t forget to save your favourite images, like this story and join the conversation.
More
Want more useful kitchen stories? Find them here.
White power points are often the colour of choice for electricians – and therein lies the bane of my design existence. With their glaring contrast, white power points against a non-white backsplash or joinery of a different colour detract from its beauty.
Fortunately, you can avoid this dilemma by coordinating your power points with the colour of your backsplash or cabinets, as shown in this kitchen. Most good electricians can source power points in complementary shades to avoid a colour clash.