Kitchen Design Ideas

A well-designed kitchen is both pleasing to the eye and functional, with an intuitive positioning of surfaces, features and appliances. It is also important that your new kitchen says something about you: what your tastes are and how you use your kitchen. Here is a brief overview of the different styles of kitchen design and some suggestions for both modern and traditional kitchens.

Kitchen design styles

Depending on size and available space, there are various possibilities for the design and shape of your new kitchen. Here are a few examples of the most common types:

Straight kitchen

The simplest kitchen design style takes up the least amount of space. A straight kitchen consists of a single set of units running along one wall. Commonly used in bedsits, this style may be useful if you are planning an extension as an add-on flat, separate from the rest of your home.

Galley kitchen

An excellent option if space is limited, a galley kitchen has the units and appliances running along opposing walls, making a corridor of the central space. With high shelving units and cupboards, a great deal can be fitted into even the narrowest of spaces.

L-shaped kitchen

Another good option for smaller spaces, in this kitchen the units and appliances form an L shape along two walls. This simple design is also a good choice for those with minimal food preparation requirements who may want to maximise the available space for other purposes.

U-shaped kitchen

Great for chefs or anyone with a lot of storage needs and appliances, a U-shaped kitchen has units, shelving and cupboards running along three walls. The importance of the ‘Triangle’ principle of kitchen design really comes to play when a person who uses the kitchen on a regular basis needs to cover more ground.

G-shaped kitchen

Like a U-shaped kitchen, but with the added feature of an extra unit which comes out halfway from the wall. As well as accommodating more storage space, this unit could also function as a breakfast bar – making your kitchen a good place to eat as well as prepare meals.

Kitchen island

A large unit which stands as an ‘island’ in the centre of your kitchen, this design provides extra storage space and also makes a larger area for a breakfast bar. Very popular with cooks who like having the space to move around, a kitchen island also means that time spent preparing food is sociable and fun.

Open plan kitchen

If you’re looking for something unique, and you don’t want to be tied down by the standard designs of fitted kitchen units, having an open plan design could really make the kitchen a central feature of your home. The best thing about open plan kitchens is that they are very flexible and can be tailored to meet your specific requirements.

Ultra cool or rustic charm?

In terms of aesthetics, tastes in kitchen design tend to fall into two distinct camps: modern and traditional. Depending on the rest of your home, the kind of kitchen you need, and your own personal tastes, there are a lot of possibilities within these two types.

Modern kitchen designs

Having a kitchen with a modern design doesn’t mean that it has to look soulless and unwelcoming. In fact, many contemporary kitchen designs feature bright colours and a variety of textures. Some typical features of a modern style kitchen are a splashback or tiles, colourful tiles on the floor and brightly coloured cupboards and shelving.

For that chic, minimalist look, monochrome is still a popular way to go, as is concrete style vinyl floor tiles. Built-in appliances, which are hidden from view, also help to give a kitchen a contemporary look and feel.

Traditional kitchen designs

The Shaker kitchen style is enduringly popular, which is no surprise: its attractive design and logical functionality make it timeless. Another much-loved feature of traditional kitchen design is the ‘island’ concept, reminiscent of country kitchens of days gone by. Wooden cabinets help to give a kitchen a certain rustic appeal, as does stone flooring, either real or vinyl tiles.

Other common features of a traditionally-designed kitchen are stone worktops, a porcelain sink and that indisputably rustic central feature: a range cooker.