Designing a kitchen is an exciting process that gives you the opportunity to make the most of this high traffic room in your home. There’s a ton of activity that goes on in the kitchen, including cooking, eating, cleaning and entertaining, so there’s a lot you need to consider. From aesthetic to functionality, there are a ton of kitchen design ideas to help you make your kitchen practical, stylish and, most importantly, enjoyable. 

How To Start Designing Your Kitchen

Choosing a Layout

The first thing you need to consider is what type of layout you want. There are six basic types and each comes with pros and cons. Look at the size and shape of your kitchen to see what sort of layout best suits you.

Straight Modular Layout

This classic kitchen layout stays basic and functional above all else. There’s minimal clutter and minimal obstructions so you can access everything and anything you need at any time.

Island Modular Layout

This popular layout is perfect for large kitchen spaces. The island-shaped benchtop in the middle provides function, fashion and storage. 

Parallel Modular Layout

If your kitchen is at risk of seeming claustrophobic or tight, a parallel layout would function perfectly. It offers all the amenities and functionality you need whilst maximising space between the two walls. 

Gallery Modular Layout

Similar in style to the parallel kitchen, the galley kitchen includes a narrow walkway in between two rows of cabinetry. Particularly good for smaller kitchens it helps to keep everything tidy, in place and out of the way. 

L-shape Modular Layout

An L-shaped layout makes the most of your kitchen space by incorporating as much benchtop space and storage as possible. Versatile for any interior design style and ergonomic for cooking and entertaining, it’s no wonder it’s so popular. 

U-shaped Modular Layout

The U-shape is similar to the L-shape only it wraps around three walls instead of two. Think more freed up floor space and more practicality thanks to the extra room for appliances and storage. Of particular benefit is the fact that all sides are just an arm’s reach or so away. 

Open Modular Layout

The open kitchen is very popular as it adds a lot of space and volume to the home. If you want the main living, dining and cooking space to bleed into one another through smart, open integration, the open modular kitchen is the way to go. 

Draw Up Detailed Plans

A detailed floor plan of your kitchen is very important. Not only will it help you and your labourers to visualise and get the new kitchen right the first time, it will also help you to make the most of your space and plot the cabinetry and appliances. 

Material Choice

There are a lot of different materials available for us in a kitchen: natural stone, hardwood, stainless steel, engineered stone…

The list is endless. It can be hard to know which best suits your preferred design and the practicalities of your kitchen usage. Interior designers and kitchen renovators are always happy to chat through any ideas and preferences you have. 

Golden Triangle

The Golden Triangle is a great rule of thumb to bear in mind while designing a kitchen. The Triangle of the kitchen refers to the space between the three main points of access in the room: the fridge, the stove and the sink.

Even if you don’t design your kitchen according to the traditional Golden Triangle layout, keeping the practicality of the style top of mind will help you make considerate choices of where you place your sink, fridge and various appliances. 

Think About Walkways

Whether you’re putting in parallel cabinetry or a kitchen island, always make sure you consider the amount of space left for you to move around easily in the kitchen. While you don’t want wasted space, if you can’t easily get through your kitchen you’ll find using it day in and day out to be a pain. 

Use Your Island/Benchtop

Some people love the thought of a kitchen island, others simply want maximum benchtop space. Either way, think about what you want out of your island/benchtop other than surface space. Powerpoint outlets, breakfast bars, sinks or internal storage and cabinetry are all excellent options depending on your preferences and requirements. 

Think About Walls, Lighting and Flooring

Benchtops and cabinets are synonymous with kitchen designs but there’s a lot more that goes into this area of the house. What sort of walls and flooring are you looking for? What sort of lighting do you need considering the amount of natural light let in? Making smart choices about these finishes will really help bring your kitchen to life.

Banging Doors

This may seem like a small consideration but trust us, it makes a world of difference spatially. Consider how each cabinet or pantry door opens. Do any bang into each or cause dead space that could be otherwise used? Try avoiding having any cabinetry getting the way of other doors. 

Electrical Outlets

If you’re designing a kitchen, now’s the best time to think about your number and placement of electrical outlets. Toasters, microwaves, coffee machines… There are a ton of appliances that need connection to power. Taking the time to think smartly about your electrical power points will save time, money and headaches down the line. 

Consider Your Colour Scheme

Do you have a tight kitchen that you want to maximise the feeling of space and airiness? Then white, bright or light colours are the way to go. Are you looking to make a bold statement? Maybe dark cabinetry or a colourful feature wall will do the trick. There’s no limit to the creative potential, but it’s important to be consistent and ensure your kitchen works for your preferred aesthetic. 

Trust the Experts When Designing Your Kitchen

If you’re ready to place your order of beautiful marble, granite or other natural stone or you want to discuss how to design your kitchen with our home reno experts, the Euro Marble team is always available! So give us a call today on (02) 8585 2999.

A white kitchen is a timeless, functional and visually pleasing colour choice for just about any home. However, just because you’re opting for white and bright, doesn’t mean there aren’t plenty of opportunities to mix and match, and customise your kitchen.

If you need some help with white kitchen ideas, we’ve assembled a list to help you out.

Go White. Go Bold.

White is a timeless colour that doesn’t go out of fashion, doesn’t offend and doesn’t stand out. It’s a bright and light choice for a room of the house you’ll frequent every day.

Nothing quite shouts minimalist, sleek and clean like top-to-toe white in a kitchen. From cabinetry to benchtop and everything in between, if you love white and love being bold, go all the way with all white.

Add a Trim of Chrome or Metal.

If you like the idea of an elegant white kitchen but want to add something a little extra to break up the single shade, chrome or metallic trims are a classy way to do it. Think cabinet handles, door knobs, fixtures, taps and accessories… Of course, if you want an opulent look, opt for gold or rose gold trimmings. Or if you want rustic, go more brass and darker metals.

A Bold Black Feature Wall.

There’s something striking about the contrast of a single black feature wall set amongst an utterly white kitchen. It adds depth and is certainly a striking visual without overly committing you to any one colour. For good measure, it’s important to note that you can make your feature wall any colour, not just black!

White and Wood.

White kitchens with a considered inclusion of wood are slick and yet both classic and modern. Light toned timbers keep the elegant softness inherent in a white paint job and ensures the room still feels bright and airy. Darker woods are also exquisite, especially when used as exposed ceiling beams across the top of your stunning white kitchen. 

Utilise Layers to Add Depth.

All white kitchens might appeal to some homeowners, but if you’re worried about the visual depth of your kitchen then the answer is layers. Combine your touches of white with other neutral colours, including off-whites like eggshell, cotton, haze or even beige. You won’t lose out on the brightness of the room but will be able to add some decorative depth to the walls, floors, ceiling and/or cabinetry. 

Play With Textures.

Another way to add depth to your white kitchen is to use different layers. If your kitchen is in danger of seeming a little cold or sterile, some matte or glass cabinetry or a textured wall or splashback will do wonders for the space. Remember: Your lighting, accessories, and fixtures all provide plenty of opportunity to add new textures (as well as colour).

Open Storage for Practical Decoration.

This white kitchen idea is both ornamental and practical. Open storage–kept neat, considered and stylish–is a great way to mix up the aesthetic in your kitchen. From magnetic knife racks to recipe book shelves, and even plain open shelving stocked with your everyday cooking items, there’s a lot of opportunity for you to play around and enjoy.

Lose the Handles On Your Cabinetry.

There’s a lot of potential when it comes to kitchens with white cabinets. If your primary objective is the minimalist, sleek and fresh look then we highly recommend losing the handles on your cabinetry. It keeps the vertical spaces completely clean and unadorned so that the impact of the overall white colour scheme can work its magic to its ultimate potential. 

Hero Your Use of Stone.

Natural stone is a fantastic way to add a touch of true luxury to a home, especially in the kitchen. Fortunately, stone works perfectly within a white kitchen. Whether you’re thinking of a marble countertop or granite splashback, a slab of stone or stone tiling amongst an otherwise white kitchen will hero this stunning material. 

A Feature Island or Benchtop With Colour.

There are lots of white kitchen ideas with an island included. Your kitchen island can be used to integrate some extra colour, textures or accessories into your space. Whether you love the idea of a waterfall island or even a mobile island, it’s not just a practical addition to the kitchen but also one that can be used to anchor the white design. 

Alternatively, you can still add a bit of bold colour to your white kitchen just through a dark kitchen benchtop. There are plenty of types of natural stone and other materials to choose from to suit your style preference and complement the rest of your home.

Add a Coloured Splashback.

All kitchens should have a splashback for highly practical reasons. There’s no reason, however, why you shouldn’t utilise your splashback for aesthetic purposes too. In terms of materials, patterns, colours and textures, a well chosen splashback can add a subtle yet effective layer to your white kitchen. 

Painted and/or Patterned Floors.

Your kitchen floor shouldn’t be forgotten either! It offers an excellent opportunity to break up the space in a unique way. From a dark painted colour to a tiled, checkerboard or patterned floor, the sky’s the limit when it comes to your white kitchen’s floor.

Let’s Brainstorm More Ideas!

Would you like to discuss more white kitchen ideas and especially discover how natural stone can be used in your kitchen, we’d love to help. We’re experts on more things than just stone and we’d love to tell you all about it. So get in contact with us today. 

Kitchen islands are more than just an opportunity for you to add invaluable surface space for you to work on, in and around. They also offer near infinite opportunities to customise and accessorise in terms of kitchen island designs and aesthetics.

Of course, there are many different things you could do with your island and the shape, size, colour and material will depend largely on the way you function in the room, your lifestyle, your interior design choices and the amount of space you have.

To help you find the right bit of renovation inspiration for your home, here are 10 of the most inspiring kitchen island ideas.

Choose a Shape That Suits You.

The classic and most commonly found kitchen island is the traditional rectangular design. This is for good reason: If you’re tight on space, 90-degree corners will help keep enough space for you to move freely.

If you’re lucky enough to have space to choose something more unique that will certainly make a statement, opt for an unusually shaped kitchen island. There are plenty of options to choose from depending on your personal preferences and the shape of your kitchen. Opt for a partly-rectangular island with curves or go all in with a circular design… There’s plenty of scope for you to find the exact kitchen island for your home.

Make the Most With Multiple Zones.

This kitchen design idea is becoming more and more popular as the years go on. Simply by using multiple benchtop surfaces you can utilise your kitchen island in multiple ways by splitting it into different zones.

Let’s say you wanted to keep part of it natural stone for use in preparing food and cooking, you can maintain a dining room-table style wood bar or bench for breakfast, entertaining or anything in between along the other half.

Use an L-shaped Island For Seating.

An L-shaped kitchen island design is not just amazing for offering extra preparation space on top and storage space below, it also gives you the opportunity to incorporate a series of seats or stools for use as a breakfast bar or everyday family dining.

Of course, if you’re running a more adult function, it’s easy to serve drinks and canapes across a well styled L-shaped whilst maintaining both your hosting responsibilities and being a gracious, socialising host.

Include Practical Fixtures And Appliances.

While a lot of our kitchen island ideas are about design and aesthetic, this is one that’s all practical. Fixtures like sinks and electricity are always a useful thing to add to a kitchen and an island offers plenty of extra space for you to add those extra luxuries.

On another note, appliances are the bane of many a kitchen designer. With an island however, there’s always the opportunity to incorporate special spots that are discreet and out of the way but still practical and accessible. 

Customise Your Storage Types.

An excellent way to make the most of a kitchen island is to mix and match different types and styles of storage. Not only is this helpful for storing different sized tools, accessories, appliances and more, it’s also an excellent way to break up the visual look of the space.

Play around with cabinets, open shelving and drawers to create the perfect kitchen storage unit for you. 

Use The Sides To The Max.

There are two ways in which you can really use the sides of your kitchen island for maximum capacity and effect. The first is by leaving it open and easy to access. With some elegant shelving up and down the vertical side, you can add everything from delicate ornaments to extra coffee mugs and more.

Alternatively, you can go the opposite route and make the most of your countertop bench material. A ‘waterfall kitchen island’ is a jaw-dropping design that effectively highlights your choice of material.

Match Your Island To Your Home Style.

If it isn’t clear just yet, your kitchen island is more than just a space upon which you can pop plates and platters. It gives you a real opportunity to anchor your overall interior design style by matching your island to the rest of your home. 

Whether you’re a fan of the sleek, modern aesthetic or a more traditional or rustic visual, incorporating your home style to your kitchen island will bring the entire house together.

Add a Splash of Luxury.

Your kitchen island is a wonderful part of the room for adding a little bit of something extra without it being too much. When it comes to a luxurious and stunning material like marble, you can simply and affordably use it as the benchtop for your island without having to commit necessarily to using it throughout the rest of the house or even the room.  

Alternatively, indulge in a luxurious accessory like a mini wine fridge or cabinet within the island itself. You won’t have to worry about taking up extra space in your kitchen or compromise on the dream of having your very own spot for storing wine.

Add a Touch of Colour.

Another excellent kitchen island idea is to utilise the bench to infuse a bit of colour into the space. If you find that your kitchen is somewhat stale in colour or you want to simply add a bit of eye-popping colour without going overboard, your island is here to help. There’s plenty of scope for you to choose a colour or shade that suits you in a way that’s subtle, considered and still jaw-droppingly beautiful. 

Go Mobile For Maximum Flexibility.

Believe it or not but not all kitchen islands are permanent fixtures. A mobile or portable kitchen island can be rolled around your kitchen space as you need and see fit to make the entire space practical and functional.

Plus, you can easily incorporate storage beneath the benchtop and even include simple bits and bobs to make life that much easier such as hooks for tea towels and other utensils. Of course, you can match your mobile kitchen island to the rest of your kitchen and home decor so it complements the entire design seamlessly as you would with any other piece of ‘furniture’. 

Contact Euro Marble For More Ideas Today!

We’d love to have a chat to you about your kitchen island designs. Whether you’ve fallen in love with some of the inspirational ideas above or want even more ideas, the Euro Marble team is here for you. Contact us today.