British racing green, hand-painted, ash doors in our Marlborough Street project.
1. Cabinetry
Choose high-quality cabinetry – it may cost a little more up-front but you will save in the long-run. A well-made kitchen should last 20-25 years, so it’s worth treating it as a long-term investment.
Cheaper alternatives might seem like a more cost-effective way to achieve the same look, but they don’t wear the same – and often need replacing much sooner.
SWe often recommend real wood veneered fronts. They offer the warmth and texture of natural timber, but with greater stability and durability. Lacquered fronts are another great option – they’re sleek, low-maintenance, and many come with fingerprint-resistant finishes that keep them looking clean.
Silestone Snowy Ibiza featured in our Kirkhamgate Project
2. Worktops
The most used and probably most visible part of the kitchen – worktops are truly worth the splurge.
I highly recommend quartz materials for a number of reasons. They’re much more durable than high pressure laminate and wooden worktops and also won’t swell when water inevitably splashes from the sink.
What I also love about quartz is that it’s a solid construction throughout meaning that you can router the sink drain lines and still see the colours and grain below (see image above). Whilst Dekton and other similar products often look great, it’s not one singular piece all the way through.
Bora stars classy pendants – the ultimate mood lighting.
3. Lighting
Lighting is often treated as an afterthought – but it has one of the biggest impacts on how the space feels and functions.
In many cases, it’s left to the electrician to decide. That’s when you end up with a beautifully designed kitchen that feels flat, cold, or awkward to use at night.
We always recommend going beyond basic ceiling spots. Layered lighting – task, ambient, and accent – makes the space more functional and gives it a real sense of atmosphere.
It’s also worth investing in smart or kinetic lighting controls that suit your lifestyle and help you create the right mood at any time of day.
Corner pantry larder in our Johnson Road project
4. Clever storage
Storage isn’t just about how much you can fit – it’s about how easy everything is to access and use.
Integrations like Le Mans corner units, internal drawer systems, and pull-out larders make a big difference to how your kitchen functions day to day. They allow you to use every inch of space efficiently – without awkward bending, digging, or wasted corners.
It’s worth thinking carefully about how you use your kitchen and what you want to store where. These details might seem small during the design phase – but they have a huge impact on how smoothly your kitchen works day to day.
Quooker fusion in stainless steel – installed in our Kirkhamgate project
5. Boliling water tap
A Quooker tap is one of those upgrades that feels like a luxury – until you live with it. Then it just feels essential.
It replaces the need for a kettle entirely, giving you instant boiling water on demand. Over time, it also uses much less energy than boiling a kettle multiple times a day, so you’ll be saving in the long run.
If you want to take it a step further, the Quooker CUBE adds chilled filtered and sparkling water straight from the same tap.
When I design a kitchen, it’s never about throwing money around for the sake of it. I focus on the choices that have real impact – the ones that enhance how the space looks, feels, and functions, not just on day one but for years to come.
If you’re planning a new kitchen and want help making the right choices, we’re here to get it right with you.
