How to get the kitchen you deserve

A great layout is key to getting the most from a new kitchen, says Kya deLongchamps

Described by Terence Conran as the ultimate domestic trophy, the design of our homes today radiates not from isolated, formal living spaces but from the engine, the heart — it all starts in the kitchen.

Made famous in birch plywood, Pluck kitchens are designed and hand-built in Brixton by a youthful team of foodies. They have recently launched two British sourced woods, London Plane and Sweet Chestnut which they favour for their grain and use matte colours as a counterpoint. A similar, pared-back style can be created using a choice of earthy colours in cabinetry and island setting

We seem to have settled on some key new ingredients in our fit-outs, and this is because they just work so well. Deep drawers, recessed plinths, the polite tug of soft close, high-heat performance materials, and visible quality as standard.

Divide and chill. Micro-manage your fresh foods by type and ensure your fridge/freezer is loaded for success. The Vario cooling series from Gaggenau is the first modular system made from fully integrated built-in appliances. Refrigerators, freezers, fridge-freezer combinations, and wine cabinets can be combined in countless variations to form an elegant cooling wall. The interiors are stainless steel throughout. gaggenau.com for dealers nationwide.

A great layout that follows the strengths of the space, plus perfect installation, can make a mid-range kitchen look twice its worth. Simplicity and symmetry are crucial; increasingly, wall-hung cabinets are being replaced with sophisticated runs of floor units, providing a strong horizontal glide that improves the perceived spaciousness of the room.

Styling is the truly enjoyable moment, where you choose a style that resonates with you and your family.

The restrained use of on-counter cabinets give a pleasing counterpoint and welcome back to the pantry cupboard, a superb standalone with valuable cubic metres of storage.

Wine cabinets are far from an affectation if you enjoy good wines and want them kept at just the right temperature. With this MasterCool, distinct temperature zones keep up to 112 bottles in controlled conditions cradled on wood supports with telescopic delivery to the hands in crystal clear halogen light. Active AirClean filters protect from external odours and the low noise level of just 38dB ensures that the only thing you notice is the quality of the tipple. Integrated MasterCool, €8,999, miele.ie.

If the kitchen is expected to perform a multiplicity of roles, providing two dining positions and leading through to your main living space, let a dedicated designer zone the room for flow and function.

Make your kitchen your own with some witty additions. These pencil pendants come from Danish designer Tom Rossau and are available as floor and table lamps too. His evolving collection made in his studio in Copenhagen is famed as ‘simple, inventive, naïve’ and he loves to play with non-conformist notions. €125, suppliers include nordicurban.com. For the collection go to tomrossau.dk.

Islands and peninsulas take working weight off the perimeter of the kitchen and will in some cases form the primary hub.

Created with components that work together or as standalone pieces, Neptune’s Chichester kitchen has an easygoing grace that suits any style with prices starting at €11,000. See www.neptune.com for Irish stockists.

Where the budget allows, the wine cabinet, the pastry area, that second sink for food prep, and a nudge of Bluetooth technology are in-vogue add-ons.

Where dining settles in the kitchen, lean Scandinavian style is a persistent high street favourite. Jasper Conran Farrington cabinet, now reduced to €784, carver chair €294, pair of dining chairs €392, copper pans €28-€84, all from Debenhams, debenhams.ie. To channel this look in investment buys, go for freestanding furniture without pretension by an Irish maker. For a full listing of cabinet-makers countrywide go to Design & Craft Council of Ireland’s listings at dccoi.ie.

Styling is the truly enjoyable moment, where you reference an aesthetic that resonates with you and your family. Installing glittering new appliances and hanging those doors and details on a superb floor-plan, that’s something to really celebrate.

Mixing it up: A country kitchen by designer Andrew Ryan, features complimentary but distinct door styles and hand crafted bronze ironmongery. There are two secretly concealed storage larders in the columns at either side of the large Aga oven in a kitchen which lets luxurious space dictate a layout beyond the expected triangle, andrewryan.ie.

Eclectic, contemporary, and traditional kitchens can wear subtle changes in cabinetry and materials, shrugging off the matchy-matchy restraint of the late 20th century.

This stunning curved island unit in bookended cabinetry is part of the bespoke range from House of Coolmore, Cork. The company offers an innovative, one-off approach to modern units, but with timeless craft. houseofcoolmore.ie

Different timbers, use of glass doors over all blind cabinets, a block of colour — all lift your island from a sea of well-behaved neutrals. Adhere to a stylistic theme and seize that space as yours.

You deserve this.