Interior designer Sara Cosgrove's recipe for the perfect kitchen
Interior designer Sara Cosgrove.
Open-plan living has transformed how Irish homes and families function, and kitchen design is evolving with it.
Yet we are all guilty of helping ourselves to generous servings of scroll-happy visual inspiration. But rather than pawing our screens ready to pounce like crazed copycats on whatever’s showing up on Instagram and Pinterest, let’s stop and think about how the space actually works on an IRL or day-to-day basis.
Handleless cabinetry, open shelving and oversized statement islands may look impressive in images, but they do not always suit everyday use, according to interior designer Sara Cosgrove. “The most common mistake I see is designing for how a kitchen looks rather than how it works,” adds the former RTÉ judge.
Behaviour rather than aesthetics should be your starting point, Sara advises: “Ask yourself who cooks in the home? How often? What does the space need to accommodate on a daily basis? By answering these questions first, homeowners can avoid costly redesigns and long-term frustration.”
Having spent over two decades delivering high-end residential and hospitality projects, Sara believes the most common kitchen errors in renovations are not about budget, but about setting the right priorities from the beginning. “The biggest kitchen mistakes I see aren’t about spend — they happen when homeowners design for a certain ‘look’ rather than designing for how they live and cook. A kitchen is a working environment. Above all else, it must function harmoniously,” she says.
Neglect lighting strategy at your peril, warn the pros. More and more innovative internal options are coming onstream, from lighting inside cabinets to between cabinets and from shelving to handle tracks — the options are endless. “Kitchen designers now prioritise task, mood and ambient lighting to differentiate working, dining and relaxation areas. This really enhances the spaces, providing the right look for each function and creating a lovely atmosphere for evenings and dark winter mornings,” says Julie Wilshaw, Kube Interiors.
Lighting is an area frequently overlooked, agrees Sara Cosgrove. “A row of pendants is not a lighting plan,” she says. “Layered task lighting, integrated cabinet lighting, ambient light and accent lighting all play a role in creating a kitchen that functions properly throughout the day and evening. Without this considered approach, even a high-end scheme can fall flat.”
Texture and enhanced variety in stone options are coming to the fore for worktops, islands and backsplashes, according to Kube Interiors. Concrete-look finishes are paired with wood details to add softness and warmth. “There are more opportunities now to introduce texture and in the kitchen as this adds depth and creates atmosphere,” says Julie Wilshaw of Kube Interiors.
“There are additional choices available, and customers can mix and match a wider selection of finishes, which allows them to put their own stamp on the kitchen and introduce more of their personality.” The finishes and surfaces that we interact with daily are vital, Sara stresses. “The details you touch and use every day matter more than people realise,” she says.
“Ease of cleaning, durability and tactility all contribute to how a kitchen performs over time.
"The newly launched matte black vented hob from Neff, for example, is designed to blend seamlessly into contemporary schemes while minimising visible fingerprints and streaks, combining practical performance with subtle design.”
One of the most frequent mistakes Sara encounters is homeowners specifying appliances too late in the renovation process. “Appliance placement is where many renovations quietly unravel,” says Sara, who recommends buyers experience appliances in person before finalising their kitchen renovation plans.
Innovative appliances are transforming how we solve spatial challenges, according to the interior designer. “When appliances are planned early, they positively shape the layout. You achieve safer circulation, tighter footprints and much cleaner visual lines," she says.
The Neff Slide & Hide oven is a strong example of design thinking applied to real-world problems, adds Sara. The fully retractable door of the oven disappears beneath the cavity, eliminating the clearance issue traditional drop-down doors create — a seemingly small detail, but one that prevents doors from clashing with islands or blocking circulation in tighter spaces, reinforcing the idea that appliances should be considered as architectural components from the outset.
In open-plan kitchens, traditional overhead extractor canopies can interrupt sightlines, complicate lighting plans and restrict island placement. “In today’s homes, that compromise is no longer necessary,” says Sara.
The designer points to the growing popularity of vented hobs, which combine induction cooking with integrated extraction in one streamlined unit. “Another innovation that meaningfully improves kitchen functionality is a vented hob, such as the Neff vented hob.
"Traditional overhead extractors can dominate sightlines, interrupt lighting plans and limit design flexibility, particularly over islands. An integrated vented hob removes the need for a bulky canopy, extracting steam and odours directly at source. In practical terms, this reduces noise, improves air quality and frees up visual space. It also allows for cleaner ceiling design and uninterrupted views across open-plan kitchens.”
Meanwhile, pantries, coffee and wine stations, look like they’re staying fresh.
Pantries will never go out of fashion and are now available in more sizes and finishes than ever before, according to Dave Fagan, director, Kube Interiors.
They can be as small as one cabinet in your kitchen or as large as a separate room concealed behind a hidden door, and they have increasingly sophisticated and clever storage systems.
Coffee stations, keeping machines, crockery and ingredients in one convenient, tidy spot, are a growing requirement in most kitchens, and Kube is seeing a big demand for drinks cabinets and bars in kitchen areas. “Home entertaining is more popular than ever, so expect to see more coffee and wine stations integrated into kitchens," says Dave.
"A new option at Kube is a secret drinks cabinet concealed in the island, which can be swivelled open when your guests arrive — a super-fun addition to the range for 2026."
- Neff-home.com/ietarget="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer"> or Homeofinnovation.ie
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Kubeinteriors.com
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