Whether you are a culinary master or just enjoy experimenting with dishes you see on Top Chef, incorporating luxury kitchen design ideas into your remodel can help create a space that sparks creativity and joy. Personalization is key. For some, the perfect kitchen will include open shelving and bright colors. For others, glass countertops and bespoke scaling can make all the difference. If you are about to embark on a kitchen refresh, read on as we reveal some of our favorite ways to use luxury design elements to create a gorgeous new space.
Personalized Scale
Culinarians confide to Food & Wine that one of the most critical luxury kitchen design ideas they embraced while building or remodeling their homes involved ergonomics. Kitchens were literally scaled to fit their bodies. For some, like chef Michael Solomonov, that means that “his stove is built into the wall ‘above [his] waist,’” allowing him to more comfortably and efficiently cook his dishes.
Are you a baker? Unless you are particularly tall, a standard countertop is likely to be too high to roll out dough or knead it easily. Instead, consider setting up a baking station with a work surface that is waist height (slightly below the elbow).
For anyone planning on entertaining in their kitchen, guests will be well-served with multi-level counters. The lower level is effective for fresh food prep, while the higher counter can be ideal for staging or serving scrumptious platters. That taller counter can also make for a terrific breakfast bar for casual meals. Pull up some comfortably stylish bar stools, and you’ll be ready to indulge.
Impeccable Countertops
Speaking of counters, experts agree that choosing impeccable countertop materials will go a long way toward creating a luxury kitchen. Martha Stewart Living admires marble because “it has more consistent veining (as opposed to flecking) within single slabs, and there are many colors to choose from.” However, you may need to reseal it twice a year to keep it from becoming stained or scratched. Granite is heat-resistant and requires little maintenance, although there is a great deal of variation from piece to piece, so you’ll need to work with your designer to choose precisely the stone slab that will be installed in your home. Meanwhile, soapstone can be an impressively dramatic choice, although the installation can require some delicacy and care.
Want to bring a luxurious feel to a contemporary kitchen design? Concrete countertops may be your answer. Concrete can be dyed or stained to create a truly bespoke counter. However, they are extremely heavy and can be expensive to install and transform to your exact specifications. Recycled glass also offers a chance to create a genuinely custom space. These counters are versatile, working well in contemporary and more traditional kitchens. They are also the most eco-friendly option available, but their custom installation and unusual process mean that they are also the most expensive.
High-Performance Kitchen Islands
My Domaine cheers: “Islands in the kitchen are getting bigger—and we’re all for it.” Ultra-wide kitchen islands are becoming a “must” luxury design element. These customized islands don’t just make a statement; they are delightfully functional for storage, food preparation, and entertaining. And if you are torn between adding a full-sized dining table or a waterfall-edge island into your open kitchen, the Magazine suggests you connect the two. My Domaine explains: “Not only does this setup make it easy to expand the part when unexpected guests arrive, but it lends a very appealing aesthetic element to the space….”
Are you concerned that a large-scale island may feel out of place in a historic home? A recent redesign by Kara Mann perfectly mixes old and new elements. The Spruce marvels: “The addition of a sprawling kitchen island is integrated into the historic home by adding delicate antique-style wooden legs [under an extended stone counter] to give it a lighter profile.”
The choice, when mixed with the “seamless built-in cabinetry” and professional (yet largely hidden) appliances, helps to complete a kitchen design that “exudes quiet modern luxury mixed with a timeless aesthetic that feels perfectly suited to the way we live now.”
Luxury Kitchen Lighting Design
Upgrading your kitchen’s lighting design is well worth the splurge. If you have a large, open-concept kitchen, your lighting design has to be functional while also creating a warm and welcoming environment. Professionals love the idea of layering lighting so that your kitchen can benefit from a combination of natural light from skylights and windows and the glow from statement pendant lights, task lights, and designer lamps (or sconces) done in high-end finishes.
Designer Caroline Harvey agrees that lighting can absolutely make a space feel more luxurious. Harvey relates to The Spruce: “Large gold lantern pendants and chandeliers elevate kitchens from ho-hum to ‘wow’… Mini lamps are having a major moment these days….”
Bold Backsplash Tile
One thing luxury kitchen designs often have in common is that they brilliantly reflect the personality of the owners. If you feel inspired by kitchens done in dramatic or moody hues, a new backsplash tile can be a sophisticated focal point while not competing with the other design ideas incorporated into the space. For example, The Spruce raves about a kitchen done by Leclair Decor, which “uses striking finishes like bronze mirrored backsplash tile, mixed black and brass metals, rich walnut cabinetry, and a moody, masculine color palette for a refined take on modern luxury that makes the space feel grander than its proportions and fit for entertaining.”
Are you craving bold color in your otherwise dazzlingly white kitchen? You can do this with colorful countertop appliances, serving dishes, and linens – and you can do it by employing a striking tile that is both patterned and richly colored. My Domaine is a fan of having a statement backsplash. Among their favorites is a dynamic “flower” tile; “The bright and cheery pairing of blue and yellow is echoed in the homeowner’s accessories and appliances too, bringing a cohesive and intentional feel to [a] slightly off-the-wall look.” There is no doubt that your finished space will be packed with personality.
Eye-Catching Artwork
While your culinary creations may be works of art to all who taste them, experts suggest to The Spruce that literal works of art are the luxury kitchen design elements that can make a space feel beautifully tied together. Designer Caroline Harvey tells The Spruce that this design idea “‘makes the space feel thoughtful and like an extension of the rest of the home instead of ‘just’ a kitchen with cabinets, countertops, and appliances.’” You can position pieces on high open shelves (away from cooking splatters), hang them over refined Art Deco-inspired bar stations, or cascade artwork down the wall to act as an eye-catching divider between the cooking and eating areas of your open kitchen. And if you do decide to display noteworthy pieces, be sure to light them well so that their inclusion feels intentional and they get the attention they deserve.
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