Kitchen Design Ideas

Welcome back to my Home series. Today I am thinking about kitchen design. We had our kitchen installed 5 years ago just before Little E was born and if I could rewind time and do it all over again there is so much I would change. The general layout is good, we lived with the old 1970's kitchen for a couple of years to work out what we needed but there are tons of design details I would change in an instant.
​

A huge error was going for a cheap worktop. It is showing signs of age and wear and it lets down the rest of the kitchen. Our theory at the time was we may not be in the house too much longer so it wasn't worth splashing out on a worktop. Fast forward 5 years, two babies and me not returning to work and you get the picture; we aren't moving for the foreseeable future! So the worktop is number one on my change list. I'd love a shiny gloss work surface. I have heard they are hard work to maintain but they look so amazing and give the kitchen an edge.

Blue and White Shaker Kitchen - image from harveyjones.com

We have a tall pull out larder next to our oven which I love. It is rammed with our tinned, packet, boxed and canned food. Every inch of space is used and I simply couldn't live without it. I wish we had gone for a similar pull out mechanism for our under counter corner unit which now resembles the depths of Mordor at the back. Goodness knows what lurks in the darkness! The space is a wasted forgotten land of mixing bowls, serving platters and tupperware. A pull out corner mechanism would allow all me to see it all easily and instantly solve the problem.

My pull out larder cupboard

Another big change would be the colour. I went for a pale oak units, again because we were thinking of resale appeal and keeping things neutral. I should have ignored my practical self and gone for brightly coloured units. I have tried to make up for this by adding a bright teal feature wall but looking at the creative kitchen ideas out there I feel like I missed a trick. I spend a huge amount of time in the kitchen so it should reflect my personality, and I'm certainly not pale oak...

Multicoloured Linear Kitchen - image from harveyjones.com

My final kitchen design idea requires building an extension! But while I am dreaming I can wish for an island. I love informal entertaining and an island means you can cook while chatting with guests perched the other side. It gives a real focal point to a kitchen and is highly practical; the kids can eat breakfast, grab a snack or do their homework as they get bigger. So if I could just knock down that wall, move that door, build a few more walls... then I think we could do it!

Turquoise Shaker Kitchen - image from harveyjones.com

Collaborative post