Forever kitchen ideas: 11 high end kitchen features
So you’ve moved into your forever home. Is it time to create your forever kitchen? Find out which high-end kitchen features would look right at home in the kitchen space you’ve always dreamed of.
What to look for in a forever kitchen
The best forever kitchens are a pinnacle of practicality. They have a design that doesn’t date. And quality fixtures and fittings that promise to stand the test of time. But this is a kitchen that you plan to have for years to come. So a touch of luxury never goes amiss.
Your forever kitchen should be designed to fit your life. And it should be a beautiful space you love to spend time in. Whether it’s the morning rush, a quick midweek meal or an evening spent entertaining friends, your forever kitchen is a space that always feels comfortable and indulgent.
Forever kitchen design ideas
Here at David Lisle, we’ve been designing and crafting forever kitchens for decades. So we know a thing or two about which high-end kitchen features really make a difference. If you’re starting to think about forever kitchen design, here are a few ideas for your wish list.
1. A kitchen island
A kitchen island is a forever kitchen must-have. Of course, it provides extra worktop and storage space. But a kitchen island does so much more.
It helps to zone your kitchen into cooking and dining spaces. It provides a focal point, a place where guests gather with a glass of wine – or kids do homework as you rustle up a post-school snack.
An island also gives you the opportunity for a little design creativity. As a standalone kitchen feature, an island is the perfect place to add exciting colours and materials into a scheme.
2. A wine cooler
This is the forever kitchen design feature for people who love to host and entertain. With a dedicated wine fridge, separate from your primary fridge, you always have an ice-cold bottle to hand.
Positioned in the right place, guests can help themselves without getting in the way of the hard-at-work cooks.
Twin Gaggenau wine coolers sit either side of the elegant concealed bar in the dining area of this open plan kitchen, creating a dedicated “zone” out of the way from the busy kitchen area.
3. A high-end tap
In a forever kitchen, the little details make all the difference. So when deciding on a kitchen tap, treat yourself to something extra special.
You can get taps that provide instant boiling water. But you’ll also find taps (like the Quooker tap) that also provide instant filtered and sparkling water. And that’s before we even talk about finish and design.
For your forever kitchen, pick a tap that is as beautiful as it is functional – something that can take pride of place over a signature sink.
Even the smallest of details are a pleasure to use in our kitchens. Looking for a hand spray to match this client’s polished gold Quooker tap, we had one specially cast in the same exact gold finish to pair perfectly with the main tap.
4. Quality appliances
Of all the high-end kitchen features that belong in a forever kitchen design, quality appliances come high up the list. You want durable products that function beautifully – and quietly – while enhancing the style of the room.
Ample cooking space is also important – so opt for a double oven and/or a range cooker to make mealtimes easier and more enjoyable.
Luxury residential appliance brand Gaggenau features in this ziricote wood kitchen. With a combi-steam, combi-microwave, and two ovens and warming drawers at play, (all extra-large at 76cm wide), the avid cook can create all manner of culinary masterpieces for years to come.
5. Custom cabinetry
Bespoke cabinetry is key to creating the forever kitchen of your dreams. Kitchen designers and cabinet makers can create a kitchen that matches your sense of style and perfectly fits the space.
But which style of cupboard should you go for? It’s all down to personal taste but – if you want a kitchen that never goes out of style – beautiful shaker cabinets just don’t seem to date.
6. Clever storage
When everything has its place, a kitchen becomes a much more calming and relaxing space. So the best forever kitchens feature plenty of clever storage. Narrow cupboards, deep drawers and a spacious pantry use all available space, providing a home for pots, pans, knives, spices, fruit, veg and even recycling bins.
7. A coffee bar
Why not start every day with a delicious cup of barista coffee? Add a coffee bar to your forever kitchen and you keep the coffee kit close at hand. Situate your coffee bar within a butler’s pantry for a sleek, clutter-free space or turn it into a feature by sitting it in a nook on open shelving.
8. Statement light fittings
Whichever high-end kitchen features you choose to include in your design, they’ll always look their best when beautifully lit. Pick statement light fittings to hang above dining tables and kitchen islands. But pair ambient lighting with practical lighting choices too. Ceiling spotlights and lighting around cabinetry help brighten up any dark corners of your kitchen.
We work with interior designers and directly with clients to find the perfect light fittings to accentuate our furniture. The bubble glass chandelier over our bespoke grey Oak and Tamo Ash dining table is the cherry on top of the already stunning dining area in this kitchen.
9. Granite worktops
Kitchen worktops are one of the hardest working surfaces in the home. So in a forever kitchen, they need to be extra strong and durable. Granite is one of our favourite worktop materials. It’s incredibly elegant and exceptionally hardwearing. Marble isn’t as tough – but if beauty is your priority it really can’t be beat.
10. A muted colour scheme
Pick neutral tones for walls and floors and (if you fancy a change in a few years) it’s easy to change the look of your kitchen without committing to a complete redesign. You can alter the feel of your kitchen with new artwork and accessories. You can even call on David Lisle to repaint your cabinets in a different shade.
11. Bespoke kitchen extras
A forever kitchen design should fit you and your family like a glove. It should contain little bespoke extras, features that make you smile or simply make life easier. A cubby for dog beds and bowls. A window seat that looks out onto a well-tended garden. A statement splashback in a colour you love. When you opt for a custom luxury kitchen, you can create a forever kitchen that feels 100% yours.
Ready to create your forever kitchen? Here at David Lisle we design, craft and fit beautiful bespoke kitchens for clients across Cheshire and the North West. To visit our showroom and hear our ideas for your kitchen, just get in touch.
