Luxury kitchen renovations are the dream for many of us. The desire to create something exceptional out of the ordinary has a hold on us, it’s a thirst that cannot be easily quenched. That, we suppose, is probably the point. As Tom Hanks famously said; “It’s supposed to be hard. If it was easy, everyone would do it”.
Ease makes things ubiquitous, and luxury is anything but.
But what are the fundamental pieces of a true luxury kitchen renovation? We’re pulling back the curtain on some of the high-end upgrades that make up the foundations of luxury kitchens to inspire your creativity and inform your choices, regardless of whether your next renovation has a moderate budget, or no budget at all.
Luxury Kitchen Renovation Secret #1: Layered Lighting Plans
Luxury kitchens paint with light. It’s never an afterthought. Good designers know that light can take a kitchen from ordinary to extraordinary and always have multiple layers in their lighting plan. There are three levels of lighting necessary in a luxury kitchen: ambient lighting (the main lighting that illuminates the whole space); task lighting (for extra lighting in the areas you need it most); and accent lighting (used to highlight features, create drama or add extra dimension to the space). Many kitchens stop at ambient lighting, perhaps bringing in an element of task lighting, but a luxury kitchen design requires all three. While the extra electrician costs associated with layering your lighting do add to the overall cost of a kitchen renovation, the value, both functionally and visually, can be integrated into updates with more modest budgets too.
Beyond ambient pot lighting or a statement chandelier or beautiful pendants in key spaces, there are a few other places where adding a bit of extra light can elevate your kitchen and give it a bit more of that luxury feel:
- Under-cabinet lighting doesn’t just look good, it makes your countertops function better. In a kitchen with only ambient light, your body standing at the counters around the perimeter of the space will cast a shadow over whatever you’re working on. Adding under-cabinet lighting creates unobstructed task-lighting for whatever you’re working on.
- Shelving or cabinet lighting can be added to the interior of cabinets with glass doors or on the bottoms of open shelving to highlight items that are special to you, or add a pleasant glow to areas of your kitchen that might otherwise be in shadow.
- Toe-kick lighting is less common than some of the other accent lighting, but if you’ve ever lamented turning on overhead lighting during a late-night trip to the kitchen, maybe adding a gentle glow at floor-level is just what you need. Kick it up a notch by adding motion sensors so you can rely on the added light without fumbling for a switch.
Another layer to lighting plans that is never overlooked in luxury kitchen renovations is natural lighting. Every kitchen design is better when you let the sunshine in, and luxury kitchen renovations never skimp on the windows. Beautiful windows function as part of a kitchen lighting design and decrease visual separation between the outside and inside, resulting in a space that feels bigger, brighter, and more natural.
A desire for the natural is also a hallmark of luxury kitchen renovations, leading us to our second secret…
Luxury Kitchen Renovation Secret #2: Natural Materials
As beautiful as manufactured materials like quartz are, luxury kitchen renovations almost always forgo the common materials in favour of their more unique, natural counterparts. Natural stone like granite, marble and quartzite function as original artwork, as the grain is different in every single piece. The same can be said about the grain in a luxury wood like walnut. If you’re looking for a luxury renovation, you’ll want to take a big step back from everything mass-produced or ordinary and opt for stand-out materials you won’t find in every second house down the block.
When using some of these expensive materials, the key is to use very few of them. Rather than using many different materials, luxury kitchen renovations tend to stick to a small number and use them wisely (often carrying those same materials throughout the home). Adding a backsplash in the same material as your countertops, or keeping your cabinets clean and consistent, and of course curating what you choose to display (very little, generally) is what helps pull together that high-end look. Using simple colour palettes and harmonious materials mean luxury kitchens never feel busy in spite of the amount of natural detail involved.
When you put the effort into harmony and consistency, the last thing you’ll find in any luxury kitchen renovations are disruptions to the flow, which bring us to…
Luxury Kitchen Renovation Secret #3: Hidden Function
When in doubt, hide it.
Whether we’re talking about major appliances like refrigerators and dishwashers, or all those small appliances like microwaves, coffee makers and waffle irons, keeping all the mechanics of the kitchen out of sight is one of the hallmarks of luxury kitchen renovations. Panelled appliances are installed with panels that match the cabinetry making them all but invisible in a luxury kitchen. The only appliance that is rarely hidden (except in the case of an invisible induction cooktop built into stone countertops) is of course, the exceptionally beautiful and oversized gas range (with a statement custom range hood, of course). Taking this idea even a step further includes invisible outlets (so as not to disrupt the visual flow of all those beautiful natural materials like marble backsplashes) and also butler’s pantries or sculleries that offer secondary space for all the untidy or unsightly items that would otherwise clutter the countertops.
There is luxury in simplicity.
Even if you’re just hiding it from view.
Now let’s talk cabinetry. Of course, no luxury kitchen renovation would be complete without…
Luxury Kitchen Renovation Secret #4: Custom Inset Cabinets
There is no ordinary in a luxury kitchen renovation. Nothing comes from a box that contains assembly instructions. Luxury kitchens are all-custom. Whether the price tag is the point, or whether it’s the desire for something tailored and unique to the homeowners, the value of building a custom kitchen without compromising anything can’t be expressed in dollars alone. In a truly high-end custom kitchen, building the cabinetry is as much an art as it is a science. Not only does everything need to function effortlessly with perfect engineering, it needs balance and flow, symmetry and tension to truly take your breath away.
While custom cabinets of any variety are the prime steak of a luxury kitchen renovation, inset cabinets are the béarnaise.
Unnecessary perhaps? But if you’re going, why not go all the way?
Inset cabinets leave no room for error, no tolerance for inattention in design or engineering. Built so each door sits flush with its frame, inset cabinets require meticulous precision and advanced craftsmanship to create a refined product, unequalled by any of their counterparts.
Luxury Kitchen Renovation Secret #5: The Extras
We all know that the hidden secrets are what make anything a little more desirable, so why would it be any different with a luxury kitchen renovation? Beyond the façade, high-end kitchen designs hide luxury touches that make life just a little bit sweeter. Think heated floors, custom storage, built-in wine fridges or coffee makers, integrated device charging, warming drawers, pot-fillers, workstation sinks with added features and so much more! The extras are what make the kitchen function perfectly for you and are unique to each individual.
For many of us, a truly high-end luxury kitchen renovation is somewhat out of reach, but that doesn’t necessarily mean that giving up on the idea is the way to go. Bringing that feeling of luxury and abundance into a space with a smaller budget is possible, but you must first understand your limitations and make decisions accordingly. So practically, what does that mean?
You may be limited by space. In that case, to get the unfettered simplicity of a luxury kitchen, focus on paring down what you really need, decluttering your space and finding homes for the items you can’t live without. Also, focus on simple colour palettes, use a smaller number of materials, but be intentional in the ones you pick. You don’t have all the space in the world, so make every inch count.
Maybe your budget has limitations. You can’t afford all of the upgrades, but that doesn’t mean you can’t have any. Focus on one thing you love about the kitchen renovations you dream about and highlight that one. For example, you love the look of a clean stone countertops with a matching backsplash. Opt for a porcelain or quartz that has that veining that’s so popular with marble and keep your cabinets simple. Or splurge on that beautiful range and custom hood. Make it the focal point of your kitchen and use simpler materials and smart detail to pull it all together. Lighting doesn’t need to be excessive, but layering in clever ways can give you that luxury feel without a massive price tag. Make good use of the little details to surprise and delight your guests with your resourceful ingenuity. A small amount of extra creativity can make even a modest kitchen feel opulent.
And who doesn’t need a little bit of opulence?
At Gateway Kitchen + Bath, we’ve been collaborating with homeowners to craft custom luxury kitchens in Winnipeg for over 40 years. With an experienced team dedicated to your project from conception to completion, your project is in capable hands with Gateway. To meet with a member of our Design Team, schedule an appointment here.
