At the heart of your new home needs to be a kitchen that suits your lifestyle and your personality. Whether you’re after a sleek, modern design or a cosy, traditional feel, finding the right finish is key to creating a space you’ll love for years to come.
The kitchen is where everything happens and it needs to work well for the whole household. Whether it’s sophisticated dinner parties or cosy breakfasts and study sessions, it needs to be functional and look great. The best thing about buying a new build home is that everything from the kitchen units to the plug sockets is brand new, so you really are working from a completely blank canvas.
Take a read of our latest guide for kitchen inspiration for your new build home:
Choosing your style
Choosing your kitchen style is not only about how you want it to look and feel aesthetically, but it’s also about what you need from your kitchen. Whether it’s cosy little reading nooks or sleek, contemporary designs that you want, it’s about finding that balance between function and style.
Traditional style kitchens offer a classic, timeless design, so they won’t be going out of fashion any time soon. Decorative detailing such as raised panel cabinets offers a warm and homely feel that you can guarantee your friends and family will feel comfortable spending time in. Contemporary kitchens tend to have a clean, sleeker design and a spacious minimalistic feel. They are known for innovative storage solutions and integrated appliances.
There are also kitchens which are a mixture of different styles. For example, the country-style kitchen is a twist on the traditional kitchen but with more rustic elements and features classic fittings such as a large chunky Belfast sink.
Pick your kitchen unit colour first
Choosing a colour for your kitchen units is a big decision. It sets the tone and atmosphere of the entire space and affects what other colours and accessories you can introduce.
Before making your choice, it’s essential to take into account the size and layout of your kitchen. Lighter, neutral shades like ivory or cream can enhance the sense of space and brightness, making smaller kitchens feel more open. On the other hand, if your kitchen is on the larger side or is flooded with natural light, you can experiment with deeper hues like navy or dark grey. For kitchens that lack natural light, vibrant, bold colours can reflect artificial light, adding energy and warmth to the room.
If you’re drawn to bold, statement colours but tend to change your taste often, you could consider incorporating these colours into smaller, easily updated areas, such as splashbacks or tiles, where they can make an impact without a long-term commitment.
Think about your worktops
Arguably the most used surface in the home, your worktop needs to be durable and easy to clean. It also needs to suit your kitchen unit’s colour.
Premium laminate is the most cost-effective worktop, replicating more expensive options well with a modern look and feel. It is easy to clean and is both heat and scratch-resistant too. It’s also much easier to update in a few years if and when you fancy a change. Available in a range of colours and styles, you can pick a laminate worktop to blend with both your cabinet colours and your wall colour.
Don’t Forget the Details
The handles on your cabinets and drawers add interesting personality and this detail matters. Consider the style of kitchen you have chosen; for example in a contemporary kitchen, you might consider minimalist handle designs and with a more traditional kitchen, you might choose handles with more shape, curves and detailing.
It’s a good idea to go and test your chosen handles before you commit to ensure that they feel as good as they look – they are used multiple times a day and they need to be right for you.
Choose a complimentary wall and ceiling colour
There are no concrete rules on how to combine the colours of your kitchen units and worktops with the paint colour of the walls and ceilings. It all depends on the mood you want to create.
Matching the shade of your kitchen units with a similar shade for the walls can create a sleek, uniform look, making the room feel more spacious. However, if you really want your new kitchen units to pop out, combine them with a contrasting colour or light neutral shade to give them centre stage.
Focus on storage
One of the most important aspects of your kitchen design is storage, you simply can’t have too much of it. From deep pan drawers and lined cutlery spacers, carving out a combination of clever storage solutions is essential for simple everyday living.
Carefully integrated cupboards can disguise larger appliances like washing machines and tumble dryers and deep internal drawers are a great option to house heavy-duty kitchen appliances.
Maximising the space available will help you to create a stylish and well-organised kitchen, keeping everything tucked out of sight and in perfect order.
Lighting Matters
When it comes to your kitchen lighting, the best solution is to use a combination of task, accent and ambient lighting to create a well-balanced and inviting space. Task lighting provides brighter light for tasks such as chopping and reading recipes and it is installed under areas such as the high-level kitchen units.
Accent lighting is used to highlight artwork, or it can be placed inside a kitchen unit, drawing attention to the beauty and detail in the room.
Ambient lighting creates atmosphere and is created by the warm glow of pendants over the dining table. Whatever lighting scheme you choose, don’t forget it must suit your requirements as well as the overall style of your kitchen.
Let’s get started!
The journey to creating your perfect kitchen doesn’t have to be overwhelming, all you must do is blend your practical needs with the interior look you want to achieve. With a little self-discovery and creativity, you can merge beauty with functionality where your unique tastes and lifestyle preferences are key.
Book an appointment in one of our Peter Ward Homes Sales Offices to view our kitchen options and get ready to transform your kitchen dreams into reality, creating a space that truly feels like home!