Relish in the design possibilities of a made-to-measure kitchen design that is perfectly tailored to your style, home and lifestyle needs
What are the benefits of a bespoke kitchen?
These days, the benefits of choosing a bespoke kitchen design – that is, a kitchen designed and handmade from scratch – for your next renovation are plenty. Not only can it provide you with endless possibilities for designing a one-off space that’s absolutely perfectly suited to the way you and your family use your kitchen – down to where you leave the groceries – but it is also an opportunity to celebrate your design tastes and the property itself.
Built to fit your home like a glove, a handmade kitchen can squeeze every inch out of your existing layout and home’s dimensions, overcome your period home’s design quirks and actually make your home life that little bit easier – all while being built to last longer.
Sound good? Find inspiration from the cleverly customised kitchen design ideas below…
1. Squeeze more out of a small kitchen space
One of the key benefits of specifying a made-to-measure kitchen is that your cabinetry can be designed to fit any space in your home, making the most of even the smallest of spots. Bespoke kitchen cabinets can be adjusted to your scheme’s dimensions and work around existing features such as appliances – here a fridge and freezer are kept out of sight with custom cabinetry made from tulip wood to the left – meaning no space goes to waste. Plus, mixing closed and open storage is a clever way to make your scheme feel more spacious.
If you’re designing a small kitchen, utilise the corner of the worktop space by building some shelving up the wall. The worktop continues right to the back edge, but the shelves create a nook where the owners can store their kitchen appliances and utensils.
Stylist’s tip: Dark-blue kitchen cabinets are not just elegant, they’re also versatile. In smaller spaces, team them with white walls and light-coloured work surfaces to lighten the look, and add hardware in gold, bronze or on-trend brass for warmth.
Cabinets painted in ‘Mayfair Dark’ by Mylands
2. Tackle an awkward kitchen layout
Bespoke kitchen designs can overcome a multitude of design challenges – from awkward kitchen layouts to old-fashioned features of older or period properties which often bring with them uneven flooring, tricky shapes and low ceilings.
The split-level flooring in this ground floor kitchen in Wandsworth is a good example, caused by the property’s natural ‘step down’. A bespoke kitchen island was built around it, running at two lengths – a shorter length in the cook space and a longer length including the step height for the bar area – to create a sociable space for the family to gather in.
Stylist’s tip: if you want to go beyond the classic horizontal subway tile for your kitchen splashback, try laying them in a herringbone style instead. Use a slightly darker grout (grey or black, for example) instead of white to further accentuate the shape of the tiles and the pattern.
Metro tiles in ‘Suede’ by Fired Earth; Cabinets painted in ‘Dock Blue’ by Little Greene
3. Make your life easier
One of the undeniable advantages of opting for a bespoke kitchen that’s built from scratch is that you can truly drill down on how you and your family use this space and plan your design accordingly.
Consider your daily habits – where do you leave the groceries when you come in from shopping, for example? Do you need more worktop space to drop them on before unpacking? And how many people use the kitchen at the same time? Do you need a multifunctional kitchen island to keep the kids happy with their homework while you cook?
A made-to-measure kitchen allows you to add in the features that could make your life that little bit easier, from a large-double sink with a pull-out bin beneath, to easily-accessible storage where you need it most.
4. Embrace your kitchen’s period features
Allow your home’s original features to shine by choosing design features that complement them. In this ground-floor kitchen in Queen’s Park, London, a traditional fireplace is paired with an oversized kitchen island painted in rich blue, with an elegant iroko worktop and finished off with brass handles to accentuate the historical appeal of the scheme.
Large cage pendant lights hanging over the island offer an industrial-style twist as well as a clever way of ‘zoning’ the cooking space in this open-plan kitchen scheme.
5. Add clever custom kitchen storage
Bespoke storage can not only squeeze more out of your kitchen area but can also make your space much more efficient. Consider building storage into the side of your kitchen island, for example, making table setting easier in an open-plan space without bothering the cook.
In this fully bespoke Shaker-style kitchen design in London, a handy breakfast bar complete with plug sockets and made-to-measure storage is tucked behind space-saving, bi-fold doors, keeping surfaces free elsewhere. As easy to access as it is to tuck away, this is a go-to morning addition for a busy household.
Below, deeper drawers were made specifically to incorporate the client’s existing casserole dishes and pots and pans.
Cabinets painted in ‘Lead’ by Little Greene
6. Embrace your unique decorating style
The beauty of a bespoke kitchen design is that you have the freedom to design a scheme to replicate the materials, colour palette or period style of the rest of the home – or go against the grain with a bold accent colour or stand-out feature.
This eclectic kitchen in Notting Hill, London, teams traditional Shaker-style cabinets with a standout ochre splashback, a teal banquette dining space, warm reclaimed oak floorboards and colourful retro-inspired, glass pendants to boot.
Oak floorboards supplied by Havwoods
Be inspired by more of Huntsmore’s latest projects in our photo gallery. Plus, if you’re looking to start your own unique project, we invite you to book a complimentary consultation with one of our experienced design experts who will advise you on how to turn your ideas into reality
