How to get the best from your kitchen

The kitchen is the hardest-working room in the house – the trick is to make it look effortless, whether you’re entertaining guests or engaging in day-to-day tasks. Happily, the latest trends, from double appliances to AI-controlled gadgets, make life easier for dinner-party prep and result in a space you’ll be happy to spend time in, even when you’re not cold-pressing kale or programming the robo-chef. Here are five of the hottest developments for 2024.

The home bar
Stylish home owners are requesting members’ club-style bar areas in their kitchen space, complete with drinks dispensers, ice-maker, fridge and plumbed-in sink and tap, says Annie Harrison, of interior design studio Fare Inc. She recently created a library-style basement bar for a client, featuring a leather-wrapped counter, linen wallpaper and components crafted from fallen trees in London.

The second kitchen
The primary kitchen is the show-stopper – but the back kitchen is where the action really happens. Secondary spaces have everything you need for cooking, storing essentials and cleaning up, meaning clutter is kept at bay. Never an afterthought, they are meticulously crafted, with bespoke storage and top-end appliances. They can also double as a wet bar, and make an ideal base for a visiting chef when entertaining. Include a discreet pocket door, made to look as if it’s part of the cupboard setup. “Being able to close it when entertaining, for an elegant aesthetic, is a must-have for any luxury kitchen,” says interior designer Naomi Astley Clarke.

The retro finish
Linoleum is back – as unlikely as that might seem in the world of high-end kitchen design. It’s all part of a move towards retro finishes, according to designer Leah Ring, whose LA-based firm Another Human has deployed lino in a range of eye-catching hues and textures in her recent projects. “I like to ease clients into this,” she has said. But design aficionados are often willing to take chances in the kitchen – particularly when it comes to green options. True linoleum is made from a mixture of linseed oil, tree resin, ground limestone, sawdust and pigments. It is biodegradable and can also be recycled.

The professional kit
Choose appliances that mirror those found in restaurant kitchens: Barrafina and Soho Farmhouse are oft-heard reference points. Brands that top the bill include Fisher & Paykel, Bora, Sub-Zero, Wolf and Gaggenau. A vented hob with integrated extraction from Bora or Novy is one sleek option – use the space gained above to install striking lighting. Steam ovens are in demand this year (look at Gaggenau’s latest models), as are sous-vide machines. “A deluxe kitchen trend is a built-in sous-vide in which you can vacuum-pack prepared dishes to be heated up at a later stage,” says interior designer Dean Keyworth of Armstrong Keyworth in London.

Unlimited customisation
The best kitchens serve the lifestyle, hobbies and needs of each member of the household, with obsessive attention to detail. Whether it’s a built-in juice bar, a stage-like cooking setup for hosting or personalised snack drawers, every aspect of life is considered and enhanced. Bespoke design allows for limitless customisation – from cupboard and drawer interiors built for specific items to experimenting with unique finishes. Think oxidised metals, specialised timbers, modern marquetry, rare marbles, back-lit onyx panels and leather inlays.

Pictures from top: a bespoke kitchen in north London by Ledbury Studio; a stylish home bar by Naomi Astley Clarke; a kitchen stocked with professional kit by Fisher & Paykel; and the ultimate customisation from Ledbury Studio