Creating a Kitchen You'll Love to Live In

‘Pointside’ renovation project, Melbourne. Hygge Design

Renovating your kitchen may very well be the most expensive outlay you will make in your home, so it makes sense to ensure you get it right - getting some expert advice can be pivotal to the success of your design.
The old saying that Kitchens are the 'heart of the home' is even more important these days - they are the central place we connect with loved ones and enjoy hygge; they are a space to unwind after a busy day and then of course they are a space to prepare food to fuel us for work and school and everything in between!

3D of ‘Pointside’ Kitchen renovation in Concept Design phase

Here are some of the common conundrums are often hear when we begin designing a kitchen for our clients:
Sink in Island - yay or nay
- there is no hard and fast rule with this one, it really comes down to your home layout and other factors such as storage. You may be set on NOT having a sink in your island, but the compromise is that it will go on a side or back wall that could potentially be a long tall wall with lots of storage. It would then mean that your cubic metres of storage will definitely be less if you have sink on the side wall. If this was a scenario we were presented and we didn't have sufficient storage for everything, we would design the sink to be in the island (often off centre for a greater run of bench space). We would also allocate items into drawers etc to demonstrate the huge gains you will have with tall wall storage and sink in island.

The connection to people can also be stronger with the sink in the island, as you are part of all the action and won't have your back to your family and friends and conversations. If you have a view to look outwards to - whether that be your garden or beautiful artwork in your living room - that is also another great reason to situate the sink in the island.

Kitchen Renovation, Bayside Melbourne - Hygge Design

How can I get more storage?

• If your kitchen is older and only has cupboards, just the simple change to drawers will see a huge increase in volume storage, up to 1/3 more.

• We include the allocation of all of your items in our detailed drawings, we make sure everything has a place for an organised and well-functioning kitchen. If everything has a home, things will be put away by the big and little kids in your home ;-) Life will be more stress-free for everyone- which of course leads to a happier household!

• We have a range of storage tricks and mechanisms that we include in our design process to really maximise every inch of space! Below, we have vertical storage for oils and chopping boards/trays can also be accessed easily. 

‘Pointside’ Kitchen renovation with vertical drawers for oils and chopping boards - Hygge Design

Are wall ovens better?
There has been a move the last 5 years for 60cm wide set of 2 wall ovens and less underbench ovens. If you have that tall wall of storage, it may very well make sense to locate them here, freeing up for easier to access storage under your bench. Wall ovens are also very easy to access with little to no bending over and even come ‘handleless’ now. All brands sell a set of 2, with the 2nd oven being a steam oven, microwave or combi oven and we specify these a lot in our designs.

I do however, still believe there is a place for the more traditional oven kitchens - a freestanding AGA or 900 wide oven, together with a bespoke rangehood can be a stunning hero in a kitchen and for the big bakers and cooks, we are still incorporating these into our designs.

Technology has come so far with appliances - you can now 'talk' to your ovens and also use an app to turn them on remotely, whilst you are at basketball or on the train home from work, nuts!

‘Pointside’ Timber Kitchen renovation - with Fisher & Paykel wall ovens and Bar Fridge - Hygge Design

Kitchen Design Elevations - Hygge Design

Is the old triangle rule still valid? 
We use our kitchens for so many purposes this day in age - they are the heart of the home and the central place to connect with loved ones. Gone are the days where only one person is using them and they are an enclosed room.

Today, they tend to be open plan and they need to work harder than ever - we use them to prepare meals, to entertain and socialise, to do homework and even working from home can be done on the kitchen bench. 'Kitchen zones' have therefore become a better way of designing, to allow multiple people, doing multiple activities, without walking all over each other!

Sure, the Fridge, Sink and cooktop locations are still super important, but it's a lot more complicated these days, as the purpose of our kitchens is far greater than the 50's, but you also don’t want to be walking km’s between zones- efficiency is key for a successful kitchen design. We love Blum's approach to zoning, which you can read more about on their website.

How can I get a better connection to outside?

• Using natural light and designing for better outdoor connection can have lots of benefits to your health and well-being.

• A servery window is a great solution for an instant connection to fresh air and the great outdoors. Installing sky lights can also be beneficial.

• Bringing the outside in can also be achieved through material selections - add natural timber through handles and joinery; metals in tapware; natural stone where budget allows are all great ways to better connect with nature.

Natural materials mood board - Hygge Design

Do we need a Pantry or Butler's Pantry?

• this is another conundrum that there is no right or wrong answer - it really is a personal preference, along with your floor plan as to what is possible and best for your home.

• Budget is also a big consideration, as adding a genuine butler's pantry with another sink and additional appliances can almost equate to the cost of another kitchen.

• So, think about how you prepare your food- do you want to be amongst the action or do you want to prep and hide your mess? It will encroach into your kitchen space, do ask if it is worth it and could a well-designed kitchen with ample storage be sufficient?

• Or maybe a pantry purely for storage is a happy medium, where you can have this located off the kitchen, but no need for the extras?

These are but a few of the design dilemmas that we offer bespoke solutions to - we design for the home owners to suit their needs and their unique layout, so there is no one best design.

Ultimately, here at Hygge Design, we design according to how you want to 'feel' in your home - which can be feelings of calm, joy and happiness to name a few.

We have a soft spot for kitchen designs and love providing design solutions to our clients that are unique, functional and beautiful too.

Mood board for a full service interior design renovation project - Hygge Design

If you are thinking about a new kitchen, we got your back :-)

Give us a call and we can begin the exciting design journey to transform your home and your life - 'I wish we had done this sooner' is a common response we hear after our projects are complete.

That is the power of good design, it enhances all aspects of your life - from improving human connections and relationships to your personal happiness and well-being.

Wishing everyone a fantastic weekend ahead!
Agi and Carlie

Hygge Design - it’s wellbeing for your home