Pros Share 6 Must-Have Kitchen Design Features
Design and remodeling pros recommend focusing on these areas to create a functional and stylish kitchen
Mitchell Parker
July 30, 2023
Houzz Editorial Staff. Home design journalist writing about cool spaces, innovative trends, breaking news, industry analysis and humor.
Houzz Editorial Staff. Home design journalist writing about cool spaces, innovative... More
Countless decisions go into designing a beautiful and functional kitchen — so many that it’s hard to know what to focus on. We asked several design and remodeling professionals what they consider the must-have features in a kitchen, and the following elements came up again and again. Give these areas adequate attention when planning a kitchen and you’re almost guaranteed to end up with a space that makes you happy.
1. The Right Storage
Your kitchen cabinets make up the bulk of what you see in your kitchen, so your choice of cabinet color and style is a major, consequential decision. But the components inside your cabinets are equally important, if not more.
Your storage solutions determine how functional your kitchen is. When you’re at the peak of cooking a large meal, you care less about the look of your cabinets and more about the ease of grabbing the right tools, spices, pots and other supplies.
A kitchen designer will often take an inventory of all the utensils, dishes, small appliances and pantry items in your kitchen to figure out the right storage components for you. Pullouts, rollouts and swing-outs will efficiently organize your stuff and make things easier to find and grab.
“When budget allows, we always, always recommend drawers or pullout shelves on the lower cabinet level,” designer Lisa Janzen of KC Interior Design says. “There is nothing worse than having to get on your hands and knees to see what is shoved to the back on your bottom shelves. Drawers make it so much easier to access and a more efficient use of space.”
The New York kitchen shown here by Stonington Cabinetry & Designs is a good example of how hard your kitchen cabinets can work for you.
Your kitchen cabinets make up the bulk of what you see in your kitchen, so your choice of cabinet color and style is a major, consequential decision. But the components inside your cabinets are equally important, if not more.
Your storage solutions determine how functional your kitchen is. When you’re at the peak of cooking a large meal, you care less about the look of your cabinets and more about the ease of grabbing the right tools, spices, pots and other supplies.
A kitchen designer will often take an inventory of all the utensils, dishes, small appliances and pantry items in your kitchen to figure out the right storage components for you. Pullouts, rollouts and swing-outs will efficiently organize your stuff and make things easier to find and grab.
“When budget allows, we always, always recommend drawers or pullout shelves on the lower cabinet level,” designer Lisa Janzen of KC Interior Design says. “There is nothing worse than having to get on your hands and knees to see what is shoved to the back on your bottom shelves. Drawers make it so much easier to access and a more efficient use of space.”
The New York kitchen shown here by Stonington Cabinetry & Designs is a good example of how hard your kitchen cabinets can work for you.
“I always recommend custom cabinetry with pullouts, built-in cutting boards, etc. to keep the jumble of everyday life to a minimum,” designer Yancy Dearinger Bonner of Yancy Interiors + Home says. She included a pullout cutting board next to the range in the kitchen shown here.
Find a kitchen designer near you
Find a kitchen designer near you
“I’m a big believer in adequate storage,” designer Carrie Moore of Carrie Moore Interior Design says. “While open shelving is pretty and we design with it, having ample closed storage is critical for a non-cluttered kitchen.”
A shallow countertop storage tower in this Atlanta kitchen by Innovative Design Build organizes and conceals spices and other cooking essentials.
A shallow countertop storage tower in this Atlanta kitchen by Innovative Design Build organizes and conceals spices and other cooking essentials.
2. Hardworking Sink
Designers often recommend giving extra consideration to elements that you interact with the most. In a kitchen, that can be a lot of things, but the kitchen sink is one area that always sees a lot of action. So it makes sense to put a little more effort into designing the sink area and choosing components.
These days, many sink manufacturers offer designs called workstations, which feature add-ons such as cutting boards, strainers and prep bowls. “I always recommend a sink with gadgets,” designer Brittany Steptoe-Wright of BSW Design says. “For example, the sink in this project [shown here] is a single, large undermount sink, but it has a colander, cutting board and drying rack that sit inside on a small lip and provide so much function. It’s a game changer.”
Designers often recommend giving extra consideration to elements that you interact with the most. In a kitchen, that can be a lot of things, but the kitchen sink is one area that always sees a lot of action. So it makes sense to put a little more effort into designing the sink area and choosing components.
These days, many sink manufacturers offer designs called workstations, which feature add-ons such as cutting boards, strainers and prep bowls. “I always recommend a sink with gadgets,” designer Brittany Steptoe-Wright of BSW Design says. “For example, the sink in this project [shown here] is a single, large undermount sink, but it has a colander, cutting board and drying rack that sit inside on a small lip and provide so much function. It’s a game changer.”
The Galley Workstation shown here is a popular hardworking sink that includes several inserts for prepping and cleaning.
Shop for a kitchen sink workstation
Shop for a kitchen sink workstation
3. Layered Lighting
Different tasks in a kitchen call for different kinds of lighting. Cooking at the stove, chopping vegetables, washing dishes, chatting with friends, doing homework, displaying collectibles — these all require a specific light source. “I recommend layers of lighting and multiple fixtures to cover every area,” designer Debbie Turner of Debbie Cahill Turner Design says.
This might include recessed ceiling lights for ambient light, spotlights to illuminate important work areas like the sink and range, pendant lights to light an island or peninsula, and windows to let in natural light during the day.
Designer Donna McMahon of KE Interior Solutions used a layered lighting approach in her own kitchen in Denver, shown here. Several recessed ceiling lights provide overall lighting, while undercabinet lights help with cooking tasks. McMahon even installed light strips below the base cabinets to create ambient lighting at night.
See more of this kitchen
Different tasks in a kitchen call for different kinds of lighting. Cooking at the stove, chopping vegetables, washing dishes, chatting with friends, doing homework, displaying collectibles — these all require a specific light source. “I recommend layers of lighting and multiple fixtures to cover every area,” designer Debbie Turner of Debbie Cahill Turner Design says.
This might include recessed ceiling lights for ambient light, spotlights to illuminate important work areas like the sink and range, pendant lights to light an island or peninsula, and windows to let in natural light during the day.
Designer Donna McMahon of KE Interior Solutions used a layered lighting approach in her own kitchen in Denver, shown here. Several recessed ceiling lights provide overall lighting, while undercabinet lights help with cooking tasks. McMahon even installed light strips below the base cabinets to create ambient lighting at night.
See more of this kitchen
This New Orleans kitchen by Ourso Designs is another example of good lighting design. There are recessed ceiling cans, a pendant over the sink, pendants over the island, undercabinet lighting and sconces over the floating shelves flanking the range hood.
Of course, you shouldn’t forget to factor in natural lighting whenever possible. Architect Chris Dorman of Dorman Associates recommends that homeowners consider reducing the amount of upper cabinets if needed to allow room for more windows to bring in natural light. “The kitchen is a place where people can spend hours, so maximizing natural light is key,” he says.
4. Island
Perhaps no design feature in recent memory has changed kitchen design more than the island. Indeed, it’s hard to deny the benefit of a kitchen island. It adds extra countertop surface and storage and creates a spot for conversation, homework and meals. It can be a location for a cooktop, a dishwasher or a prep sink, and it often provides that crucial touch point that completes an efficient work triangle.
An island is a must-have kitchen feature for builder Kenneth Keating of Camlin Custom Homes. “A large kitchen island is a fantastic gathering place in any open-plan kitchen and gives the homeowner a flexible space to use for dining, entertaining or cooking,” he says.
Perhaps no design feature in recent memory has changed kitchen design more than the island. Indeed, it’s hard to deny the benefit of a kitchen island. It adds extra countertop surface and storage and creates a spot for conversation, homework and meals. It can be a location for a cooktop, a dishwasher or a prep sink, and it often provides that crucial touch point that completes an efficient work triangle.
An island is a must-have kitchen feature for builder Kenneth Keating of Camlin Custom Homes. “A large kitchen island is a fantastic gathering place in any open-plan kitchen and gives the homeowner a flexible space to use for dining, entertaining or cooking,” he says.
Photo by Jared Kuzia / This Old House
An island is also a favorite feature for designer Tina Rodda of Eyder Curated Kitchens. “My must-have amenity is a workstation on the island for food prep and serving and a large butcher block at the end for carving and serving fabulous roasts,” she says.
This Boston kitchen by SV Design with This Old House and Silva Brothers shows an example.
An island is also a favorite feature for designer Tina Rodda of Eyder Curated Kitchens. “My must-have amenity is a workstation on the island for food prep and serving and a large butcher block at the end for carving and serving fabulous roasts,” she says.
This Boston kitchen by SV Design with This Old House and Silva Brothers shows an example.
5. Quality Cooking Appliances
A kitchen is meant for cooking. And your range — or cooktop and oven — will be the most important component for cooking meals. Think about how often you interact with a range and how its function affects the quality of your meals and the ease with which you create them. That’s why many pros suggest you don’t skimp on quality when it comes to selecting a range and other cooking appliances.
Designer Karen Parks of Associate Interiors puts a lot of focus on selecting high-quality ovens and cooktops. Shown here is the GE Cafe series.
A kitchen is meant for cooking. And your range — or cooktop and oven — will be the most important component for cooking meals. Think about how often you interact with a range and how its function affects the quality of your meals and the ease with which you create them. That’s why many pros suggest you don’t skimp on quality when it comes to selecting a range and other cooking appliances.
Designer Karen Parks of Associate Interiors puts a lot of focus on selecting high-quality ovens and cooktops. Shown here is the GE Cafe series.
“I think that having a good stove is critical,” architect Dorman says. He used a Monogram Pro range in this Northern California kitchen.
Designer Julia Chasman makes vintage stoves a key component in her kitchen designs. For her own kitchen, shown here, she used a vintage O’Keefe & Merritt stove built in 1952 that provides function and style. “I have often used vintage stoves in homes of different eras,” she says. “They require some extra love and care. This one needed to be converted for use with propane gas as well, but the amount of charm and warmth they provide is incalculable. I also find them to be excellent stoves to cook on — perfect for cooking meat. It’s become one of my signature looks, and when I’m asked to source a vintage stove I know exactly what to look for to find one that will continue to serve its owners well for another 25 or 30 years.”
6. Custom Vent Hood
A ventilation hood removes cooking odors, steam and grease from the air in your kitchen. But because the appliance sits at or just above eye level, it’s also an important visual element in the space. Many designers take it as an opportunity to create a stylish focal point, and going custom is often the way to go.
“I am a big fan of a custom metal hood,” says designer Julie Rootes of Julie Rootes Interiors, who used a custom hood in the San Francisco kitchen shown here. “There are so many details you can pull in. It is one of the most important features of an elevated kitchen design. It’s like the jewelry of the kitchen.”
A ventilation hood removes cooking odors, steam and grease from the air in your kitchen. But because the appliance sits at or just above eye level, it’s also an important visual element in the space. Many designers take it as an opportunity to create a stylish focal point, and going custom is often the way to go.
“I am a big fan of a custom metal hood,” says designer Julie Rootes of Julie Rootes Interiors, who used a custom hood in the San Francisco kitchen shown here. “There are so many details you can pull in. It is one of the most important features of an elevated kitchen design. It’s like the jewelry of the kitchen.”
Designer Jason Ulm of Heritage Homes of Jacksonville created the custom maple hood shown here in a kitchen in Ponte Vedra Beach, Florida. Arched molding coordinates with the arched mullions on the cabinet doors to create an alluring focal point.
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I will continue to repeat:
1 Do not put an island that Blocks access to the 3 parts of the Kitchen: Kitchen #3,one needs to go around the island to get from the sink to the fridge. No,No.
2 Islands with "highchairs" seating= dangerous for Aged and Youth. Easy to fall off and get Really hurt.
Either No Seating(more cabinets) or Lower the seating area for Safety.
3 Yea, Stoves are "important" But I use only 1 or 2 burners, ever. I have an old stove with a smaller oven over the stove (instead of a built in microwave) I use that maybe 1 or 2 times a week, when my microwave and super toaster oven can't cook the whole dinner for me. I am alone now, but I cooked for 2 for 28 years. I use the bottom oven for storage and maybe the once a year turkey. Folks with air fryers can likely add to the crowd that do not use full stove/oven facilities. Lots of us live alone/couples and are not cooking for a crowd, daily.
If hosting a crowd: Lots of good stuff "done", available at stores, and you could ask some folks to bring food ( I make a couple of good "group" dishes)
4 Last- not mentioned in the article: Trash/recycle bins. Yes, they are often ugly. But, when you have a raw chicken mess or just a mess in hand: how do you open the cabinet door, in order to dump the stuff, without making a mess on the door? Creating a OPEN Space for a trash can under the Island would be Nice.
While a nice visual statement, the average home cook does not need a custom range hood there are plenty off the shelf options that look better than the off the shelf options from 20 years ago that can make a statement for a lot less money than custom hood would. This website usually features stylish off the shelf options on their kitchen sale emails. In addition, those custom hoods mean you will be having to dust and clean those big custom hoods when you clean your kitchen, which is fine if you are an average home cook that has a cleaner come in weekly, but it just adds labor for the rest of us. Plus the average kitchen needs more storage that could go into that space over the stove, via cabinetry or open shelving with with a low profile hood under it. Really for hoods and kitchen venting, efficiency matters more than size. but either way if you cook things that smell, like fish, microwave popcorn, sauerkraut, you will want your stove on an exterior wall with an overhead hood that vents outside, if not a down draft vent that can be ducted to vent outside from the basement is a great option, you can even have the fan in the basement so you do not have to hear it.
Island: in our main house in CT we have a large island and it is indeed essential, but in our vacation and rental condo in Hawaii we have just a peninsula which is also extremely useful.
Cooktop: we have installed an induction cooktop in both locations--love it. I am a serious cook and now much prefer induction (even just a single induction "hotplate."