What is Your Kitchen Personality?
You can learn a lot from someone by stepping into their house, and the most telling of rooms has to be the kitchen. The heart and soul of the home, the kitchen amplifies your personality: how much (or how little) clutter you have, the materials you’ve chosen and appliances you have on display reveal more about your needs and daily habits than you’d expect...
Not everyone uses their kitchens in the same way. From professional city-dwellers whose kitchens are occupied for little more than a takeaway and a glass of wine, to budding family bakers cooking for a dozen hungry mouths, one size certainly doesn’t fit all when it comes to kitchens.
We’ve outlined five key kitchen personalities and tips to make your space work for your lifestyle. Which kitchen personality are you?
The No-Fuss Professional
The no-fuss professional is looking for a functional and easy-to-maintain kitchen to support their hectic schedule. More likely a place for a quick stir-fry than hosting a five-course dinner party, utility is key for these busy-bees. But regardless of being an avid cook or not - this shouldn’t stop them from having a beautiful kitchen. Here are some kitchen must-haves for our first kitchen personality:
Efficient Storage Solutions
Digging around in drawers isn’t anyone’s favourite pastime, especially not for the rushed no-fuss professional. Smart storage solutions could be the answer to speeding up their morning routine.
Here’s a pull-out carousel drawer we installed in our Clapton kitchen. Not only maximising space, this rotating design makes pots and pans accessible with a single movement. It’s also conveniently located next to the oven for efficient cooking.
Time Saving Devices
Moments at home are precious for the no-fuss professional, so they’d rather not be spending it washing up or waiting for kettles to boil. Some great appliance choices we recommend for the time-bound cook include:
The boiling water tap: not only does the boiling water tap provide instant cups of tea, but it removes the clutter of having a kettle on your work surface. Key for those busy mornings where immediate caffeine is necessary.
The Bora Hob: we recommend the Bora integrated extractor induction hob for those looking for a minimalist and effortless cooking experience. Seamlessly blending into your kitchen without the need for clunky overhead extractors, the Bora Hob also has removable filters which can be put straight into the dishwasher.
Our Bermondsey-based kitchen installation features both a boiling water tap and Bora Hob. These devices mean the work surfaces are kept clutter-free for a minimalist look.
Simple Aesthetics
No-fuss professionals may spend lots of time working outside the house, but it doesn’t make home any less important. Minimalist kitchens needn’t be catalogue clones: small aesthetic touches make all the difference when making a kitchen effortlessly your own.
Mood lighting is an excellent addition to create an immediately chilled atmosphere after a long working day.
Choosing under the counter or under cupboard lights can remove the need for harsh overheads, leaving a warm, welcoming glow instead. We installed mood lighting in this Shoreditch kitchen:
Opting for art and decorative ornaments instantly portray your personality, and are an excellent way to add edge without redesigning your entire kitchen.
Splashbacks provide an eye-catching opportunity for your kitchen. Even if the rest of your space is minimalist, colourful or unusual splashbacks can steal the show. Here’s a copper splashback we installed in our Bermondsey kitchen. It added character and colour, transforming it into an aesthetically unique design.
The Family
For families, the kitchen is the central hub to feed and gather. Many mouths to feed mean an abundance of storage is crucial, and the kitchen must not only be functional, but durable. Here are some ideas to create a dynamic and versatile design that will work for the lifestyles of the whole family:
Central Island
Nothing accommodates the multi-faceted demands of a modern family kitchen like a central island.
Acting as a breakfast bar for hurried mornings before school, a desk for days working from home, and a social hub, central islands help kitchens embody their rightful purpose: being the heart of the home.
A family kitchen complete with a central island in Calverley.
Fuss-free Surfaces
Durable and easy to clean materials are a heaven send for animated family kitchens. When it comes to worktops, we recommend Corian, a stain-resistant and resilient material, which can also be repaired if broken. Corian is non-porous, and the joints are seamless, which make it antibacterial - and hence a popular choice for parents of very young children.
Maximum storage capacity
To function properly, a busy kitchen needs ample storage. Extra deep drawers, floor to ceiling cabinets and islands are all fantastic ways of maximising your storage, whilst keeping the clutter of daily life hidden out of sight.
Opt for deep drawers in family kitchens to maximise space.
For families, we suggest keeping storage behind closed doors. Open shelving looks chic, but is impractical for family life as it gathers grease and dust. It also makes biscuit stealing inviting for mischievous little hands...
This kitchen in Peckham has abundant floor-to-ceiling storage, making use of every inch. The cupboards are also handleless - a sure protection for little heads (and also adult hips!)
The Entertainer
You’ll always find entertainers in their kitchen at parties, where cocktails and canapes are never out of stock and wine is always cooled in preparation for a spontaneous guest. Functionality and a sleek look are key to keep cleaning down to a minimum. Here are some suggestions:
Both Open Shelving & Stow-Away Storage
Open shelving is not only on-trend and striking, it also makes grabbing tableware a breeze for multi-tasking entertainers. It’s also an opportunity to show some personality, displaying some favourite artwork, plants and books.
An entertainer’s kitchen featuring open & stow-away storage in Walthamstow.
But, counter space is also a must for the entertainer. Consider concealing clutter by stowing your small appliances (toaster, blender, etc.) in cabinets and out of sight. When it’s time to entertain, you’ll enjoy an abundance of party-prep space.
We installed floor to ceiling storage in this Shoreditch kitchen, where the push-to-open doors give the illusion of a wall. Behind the doors are a wardrobe rail and shoe rack, perfect for concealing guests’ clutter and keeping the space mess-free when entertaining.
Open Floor Plan
Here’s a secret: the hostess with the mostess is the one who enjoys their own party. And that means being involved in the party. So for the love of mini sausage rolls, it’s time to knock down that dividing wall.
Central islands are an excellent addition for an entertainer as they can be used to display appetisers, and take the pressure off the host to serve. They also help zone a room, acting as a visual divide between the food prep area, and the rest of the space.
Mini Wine Cellar
Well, of course. Remember: “As long as there’s wine, everything’s fine.”
The Aspiring Chef
For the aspiring chef, the kitchen is the canvas for their creations. They love to craft lavish meals and genuinely feel a day in the kitchen preparing Michelin-star worthy recipes is time well spent. Here are some of their kitchen must-haves:
Sizable Sinks
When designing a foodie kitchen, sinks can make a huge difference. And the bigger, the better.
Apron-front sinks aid quick kitchen clean up. Dirty dishes can be piled out of the way to soak while you still have ample workspace to cook. Also, consider taps: most chefs and food professionals prefer a tap that can pull out with a long pipe, like our installation in East Molesey:
Strong Surfaces & Space
Life in the kitchen as a foodie is a lot easier when you can stay organised. You need enough room for chopping, cutting, peeling and pouring.
It’s also important for aspiring chefs to have durable surfaces to work on. In a kitchen installation in Bermondsey, we used Dekton as the ceramic top. Dekton is a highly indestructible material which we recommend to avid chefs as it’s able to withstand hot pans and has anti-stain properties.
Lighting
You can’t slice what you can’t see. Lighting is crucially important in the aspiring chef’s kitchen. Natural light is best during the daytime, but even without it, well designed and positioned lighting can do the trick.
The Bona Fide Baker
Even before stepping foot in a baker’s kitchens, the wholesome scent of fresh bread is already inviting. The Bona Fide Baker’s love the warmth of a traditional kitchen; they’re the cheerful friend who always has room for one more at the table. Here are a few ways to bring a baker’s kitchen to life:
Custom Worktop Heights
Avid bakers may consider adjusting the height of their worktops, allowing optimal comfort as they knead. In our Walthamstow kitchen, we added 10cm to the traditional worktop size to make cooking more comfortable for our taller clients:
Smart storage
Horizontal Pantries
Customised pantries are storage favourites, but horizontal pantry drawers are a baker’s creme de la creme. The essentials are only ever arms length away, for those last-minute extra chocolate chips…
Custom appliance drawers
Bakers may also consider custom appliance drawers, to keep the non-everyday items of the way. We built this bespoke food mixer in a pull out, which emerges on it’s own platform, plugged in and ready to go. Now that’s a smart storage solution.
The Right Oven
The Bona Fide Baker’s bread and spirit will rise with the right oven for their baking style. An even better choice is having two, allowing you to bake more than one thing at a time.
We installed a double oven for a baker living in East Molesey.
Homely Aesthetics
Of course, personality doesn’t just come from your kitchen’s design, but from the things you keep in it. Adding open shelving in a kitchen is a great way to show off crockery, artwork and cook books, which help create a wholesome and welcoming atmosphere for visitors.
Thoughtful additions, such as fresh flowers and fruit, can add bundles of life to a kitchen.
We incorporated open shelving into this Camberwell kitchen. Positioned as part of a centre island, this unit is not only practical, but says a lot about the people living here.
Whether you want nothing more than to bake goodies for loved ones, become a master chef or avoid cooking all together you can build a kitchen to suit your personality.
Interested in a bespoke kitchen to suit your lifestyle? Send us an email at info@thelondonkitchencompany.co.uk or click on the “book a consultation” button on the website….