Home of the future: a smarter kitchen

The kitchen is often described as the heart of the home, or the most important room in the house. In my home, our kitchen is a hive of activity: kids in and out, rooting through cupboards, neighbours and friends having a cup of coffee at the table – and me: perpetually cooking, making use of every spare inch of space.

When we examine modern-day kitchens, what do we expect to see? I, personally, want storage solutions from my kitchen, while making as minimal an environmental impact as possible. I also want my kitchen to be inviting, comfortable and aesthetically pleasing.

Design trends

I’m not alone – Andy Spillane, owner and kitchen designer at Savvy Kitchens in Thurles, Co Tipperary, says having an inviting kitchen is important to all of his clients – perhaps even more so today than in years’ past.

“Because living spaces are much more open today – with dining, living and kitchen areas largely found within the one space – having an eye-pleasing kitchen is very important,” he says.

“Functionality is equally important. Our clients often say their kitchen isn’t functional. It lacks light or it has outdated appliances.”

Andy and his team design kitchens year-round for a variety of clients. The majority, however, are private homeowners looking for an upgrade or entirely new builds. They operate all over Ireland. He says budgets range from around a minimum of €2,000 to well beyond €50,000, depending on what’s needed.

“These days, large islands are prevalent,” he says. “You tend to see a bank of cabinetry on one wall, which includes a mounted oven, and then the hob is often located on the island. Quartz worktops are common. You’ll be tired of looking at them long before they need replacing. Modern cabinetry is often painted medium-density fibreboard (MDF), a type of engineered wood) or, if you’re looking for something more traditional, solid frame ash or maple, which give a lovely smooth finish.”

Concealed clutter

A design concept developed in 2019 dubbed the “anti-kitchen” shows a growing trend of hiding clutter and counter space with clever cabinetry. In essence, you’re concealing entire parts of the kitchen, which would have previously been on display.

“Hidden clutter is a defining feature of modern kitchen design,” Andy says.

“The use of bi-folding cabinetry, which opens to an internal work station (for a toaster or coffee machine) is now quite common. Kidney-shaped pull outs (see picture) offer corner solutions to maximise storage space. We also see a lot of integrated larder fridges (a fridge without a freezer compartment) being blended into the cabinetry.”

Even doors to utility rooms now have the option of “blending into the background” – a hidden door can now look to be part of the cabinetry.

The purpose of this design feature is to offer a sleek, clean-cut appearance; enabling homeowners to display only the things they wish: decorative dishes or an impressive cookbook collection, for example.

Sustainable appliances

Similarly to general home design, sustainability is now automatically factored into new kitchens.

“Smart” appliances, like vented induction hobs (which feature their own hidden extractor fan), multi-feature steam ovens (if you want a roast chicken, just apply the roast chicken setting!) and larder refrigerators (which add longevity to chilled foods, cutting down on waste) are all doing their bit to help homeowners avail of a more sustainable and largely emissions-free kitchen.

You can purchase kitchen sink taps with a boiling water option; negating the need for an electric kettle. This may seem minor, but it can have an impact on water waste and energy usage. Limescale is a problem for many rural dwellers; Andy says they include an automatic descaler with the taps they sell, which, for many, is a worthwhile investment.

“Touch taps (which turn on by tapping) are also starting to take off – especially now with COVID-19 and increased hand-washing,” Andy explains.

Irish Country Living spoke with Martina Lennon, senior sales and service executive with Kontinental Kitchen Supplies in Dublin. She says their best-selling appliances are larder refrigeration units, steam ovens, combination microwaves and induction hobs. “Most ovens now have an energy rating of A+ or A,” she says. “The improvement in insulation within the oven walls and the use of multiple glasses in the door adds to their energy efficiency. Larder refrigeration is popular for multiple reasons – most people are time poor; we are also becoming increasingly aware of the need to reduce food waste. Larder fridges keep foods fresher for longer.

“Induction hobs are approximately 70% more energy efficient than ceramic or gas hobs,” she continues.

“The glass doesn’t get hot but, rather, ‘conducts’ the heat. As a result, if anything spills or boils over, it won’t stick or burn on to the glass. Another attractive feature of induction is its increased safety. It works through magnetic contact with the bottom surface of the pot – if the contact is broken [for whatever reason] the hob shuts down automatically. This feature lends peace of mind to customers with children, elderly or vulnerable dwellers.”

As a professional chef, I’ve always loved cooking with gas, but I have to admit: I’m now an induction convert. You can control the heat on an induction hob very effectively in a more environmentally and – especially with small kids in the house – much safer way.

David O’Dwyer operates Cooldine Construction Ltd in Horse and Jockey, Co Tipperary. He says, when it comes to kitchen designs for a new build, knowing the layout as far in advance as possible will help everyone involved in the process – from plumbers to electricians and block layers.

“Kitchens used to be kind of shoved into a house after the fact – you built the house and then fit whatever you could into the kitchen after, but now they’re such a central part of the house,” he says.

“The house should, really, be designed around the kitchen. I tell our clients to start their kitchen design as early as possible.”

Contractors rarely include a costing for kitchens in a new build – this means, if you’re planning to build a new home, you will likely have to budget for your kitchen separately.

“The scope in kitchen design, with such a range of suppliers and appliances, is huge,” David explains.

“You could go from €10,000 to €50,000 depending on the personal style of the client and what they’re looking for in a kitchen. Sometimes, an architect will look for some allowance made [mainly for the bank’s sake], but any budget allowance always goes straight back to the client.”

Other considerations to make with your contractor include lighting, water supply and the general layout of the kitchen.

“You don’t necessarily need to have suppliers and appliances chosen, but you should know your layout,” David says. “If there’s a sink in the island, you need to allow for drainage in the middle of the floor. If you’re planning to get an American-style fridge, you need a water supply for the ice maker. If you want to add lighting to your island, you need a switch wire there, as well, at an early stage.”

“If you plan on having a vaulted roof with skylights, put some thought into the lighting,” he continues. “Make sure there’s enough roof left for light fixtures and decide what kind of lights will work best at an angle.”

His final words of advice on kitchens?

“Make sure you also get a pantry!”

The following are quotations Irish Country Living received for an average-sized, open concept, fully fitted kitchen in a new build. This is just one example of expected costs; there are many kitchen designers and suppliers out there, with differing products and services.