Kitchen Upgrades You Might've Missed, Causing an Outdated Appearance:

Kitchen Upgrades You Might've Missed, Causing an Outdated Appearance:

In the quest for a timeless, stylish kitchen that won't seem outdated in the near future, it's essential not to overlook the role of appliances. Those innocent necessities can just as easily push your kitchen into looking yesterday's news. We're here to help you avoid that pitfall by spotlighting common mistakes our experts have seen in kitchen designs.

1. Archaic Gas Stoves

Entering the debate on gas vs induction hobs, Sean Drumm, MD at Falmec UK, opines, "It used to be trendy to have those burners that jut out from the surface, but now they look so uncool."

While these larger gas hobs might have been popular decades ago for their rustic charm and open-fire cooking vibe, modern design sensibilities, along with an awareness of environmental impact, have left this style feeling obsolete.

"The superior choice today is unquestionably the electric induction hob: completely flush, portable devoid of protrusions, more energy-efficient, and significantly versatile when compared to its predecessors," explains Sean. A seamless electric hob can be effortlessly integrated with your worksurface, perfect for those who favor the minimalist look.

2. Haphazard Appliance Matching

It's easy to pick appliances based solely on functionality or affordability; however, a kitchen filled with mismatched appliances can result in a disjointed design, far from the modern aesthetics you intended.

"Mismatched appliances can disrupt the overall harmony of a sleek, contemporary kitchen, while simultaneously aging it," explains Tom Hopper, Miele's kitchens manager. "To achieve a more enduring and sophisticated kitchen aesthetic, I recommend opting for built-in and handleless appliances that blend harmoniously with cabinetry."

In recent years, we've seen a surge toward integrated appliances, aiding in achieving that super cohesive, seamless look in the kitchen. "Integrated refrigeration, ovens, and dishwashers offer a streamlined finish," Tom offers. Opting for timeless colors like black, graphite, or beige can also help maintain a modern edge. For smaller appliances, built-in warming drawers, coffee machines, and ovens with air frying capabilities can help keep countertops uncluttered.

John Davies from Smeg suggests, "Avoid cluttering countertops. The best way to avoid this problem is to invest in multifunctional appliances like Smeg's Omnichef oven that combines steam, microwave, and convection cooking functions, effectively eliminating the need for additional appliances and contributing to a clean, modern, and stylish kitchen."

Price: £1209

A built-in airfry feature, along with a generous 76-liter capacity, makes this oven a versatile option, eliminating the demand for the majority of your kitchen appliances.

Over the course of 125 years, Miele has established themselves as an authority in the industry. Their leading commitment, "Immer Besser" or forever better, ensures they provide clients with top-notch appliances and products.

3. Low-height Ovens

Bending down every time you pull something out from the oven is a predictable fate of using low-height ovens, despite the existence of more ergonomic options.

"In older kitchen layouts that included built-in appliances, the trendy options were to have a single oven situated alongside base cabinetry below the countertop, with a built-in hob above it. The alternative was to have a double oven installed in tall housing," explains Darren Taylor, managing director at Searle and Taylor.

"Installing a single oven under the worktop is not ergonomic, as it demands constant bending. Double ovens are no longer fashionable, as they usually comprise a major oven with a small additional oven compartment above, but they offer limited functionality in comparison to single ovens because single ovens often include more cooking functions and self-cleaning pyrolytic technology, which we recommend," he says.

Designing your dream kitchen involves considering how you will utilize the space, not only focusing on appearance.

"Contrastingly, we prefer to design tall cabinetry with housings for a bank of four ovens, which provide the required functionality, roasting, baking, steaming, and more, at a height that makes document retrieval effortless. The optimal layout features two 60cm built-in self-cleaning pyrolytic ovens situated side by side below a combination steam oven next to a combination microwave oven at eye level," says Darren.

Since they opened their doors in 1991, Darren Taylor and the team at Searle and Taylor have been designing custom, meticulously planned kitchens for clients in Hampshire, the Home Counties, and London. They pride themselves on attention to detail, from designing an entirely hands-free kitchen to constructing a custom wine fridge.

4. Outdated Extractor Hoods

An oversized, chunky metal hood above your hob can detract from the sleek aesthetics of a modern kitchen.

"Industrial-framed versions with striking lighting are the exception to this rule. Usually, we prefer vented induction hobs, where extraction occurs at the source, directly next to the pans," says Darren. "By having a dual-purpose hob on your island, overhead extraction is unnecessary, creating the opportunity for lovely pendant lighting to be a central feature of the kitchen instead."

Introducing effective kitchen lighting ideas in lieu of an unattractive extraction hood can upgrade your kitchen's overall look and feel.

"Nowadays, people are typically drawn to discreet models that blend seamlessly into the kitchen instead of standing out," agrees Sean. "Hidden extraction—like the 'Jolie' by Falmec that looks like a regular cabinet - has become a trend!"

5. Countertop Appliances

An elegantly designed kitchen station, complete with concealed cupboards, is one of our favorite trends in recent years. These space-saving stations provide a place to store away all additional appliances, keeping them out of sight while still allowing for full functionality.

"The placement of small freestanding appliances on countertops was common in 20th Century kitchens, as the dining area was often located separately. This cluttered the essential preparation space with a microwave oven, a toaster, a kettle, possibly a coffee machine or coffee grinder as well," explains Tim Higham from Higham Furniture.

"Including a breakfast station within a kitchen layout is an effective way to enable people to make coffee, tea, and snacks without interfering with the cook. It is usually separated from the cooking zone and incorporates multiple plug sockets for small appliances like toasters, coffee machines, and/or grinders, together with integrated LED lighting. There is typically a cold shelf inside the cabinet that can also be used for cutting bread, minimizing breakfast clutter on the countertops in the rest of the kitchen," continues Tim.

This expert suggests that further opening shelving above the cold shelf can facilitate the incorporation of a microwave oven, along with storage for cups and saucers, teapots, and crockery. Most breakfast stations feature bi-fold or pocket doors, ensuring easy access and allowing appliances to be neatly concealed when the doors are closed.

A pocket door kitchen station is particularly suited for this purpose, as its folding doors guarantee a completely seamless look while providing plenty of extra storage space.

6. Conventional Kettles

Brace yourself: the end of the kettle era is upon us.

"A kettle would have been ubiquitous in older kitchens. It might have either taken up valuable cooking space or cluttered the countertop as an electric version," says Darren.

Darren goes on to say, "A boiling water tap is now an indispensable kitchen necessity. Space-saving because a kettle becomes redundant, it is also energy-efficient since only the exact amount of boiling water is delivered, whether it is for a cup of tea, or to peel tomatoes. I recommend the Quooker Cube, which is a tap that furnishes hot and cold filtered water, together with sparkling filtered water and 100° boiling water. With this functionality, you are no longer required to purchase bottled water, making this type of tap environmentally friendly too."

The emergence of the boiling water tap has effectively rendered the kettle obsolete, and it's increasingly rare to find a modern, minimalist kitchen design that doesn't include an integrated hot water tap.

Price: £649

In addition to providing close-to-boiling water in a matter of seconds, this tap offers hot, cold, and sparkling water.

With this expert advice at your disposal, you are well on your way to creating an effortlessly stylish, modern kitchen. Keeping tabs on the most prominent kitchen appliance brands can also help ensure your appliances maintain a cutting-edge appearance.

1. Sean Drumm, MD at Falmec UK, argues that gas stoves with jutting burners, though once trendy, now seem outdated due to their unappealing appearance and environmental impact.
2. Mismatched appliances in a kitchen can lead to a disjointed design, as they disrupt the overall harmony of a modern, sleek kitchen.
3. Tom Hopper, Miele's kitchens manager, advises that built-in and handleless appliances are more likely to harmoniously blend with cabinetry, creating a more enduring and sophisticated kitchen aesthetic.
4. Hobless floors with integrated refrigeration, ovens, and dishwashers help achieve a streamlined, seamless look in the kitchen.
5. John Davies from Smeg suggests investing in multifunctional appliances like the Omnichef oven, which eliminates the need for additional appliances and contributes to a clean, modern, and stylish kitchen.
6. A trendy, custom wine fridge can be crafted by the team at Searle and Taylor, who pride themselves on maintaining attention to detail in their kitchen designs.
7. Opting for a double oven in tall housing for functionality at an ergonomic height is the preferred choice over single ovens below countertops, as the latter results in constant bending.
8. Darren Taylor, managing director at Searle and Taylor, suggests installing vented induction hobs, where extraction occurs at the source, directly next to the pans, rather than having an oversized, chunky metal extractor hood.
9. Kitchen lighting can upgrade the overall look and feel of a kitchen, as a central feature, when compared to an unattractive extractor hood.
10. Hidden extraction models have become popular over the years, becoming a trend owing to their discreet design and seamless integration into the kitchen.
11. Space-saving kitchen stations provide a place to store away all additional appliances, keeping them out of sight while allowing for full functionality.
12. Tim Higham from Higham Furniture explains that the placement of small freestanding appliances on countertops was common in 20th Century kitchens, but modern kitchens now prefer to include a breakfast station within the layout for convenience and aesthetics.
13. Incorporating a microwave oven, along with storage for cups and saucers, teapots, and crockery, within an opening shelving above the cold shelf of a breakfast station can help minimize breakfast clutter on other countertops.
14. Brace yourself: the end of the conventional kettle era is upon us, as boiling water taps have emerged as an essential kitchen necessity, providing space-saving and energy-efficient hot water.
15. The Quooker Cube, a tap that offers hot and cold filtered water, along with sparkling filtered water and 100° boiling water, effectively renders the kettle obsolete, and is increasingly rare to find in a modern, minimalist kitchen design.
16. By staying informed about the most prominent kitchen appliance brands, you can ensure your appliances remain at the cutting edge of style and functionality in your kitchen.

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