Kitchen Design Tips for the Budget Conscious - Plus Latest Trends

Last week, we spoke to Palazzo Kitchens and Appliances Senior Design Consultant Monique Enoka for some tips and advice on creating beautiful, functional, user friendly kitchen spaces.

This week, Monique chats about some of the latest trends and some handy tips for designing kitchens on a budget.

As we know, kitchens are the heart of the home. The lines between the kitchen and living areas have blurred, with islands for the kids to do their homework, guests to gather around or extra space to store books, phone chargers, stationery and other everyday items.

“These days kitchens are all open plan,” Monique says.

“It’s common to have an island with the kitchen against the back wall, but, depending on the space - U-shaped, C-shaped and L-shaped kitchens are all common.”

A scullery or large walk in pantry with a second sink is also a growing trend in many new homes.

Options for benchtops and finishes are just about endless, covering an impressive range of looks and materials across a wide range of budgets, starting with high pressure laminates to engineered stone, acrylic, granite, stainless steel, glass and timber.

In recent years, concrete has established itself in architecture and now appears to be spreading to interior design, she says.

“Judging by the new season looks from Europe, the trend is heading towards an industrial feel with whites, wood textures and concrete finishes for a modern, urban look.”

While you may not have the means to tick off everything on your dream kitchen list, there are ways to create beautiful, modern kitchens on a budget.

“There are a wide range of very cost-effective high pressure laminate benchtops in timber or concrete decor finishes that look beautiful.”

One of the biggest expenses in a new kitchen is the hardware, and Monique recommends keeping costs down by incorporating a mixture of side-hinged cupboards and drawer sets, rather than the more expensive pull out pantries or units with lifting or folding doors.

And shopping around for interesting, eye catching handles can be an inexpensive way to give your kitchen a unique, modern feel without blowing your budget.

When it comes to the central hub of your home there is no one-size-fits-all.  Work with your builder and a kitchen design team to create a kitchen that reflects your personality and enhances your lifestyle.