What defines a luxury kitchen?

Commissioning a bespoke handmade luxury kitchen gives you the freedom to infuse your own personality on it, not to mention incorporating the little luxuries that make it worthy of investment. From a tailored layout and unique cabinetry to beautiful finishing touches, it’s all the details coming together that create something special.

But what makes a kitchen luxurious? The definition of luxury can mean different things to different people – so we’ve pulled together five of the key design details that are considered indulgent by Davonport clients.

Tailored storage

Beyond the conventional cupboard space found in most luxury kitchens, you can dial up the luxury by incorporating storage which has a specific role. Think an opulent drinks cabinet for entertaining in style; a breakfast pantry to make busy mornings more streamlined; or a coffee nook complete with a high-end Miele coffee machine and beautifully upholstered seating.

The beauty of bespoke furniture piece is that it’s not only individually made, but it will be designed to include the specific storage touches that work for you and your home. Additional features like the right height of shelving for your most precious glassware, personalised engraving on a cabinet mantle, integrated specialist appliances or a space for your laptop – all these things cleverly blend form and function to deliver the quality details you desire.

Chef-grade appliances

Whether you’re a keen home chef or spend every weekend cooking up a storm for guests, having the best appliancescan make all the difference to your luxury kitchen. Davonport teams up with some of the most premium brands around – including Sub Zero, Wolf, AGA and Gagganau to ensure that your bespoke kitchen has the optimum cooking, cooling and prepping appliances, that look great and perform brilliantly.

But what might your luxury appliance be? For those intent on healthily eating, a steam oven might be a must; while two dishwashers and a wine fridge can make hosting easier. Coffee connoisseurs are likely to insist on a top spec machine for barista-style grinding and brewing; and a large side-by-side freezer is the perfect addition for those catering for large families. Whatever your lifestyle, it’s additions like these that will add something special to a luxury kitchen.

Exquisite work surfaces

Pairing cabinets with a stunning worksurface can take your kitchen to the next level of luxury. You can opt for different surfaces in different parts of the design, too – create a standout island in one finish, choose a different material for your prep surface and then change the worktop again for your dining area.

Marble with its characteristic veining can add a glamorous look to a kitchen – while wood, with options like walnut and oak boasting stunning grain patterns, can work in a period home or ultra modern space. Quartz is highly durable for family kitchens, Corian gives you a seamless contemporary result, and stainless steel can treat a space to a professional kitchen look and feel. Your sink can be made using the same materials in some cases – and don’t forget splash backs, these can be crafted in the same finish or something completely different for a stunning effect.

Premium hardware

The finish of handles and taps can make a significant difference to the look of your luxury kitchen, so should be considered alongside the colour, style and design of the cabinets. Sleek and minimal or more decorative, choosing the highest quality hardware you can for your budget will ensure your overall effect is as luxurious as possible.

Aside from the style, the colour of the hardware is also key – and you may decide that brass or copper gives your kitchen a more opulent feel, or black or pewter handles create the premium look you’re after. And it’s not just the drawer and cabinet handles that you need to consider – if you’re adding luxuries like boiling hot water taps and pot fillers, these also require design choices to be made as they come in different styles and finishes.

Bespoke cabinetry

While kitchens from many companies are made-to-measure, giving you an element of flexibility, standard cupboard dimensions put limits on how far it can be tailored to a space. A bespoke luxury kitchen however, like those crafted by Davonport, gives you complete freedom to incorporate unique details and deluxe touches.

Whatever luxury means to you, a handmade kitchen gives you the opportunity to achieve it. A curved kitchen for example, creates real wow factor style – and a stand-out island can give a luxury kitchen a really opulent feel. Or it could be down to the details – like shelves with the perfect proportions to show off your most treasured serving dishes, a state-of-the-art pop up downdraft extractor, or concealed smart features like voice activated lighting – all incorporated into your bespoke cabinetry.