Whether you are buying new or refreshing your existing cooking facilities, you’ll never regret including these kitchen upgrades on your must-have list. The best luxury kitchen design upgrades are both practical and stylish and, crucially, won’t date too soon or lose their appeal. So read on for five of our favourite upgrades for a modern luxury kitchen design that guarantees you’ll be living the dream…

A statement splashback

As one of the most prominent vertical surfaces in any luxurious kitchen design, splashbacks are perfectly positioned for maximising impact. They are relatively easy to retro-fit and are also one of the most popular requests from Roundhouse clients when commissioning a new kitchen. Luxury marble kitchen splashbacks are an excellent choice and we’re also seeing growing demand for more unusual varieties of marble, like this captivating San Simone Brazilian marble, alongside some really dynamic manmade options from the likes of Caesarstone and Compac.

A beautifully organised pantry

Having the perfect place for everything is seriously satisfying and can also help keep your kitchen tidy and organised. If you’re planning a new kitchen, including a larder room or kitchen pantry cabinet is a no-brainer. Gathering ingredients in one trip is how professional chefs cook more efficiently, and a well organised larder cupboard can help reduce waste as it’s easier to keep track of sell-by dates.

To upgrade your current kitchen, consider commissioning a new standalone larder to complement the existing cabinetry or repurpose space off the kitchen to create a walk in larder or kitchen pantry cupboard. A kitchen pantry with drawers, shelves and racks is the dream scenario, offering flexibility, visibility, and capacity. Roundhouse Design’s most popular kitchen larder ideas feature beautiful and unusual materials, such as rough sawn oak timber, brass kitchen accents and luxury marble kitchen worktops.

Striking lighting

Switching up your contemporary kitchen lighting gallery is an effective way to give your cooking space a glow up, literally. Modern kitchen lighting ideas have moved far beyond the functional and now play a pivotal role in all the most successful dream kitchen upgrades.

Here, a trio of hand-blown glass pendants brings shape, style and character to this popular Roundhouse kitchen. Note how the coloured glass shades complement the burnished brass finish on the island below. The off-centre positioning is unexpected, which is a clever way to boost the impact of contemporary kitchen lighting.

Also consider introducing kitchen mood lighting. A rechargeable lamp, such as Original BTC’s Blossom lamp, is a great way to upgrade the low level lighting in your kitchen, and it can be positioned exactly where it’s needed. For a new bespoke kitchen, we always recommend dimmer controls and concealed LEDs, wired on a separate circuit, which will allow softer, more relaxed lighting when entertaining.

A boiling water tap

Fast becoming the must-have appliance for every luxury kitchen design, we rarely install a Roundhouse kitchen without a boiling water tap. Besides making hot drinks in seconds, they speed up the cooking process, shaving minutes off boiling fresh pasta or gnocchi, and can be used to sterilise baby equipment, too. Quooker is our go-to brand, for looks, quality and the promise of true 100°c boiling water, rather than the 97-98°c offered by some others.

A home bar

A luxurious bar in the comfort of your own home is a dream kitchen goal that can elevate your living space and make entertaining a five-star experience. Design influences tend to come from glamorous nightspots, we’re talking white marble kitchen countertops, brass or copper kitchen barware and atmospheric kitchen mood lighting. On a more practical note, a small modern kitchen sink is a useful addition for prepping cocktails. Fill it with ice for an easy-draining champagne bucket. Cheers!

What are the kitchen upgrades people regret?

Roundhouse designers invest a lot of time with each customer to ensure they’re happy with every inch of their new bespoke kitchen. However, one of the main issues we get to hear about from customers upgrading is overly ambitious modern kitchen island units. It’s a common mistake to assume that big is better when it comes to bespoke kitchen island units. Without proper consideration of scale, positioning, and traffic flow, even the most beautiful luxury kitchen island can be more of an obstruction than dream feature.   

Our expert kitchen designers can help you make the best choices for your Roundhouse bespoke kitchen, furniture or wardrobes. Visit any of our seven Roundhouse showrooms; Wigmore St, Clapham, Fulham, Richmond, Cambridge, Guildford & Cheltenham and get planning!