How I Design Kitchens

We dive right into the nitty-gritty—and the exciting bits—of a kitchen renovation.

As a client recently reminded me, this process can be transformative.

I take my clients shopping for appliances. By this point, I already have ideas brewing for their kitchen, and this outing gives us a ton of inspiration and practical information.

Here are some of the fun questions I start with:

Do they enjoy cooking—and how often are they actually firing up the stove?

Do both partners cook, or is there one true kitchen boss?

Do they entertain often and love having people gathered around the island?

Do they want a kitchen that’s the buzzing centre of the action?

Or would they rather keep a few walls so any prep mess is out of sight when guests arrive?

What are their favourite and least favourite colours—the ones that make them smile and the ones they never want to see on a cabinet door?

Which appliances are absolute must-haves in this kitchen—and which ones are just nice-to-have bonuses?

I pay close attention to their reactions—their excitement about what’s possible, what’s non-negotiable, and what they secretly dream about.

Once the appliances are chosen, I start designing the kitchen so everything fits perfectly and works beautifully for the way they live.

Here are some of the design details I geek out over:

The walking space between the cabinets and the island—enough room to cook, chat, and sneak a taste test without bumping into anyone.

The layout of the cabinets, sink, and appliances so cooking feels smooth, intuitive, and a little bit luxurious.

The location and colour of every countertop outlet, appliance plug, ceiling fixture, and pot light—plus the light temperature—so the kitchen looks great and works hard.

The distance between the countertops and the underside of the upper cabinets—so you have room to work, and everything still feels balanced and beautiful.

The countertop edge detail and how far it overhangs—those little design choices that quietly make the whole kitchen feel more finished.

The size and placement of the cabinet handles and knobs—small pieces with a big style impact.

The size and placement of the appliance pull on a panelled fridge, so it looks seamless but still feels great to use.

The backsplash material and colour—the backdrop that ties the whole kitchen story together.

The hood fan’s look and performance—because it should work hard while still looking gorgeous.

Showroom Inspiration

Next, we meet at the kitchen showroom, where clients can touch and see finish samples, explore countertop and handles options, and wander through inspiring showroom kitchens to test ideas in real life.

Then we take detailed site measurements and provide a floor plan, elevations, and 3D drawings so clients can really picture their future kitchen.

Clients review the design and think through what will live in every drawer and cupboard—as well as any new small appliances they’re dreaming of adding.

I encourage my clients to sort through everything in their current kitchen and donate or toss what they no longer need. If packing up feels overwhelming, I can call in my organising pros to help make it easy.

Installation and Finishing

My office coordinates communication and scheduling with all the trades so the project stays on schedule—without my clients having to chase anyone down.

Fast forward a few months: the cabinetry is installed (which can take a couple of weeks of fine-tuning—enough for a whole other blog!), and then the countertops and backsplash are measured and installed about two weeks later. At this point, the only pieces missing are the appliances.

My contractor is always on site during the install, keeping an eye on every detail and making sure everything comes together just right.

Next, my cleaning team swoops in to make everything sparkle so the kitchen is ready for my clients to move in and start cooking.

The Final Result

This is one of my favourite moments: I like to take a quiet pause to soak in the realisation of my vision, the collaboration with my clients, and the beautiful work of all the trades who helped bring this dream kitchen to life.

Looking to have your own dream custom kitchen designed? Reach out & let’s talk about working together.