Designing the Perfect Kitchen

Having served in the interior design industry for decades, we have observed that while many kitchens cost millions, they are unable to perform the basic function of hosting a party of six.

The finest Italian marble countertops, bespoke cabinets, luxury German appliances – they all fall flat when your kitchen is not serving its intended purpose. Yes, kitchens are inherently a cooking space, but today, they also combine elements from living and dining areas to create a unique multi-functional space where you can prepare snacks together, have small family meals, and entertain close friends. It’s truly the heart of the home, bringing people together while also serving their culinary needs.

A space this integral to your daily lives needs to be curated with deep care and thoughtful planning, not just an awkwardly done mashup of big brand names and lavish materials.

In a country where hospitality and socialising play such an integral part in day-to-day living, the modern kitchen is often used as the social hub.

Designing a kitchen begins with understanding how you choose to live. Because what makes a kitchen stand out will not merely be the extravagance behind the fitted appliances or the exclusivity of the used finishes, rather it will be a combination of how all elements in your kitchen space come together, blending form and function, to enhance your quality of life by addressing your usage patterns.

Before we begin debating over the ‘best kitchen layout’, we need to be free of the notion that such a concept exists in the first place. A layout that works brilliantly in a Palm Jumeirah villa might be completely inappropriate for a Downtown Dubai apartment, and vice versa.

For kitchens, the classic work triangle, which consists of the stove, sink, and refrigerator, sounds like a good place to start, but our contemporary lifestyles require a more detailed approach. Consider the following modern kitchen layouts:

• U-shaped configurations are optimal for larger kitchen spaces where multiple cooks are conducting meal preparation at the same time. It creates a very natural workflow around the kitchen and has a refined visual continuity.

• L-shaped kitchens take up less space for meal preparation, freeing up a lot of space which enhances a sense of openness, and provides the perfect spot for entertaining both intimate dinners and larger gatherings with guests.

• Galley layouts have regained popularity in urban homes for their linear simplicity. They have a clear workflow without interruptions and are often preferred for open-plan kitchens for their minimalist style.

When approaching small kitchen spaces, we always encourage our clients to embrace and work around their dimensions instead of fighting them. A well-conducted small modular kitchen design will always outperform a larger counterpart with an ill-executed workflow. A good tip is to opt for small kitchen cabinets over taller units, and use more glass and reflective surfaces to create the illusion of a bigger room.

The role of kitchen cabinets goes beyond providing a mere storage solution – they are also the architectural foundation upon which a kitchen’s entire aesthetics and spatial flow rest. Choosing the right kitchen cabinet design is arguably the most impactful decision to be made for the kitchen design process, as they take up a large chunk of its visual space and functionality levels.

Wood kitchen cabinets maintain a timeless elegance, but the way they are executed is quite important. Hardwoods such as oak and walnut are popular for their durability and luxurious finishes. The tactile warmth, stable feeling, and textural grains of natural wood simply cannot be mimicked through synthetic alternatives.

For clients who seek something beyond a wooden cabinet, an aluminum kitchen cabinet system serves as a fresh alternative. The material has evolved beyond its mere practical, utilitarian nature to something sleek, minimalist, and durable.

Choosing the right material plays a major part in their functionality and appearance, but just as important is picking the perfect cabinet dimensions. Standard heights (900mm for base units) and depths (560-580mm) are the default measurements for off-the-shelf cabinets, but opting for bespoke kitchen cabinets offers an enhanced experience tailored to meet your unique needs.

For example, for taller clients, we recommend raising the worktops for a much easier kitchen experience. Another example is increased depth in cabinets where clients intend on storing larger cookware and cleverly placed kitchen cabinet organizers for easy access near workspaces. The subtlest of changes can make a massive improvement in functionality levels.

What goes on inside the kitchen storage certainly matters, but the kitchen cabinet doors set the tone for your culinary space’s design story. There are many different types of kitchen cabinet doors trending, but instead of focusing on temporary fads to decide your door style and material, focus more on the more permanent architectural details of your property.

Shaker doors are popular in both traditional and contemporary settings for their minimalist frame construction that holds a versatile charm. Their simplistic design allows the materials to act as the design protagonist, which is why they’re popularly constructed with hardwood varieties. Slab doors are also perfect for modern kitchen cabinet design, whereas raised panel, beadboard, and louvre door styles offer more design value and hold a classic appeal.

Sliding door kitchen cabinet designs are popularly used when considering kitchen cabinet design for a small kitchen, where swinging doors can restrict movement and disrupt workflow. High-quality hardware is a must-have for sliding doors that function smoothly for years. Using a corner kitchen cabinet helps utilize any unused spaces in compact kitchens.

The word ‘bespoke’ has been tossed around so loosely that it has lost its true meaning of what it stands for. A true bespoke kitchen design is treated like a blank canvas that is filled with only your precise requirements and desires for it.

Many of our clients begin by asking, ‘How much does a bespoke kitchen cost? ’. Typically, a tailored kitchen turns out to be costlier than a modular kitchen design approach, but it offers a better long-term investment return by improving your kitchen experience through subtle and precise details. For exact quotes, we need to add kitchen dimensions, appliances, materials, and the level of techniques to the calculation.

The use of bespoke kitchen cabinets factors in the specific requirements of your space, such as architectural details that need to be built around, unlevel floors or skewed walls that need to be accommodated, and much more that can’t be achieved with standardised alternatives. 

Bespoke kitchen furniture items further enhance a kitchen’s ambience by creating a more livable space. Barstools with a custom height level to match the countertops or dining tables made to match your kitchen’s architectural details—a tailored touch can make your furniture massively more functional.

Bespoke contemporary kitchens are trending for their fresh, clean lines, but it’s important to maintain a balance between trendy and classy. To make things simpler, we suggest our clients imagine their kitchen ten years down the line—will it still feel relevant?

Contemporary kitchen design has gained newer purpose and functionality levels with the addition of technological innovations.

The ideal level of technological integration should be making your lives easier, not more complicated. So instead of adding every technological option out there – and trust us, there are many – focus on areas where you need more aid on a day-to-day basis.

Touch-controlled tap systems can let you operate systems even when you’ve got your hands full and messy, and multi-function induction hobs with integrated extraction eliminate the need for a bulky extraction hob. Refrigeration drawers and warming drawers placed near the preparation area can save some trips back and forth during the cooking and serving process. The use of a smart home automation system will let you control lighting, temperature, and even appliances through voice commands or smartphone apps—a feature anyone will find highly useful.

Mindful kitchen design ideas will ensure that you will have the ease of technology; its presence should not dominate your kitchen’s aesthetics. A seamless integration is vital in maintaining your kitchen’s timeless charm.

Clients approach us for a kitchen remodel for various reasons: to improve workflow, to integrate technological elements, to incorporate trends, or to improve aesthetics.

The question of kitchen remodel cost is an inevitable one early on in the discussion with clients. Although providing an exact figure is not possible without creating the final design, our designers can provide estimated cost breakdowns according to your specific dimensions and requirements.

A complete kitchen remodel will usually require 8-12 weeks from commencement of works, once the designs have been finalised. This timeframe can be longer if heavier, structural changes are required within the kitchen. Starting with a realistic timeline can prevent inconveniences and disappointments as the project progresses.

Finding the right kitchen contractors will help make the process much easier than going for diy kitchen remodel ideas.

Environmental responsibility has become an integral part of contemporary kitchen design, as it should. Fortunately, constant research in the sustainability department has ensured that eco-friendly options need not compromise on aesthetics or function.

When selecting your timber, make sure to check for the certifications that ensure responsible and suitable forest management. Worktop materials vary dramatically in environmental impact. Sintered stones are usually manufactured with much less embodied carbon than natural quarried stones.

When selecting your luxury kitchen appliances, look for models with water and energy-efficient options. For instance, modern induction cooking technologies reduce energy consumption by 40-60% compared to older gas alternatives, while providing the same, if not an improved level of functionality. High-efficiency dishwashers can significantly reduce both water and energy consumption compared to hand washing—a fact that often goes overlooked.

The most successful kitchens that we’ve created over two decades share one characteristic: they genuinely reflect their owners’ lifestyles and preferences rather than conforming to external notions of what kitchens “should” be.

Challenge conventional assumptions about kitchen design. For those who rarely cook elaborate meals but entertain frequently, traditional cooking-focused layouts may be entirely inappropriate. Consider instead designs that prioritize socializing, with cooking areas that can be easily concealed when not in use—an approach particularly well-suited to the hospitality-focused culture of the UAE.

For serious cooks, the industrial efficiency of professional kitchens offers valuable lessons, though these must be balanced with residential comfort. One particularly successful kitchen I designed for a former chef in City Walk incorporated separate zones for preparation, cooking, and cleanup, each optimized for specific tasks rather than attempting to create a single multipurpose space.

To create a truly well-designed kitchen, you need to expand the margins of what is possible. Think beyond generic solutions and easy ways out. 

A seasoned team of designers awaits you at FCI, who are well-equipped to take on any challenges your space may throw at them. With luxury kitchen appliances, bespoke joinery solutions, high-end kitchen furniture, and designer lighting being a part of our highly curated collection, we have everything your kitchen may need and more.

We understand that the most successful interiors are derived from a thorough understanding of how you live and what we can do to make your day-to-day lives easier.

The ideal kitchen does not conform to external standards of what goes and what doesn’t. It’s completely focused on blending seamlessly with your lifestyle, improving it in ways that are both subtle and yet significant.