Want to know how to create a killer kitchen? Read these 5 simple steps:

1) CHOOSE YOUR TROOPS

When it comes to creating killer kitchens, we think Carrera By Design is the best in the business. We’ve worked with them since way back at House 5, and with Ronnie at the helm, they’re always upping the ante with their designs at each of our houses.

Choosing a cabinetmaker who understands your vision and is willing to work with you to achieve your dream kitchen is super important. We recommend looking at their portfolio of previous jobs, ringing their references and checking out their showroom to see that you’re happy with their designs and service.

Carrera By Design never fails to bring our kitchen dreams to life! Not to mention our laundries and all things cabinetry - they nail it every time. If you like what you’ve seen at our houses, they come highly recommended by us!

2) BRING IN THE BIG GUNS

When we say big guns, we’re talking about big statements and, in this kitchen, the island bench is the pièce de résistance. You heard it here first… the chunky bullnose is back, baby!

At 2.95 x 1.3 metres, it’s not the biggest island we’ve done, but it’s the chunkiest for sure, with a 100mm bullnose profile. The magnificent stone is Carrara Gold™ by Talostone which has a deep white base and feathery thin gold veins, so it’s nice and light but also adds warmth to the space. The polished finish gives a lovely contrast to the matt Veneer Stone feature wall.

3) ADD AN ITALIAN STALLION

Introducing the most handsome Italian we’ve ever met… and boy, can he cook!

Ilve is an Italian brand, synonymous with great quality kitchen appliances and a high-spec home, like this one, called for a cooker to match. Did you know that Ilve appliances are exquisitely handcrafted and assembled near Venice? It sounds like a Three Birds factory tour might be in order!

At 100cm wide, this Ilve Majestic freestanding cooker is bigger than your average cooker, with four gas burners (including a wok burner) for those nights when you want to pour a glass of wine and enjoy the cooking experience PLUS an induction cooktop for weeknight cooking for the kids, when fast and furious is the order of the day. We paired the cooker with its perfect partner, the Ilve AM Series canopy rangehood, in the same custom colour.

The functionality of the Ilve Majestic range is amazing, but we’re also loving that you can customise your cooker from a selection of 213 bespoke colours and your choice of metal trims. We went with Oyster White with brushed bronze trims. And get this… you can also order the same handrails from the cooker to use elsewhere in the kitchen! We selected the same bronze handrails for the integrated fridge and pantry doors.

To keep the cooker and rangehood in good-looking Italian company, we chose the De’Longhi Distinta Perla kettle and toaster, to sit alongside them. They’re a beautiful shade of lemon that complements the overall warm neutral colour palette.

4) Integrate THE appliances

Let’s be honest, integrating your kitchen appliances is a real luxury and not something that every kitchen budget allows. But when it does, we love how an integrated fridge can create a stunning seamless, symmetrical look for your kitchen design.

In this kitchen, we selected a full-length column fridge and separate freezer which sit side-by-side, to the left of the cooker while identical-looking cabinetry on the right houses the pantry.

If integration is out of budget, but you like the idea of hidden appliances, perhaps a pocket door can do the trick. In the adjoining laundry, we’ve concealed the washer and dryer behind pocket doors so that they can be tucked away tidily when not in use.

We know that kitchens can be an absolute budget breaker in a renovation, so if your budget needs a boost you might like to check out humm. It’s the bigger Buy Now, Pay Later service which means you can use humm to help pay for the BIG things (like a whole kitchen!) or the little things (like your small appliances) when your budget runs tight. You’ll get up to 60 months to repay and never pay interest.

You can use it for paying plumbers and electricians, buying the kitchen of your dreams or purchasing styling accessories to finish it all off. With up to $30,000 to spend at more than 20,000 retailers around Australia, humm will help you keep your budget blowouts in check.

Payment plan approved applicants only; fees, terms, conditions, minimum amounts and exclusions apply. Payment plan provided by humm BNPL Pty Limited (ABN 28 129 228 986) a subsidiary of humm group limited.

5) A SECOND SINK

To locate your kitchen sink in the island bench or not is always a great topic of conversation with kitchen renovators and the final decision usually comes down to personal preference. If your kids eat dinner at the island bench, a sink in the island might be handy for chatting with them while you wash up and to wipe the mess straight into the sink when they’re done. But if you hate the thought of dishes piling up in the sink in the middle of your kitchen, a sink on the back bench will probably work better for you.

At this house, we positioned the sink in the island bench to make sure the owners don’t miss a minute of what’s going on in the living space, or the amazing water views while they’re washing up. We chose a generously proportioned double butler’s sink from Reece, made from highly durable Fine Fireclay, to live up to the demands of family life, with the fluted front detail on display. These sinks come with one side fluted and one plain so that you can decide which you prefer on-site. How handy is that?!

The Sussex Scala pull-out sink mixer is super handy for a double sink because the pull-out hose means you can reach right into the corners of both bowls for cleaning. The living rustic iron finish adds a pop of sophistication and charm.

No matter where you position your sink, adding a second sink is always a great idea if you have the space. At House 15, through the kitchen archway is the laundry which also doubles as a butler’s pantry. We used the single version of the kitchen sink in this room, which is perfect for soaking big oven trays, out of the way of the main kitchen.