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The kitchen is one of the biggest investments in any home, and the sheer variety of styles, colours and configurations available can be both inspiring and totally overwhelming.
A good kitchen should tick a number of design boxes – first and foremost it should be the picture of functionality, with a considered flow around the room, a sensible configuration of cabinets, drawers and appliances, and ample space for storage. Its materials should be hardy, durable and easy to clean, and it should ultimately fit the design tastes of the family. A tall order for any room.
There are a number of wonderful high street and independent retailers in the UK to help you design your dream kitchen, and here we look at 15 of the best.
Best for: Mixing and matching colour
Magnet have a real variety of bespoke kitchens that all feel contemporary and fresh. They're a must if you want a rainbow of options when it comes to colour – we were really inspired by Sophie Robinson's multicoloured Magnet kitchen (have a watch of her house tour to see it for yourself).
Best for: Affordable, contemporary kitchens
The Homebase kitchen collection runs the gamut from classic shaker styles to sleek, high-gloss slab kitchens. You can create something truly bespoke with custom shelving and storage, and a choice of worktops and hardware. Homebase kitchens arrive pre-assembled, with a 20-year guarantee so they will stand the test of time.
Best for: Luxury design
Quality is the name of the game at British Standard. They make simple, off-the-peg wooden cupboards in Suffolk using traditional methods and quality materials. Their website has a really handy cost breakdown of past kitchen projects, as well as the most beautiful inspiration gallery to help you design your own.
Best for: Upgrading simple units
Another totally ingenious brand. HUSK offers an affordable way to add custom elements to your kitchen. Their fronts and worktops are designed to work with IKEA and Howdens cabinets to upgrade basic spaces.
Best for: Reliable high-street kitchens
As a well-known high street kitchen retailer, there are a number of benefits that come with choosing a Wren kitchen. Aside from having one of the largest ranges in the UK to shop from, service includes free home measurements and design appointments, and even a virtual reality service to experience your kitchen in 3D before you buy.
Best for: Modern slab kitchens
If you want a sleek but playful kitchen that looks lifted from the pages of a magazine, Pluck should be your first stop. They have a riot of colours available, but all of their kitchens are designed to be pared-back and clutter-free, and work particularly well in contemporary homes.
Best for: Bespoke kitchens that don't cost the earth
An award-winning kitchen retailer, we love Naked Kitchens for their quality designs and steadfast support of British manufacturing. Kitchens are made with solid plywood carcasses and hardwood doors, and they will match any colour you like.
Best for: Affordable kitchens
A no-brainer for first-time buyers or those renovating on a budget. IKEA make on-trend and reliable kitchens (along with a handy design service and online kitchen planner tool) in an assortment of sleek Scandi styles.
Best for: Smart savings
Rehome are a clever but slightly under-the-radar retailer that sells ex-display models from some of the leading showrooms and manufacturers in the UK. We love the fact that show kitchens don't go to waste, and retail prices can be discounted by up to 80 per cent.
Best for: Country kitchens
If you've always dreamt of a classic shaker kitchen straight out of a country home, Neptune is the place for you. Their kitchens are wonderfully elegant and made from sustainably sourced timber, using traditional joinery and modern engineering techniques.
Best for: Traditional styles
If we were renovating an elegant city townhouse (if only), we would head straight to Olive & Barr for the kitchen. Their range is timeless and effortlessly stylish, with shaker kitchen cabinetry handcrafted by skilled artisans right here in the UK.
Best for: Kitchens for every budget
Another high street stalwart with a huge array of designs and colours to choose from, coupled with some handy services like free design consultations and a network of stores to see your kitchen in person.
Best for: Attention to detail
John Lewis of Hungerford is known for their striking bespoke designs. Products are hand-crafted in their Oxfordshire workshop and offer the full service from the original design to installation.
Great name and even better products. Plykea specialise in plywood doors, drawer fronts, worktops and panels, each with a choice of a Formica or laminate facing. You can recreate the look of a bespoke handmade kitchen with Plykea's offering and for a fraction of the cost.
Custom Fronts design and make stylish, nature-inspired kitchen fronts to fit IKEA's Metod kitchen. They only use woods that are FSC-certified or a sustainable bamboo, and their colour finishes, stains and oils are eco-friendly too.
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