To ask what gives a kitchen the visual WOW factor?

[Florence1960]

I’ve been struggling with sorting out my kitchen for sooooo long.I’m not creative, not great at visualising things.
It’s a lovely big, airy room. I want cupboards along one wall and a huge island.
Hob against the wall, sink in the island.
When you walk in you’ll see the island first.
What do you think gives a kitchen the wow factor?
Any ideas/advice gratefully received.
Am off out now but will check in later.
TIA.

@LakieLady

I love a smeg fridge and cooker

DP refuses to have any appliances that have the word "Smeg" on them in the house!

As a Red Dwarfer I can't see it as a simple appliance name myself so I'm with your DH on this one.

I'm on my 3rd (or 4th?) brand new kitchen - in my late 60s. I learnt after the first couple that a kitchen needs to be practical and easy to clean and then pleasing to the eye. Read the threads on FB re Hinchers going mad keeping granite sinks looking good and smeary fingerprints on glossy, handleless doors before you decide on looks over practicality. I do agree though that clear work tops/island and quality taps and fridge-freezer make a difference.

TheSoapyFrog you’ve hit the nail on the head! I get loads of compliments for my Smeg appliances - they’re things of great beauty!

Thanks ever so much. I’ve really enjoyed reading your views. The wiring is in for the extractor and the water in for the sink but I see that I really need to rethink that, apart from anything else.
For those who were wondering (JuniperFather) I am looking for suggestions as to what gives a kitchen the wow factor, not sure what was behind your post. Your comments as welcome as anyone else’s 😀

PS I don’t get the whole Smeg thing 🙈

Depends what you want from a kitchen.

For me a kitchen has to be lived in. So, I love seeing things on the work tops, items in use, not all coordinated.

A gleaming kitchen which looks like a show room is a turn off for me.

When I grew up we lived in the kitchen, dining room was for celebrations. I lov3d it, homework on the kitchen table, cookie tins around to help yourself. I only have a galley kitchen but apart from the missing table it is very much like my childhood, lived in, not showroom.

I also wouldn’t have a sink on the island, we have an induction hob.

Lighting and despite being clean and tidy a feeling that it’s used for purpose, smell of coffee and baking bread and plenty of booze available from the the fridge for guests

If you are a serious cook a kitchen needs to be functional not wow. Wow kitchens are for people who only have mineral water in the fridge

I love mine. It's off white with decent handles. Wood top. Belfast sink. Metro tiles. I just think it looks so clean. Reclaimed brickwork on one wall. Nothing much out on the counters.

For me to go in a kitchen and it make me smile it would have shelves of well worn and splattered cook books. A big battered wooden table or somewhere to sit and drink wine/coffee or for children to do homework. Somewhere where I wouldn't be scared of dropping a crumb. Herbs on a windowsill.

A place that looked like people enjoyed being comfortable there.

Surely the hob (rather than sink) in the island means you have to have a large extractor coming down from the ceiling rather than eg some nice light fittings? Am I missing something?

A smart fridge! Although actually I don’t think I have ever walked into a kitchen and gone - wow! Unless it had a beautiful view or lovely french doors into a garden or something. A lady I know has a beautiful collection of china on display in a dresser so I have admired that - I suppose I’d be much more interested in beautiful cookware/teapots/what’s on the fridge whatever than the actual kitchen cupboards. Maybe I’d be into some really nice tiles. At the end of the day a standard suburban Kitchen is just a kitchen.

We have a very small extractor almost flush to the ceiling, you’d never notice it. I think PigletJohn recommended it. We also open windows if cooking something very smelly.

Tile the side of the kitchen island in some cool design. Or with vinyl stickers depending on your wallet 😊

And a beautiful tap and basin. I love wow kitchens. They make me wanna be in there. Growing up our kitchen was the centre of our house. And why shouldn't it be. There is food there

should have been

I bought a SMEG dishwasher and it has been so clearly designed by men, it's awful! Had a couple of Bosch ones before and they were so much better......

(And yes - us Red Dwarf-ites will never hear the name without a bit of a cringe....)

My DSis has a stunning kitchen and it has an island (with a hob) and music linked lighting above, and no-handle doors etc. It's totally amazing. But I'm a cluttered scruffbag and have kids' pictures all over the walls, and piles of papers and magazines everywhere, and a fishtank, and general life going on. Definitely no WOW factor, but we're happy.......

But it does all need to be practical, and I do agree you need a good quality worktop. My choice wouldn't be granite as they're such buggers to clean - but I'd have Corian if I could afford it. And flooring is an issue - we had tiles but they're actually hard to mop as the dirt settles in the grout in between - if you choose tiles have them butted up close together. Or there are amazing wood or wood effect floors you can get now.

We've had ours nearly 20 years now and it's still fine. But how exciting to be starting from scratch......enjoy!

Thanks so much! I did see a really lovely Corian set up yesterday. Kitchen man said he had fitted one recently and the customer said she’d never have it again- apparently when the light hits it it shows up tiny nicks and scratches. So disappointing

Good lighting

Wow factor for me is lovely big windows with views on to the garden...not overly bothered what's actually in the kitchen.

We have a large island with a sink on the island. We have some dark red pendant lights hanging over the island - they were from Wayfair. then we have some lighting in the cupboards and under the cupboards. Our cupboards are pale grey and the island top is white and I think it all looks a bit too white so I add like a table runner in red on the island and have a bright red mixer on the side so it's quite white but with red accessories to match the pendant lights. Also try to have some fresh flowers on the island if possible as it makes a difference in it looking homely.

Surely the hob (rather than sink) in the island means you have to have a large extractor coming down from the ceiling rather than eg some nice light fittings?

Our extractor sits flush to the ceilings. You can get flat ones.

Bit like this.

I'm with @Kayemm, I like cosy, a bit of appropriate clutter- a kitchen where it looks like someone's baked a cake and the kettle's about to go on! A French door to a lovely garden or patio or balcony with herbs would be the dream!

We’ve just done our kitchen. Our wow point is the Smeg range cooker with an unusual glass splash back. All our guests comment on it and I love it.
We have an oak Worktop which looks gorgeous but is already damaged around the sink where water is left sitting.
I love cooking so the kitchen is rarely tidy but if guests are coming round I will clear all the tops as that makes a huge difference to the wow factor.

I’m with those who much prefer a more lived in kitchen. I don’t like the ‘no evidence of it being used as a kitchen’ look. A couple of friends have got theirs done all black shiny surfaces which I think looks more like a futuristic robotics factory (fair enough, their kitchen, their taste). I’d say looks wise, natural light, some wood rather than all uniform single colour and a bit of colour from pots of herbs, fruit bowl, cook books, curtains/blinds. And easy to care for work surfaces.