Five Things You Think You Need in a Kitchen (But You Don’t)

Kitchens are one of the most emotionally charged spaces in the home. They’re a major investment, a daily workhorse and often the centre of family life. They’re also one of the easiest rooms to overdesign. By the time most people begin planning a kitchen, they’ve absorbed years of inspiration. Pinterest boards, Instagram saves, display homes, renovation shows and well-meaning advice all contribute to a growing list of things they’ve been told they need. And yet, many finished kitchens don’t function particularly well for the people living in them.

The issue is rarely the quality of the cabinetry or finishes. More often, it’s the accumulation of decisions made without stepping back and looking at the kitchen as a whole. Kitchens sit at the intersection of practicality and aspiration. Spaces we rely on every day, but also want to be proud of. It’s easy to design for an idealised version of life rather than how the kitchen will actually be used. Features get added “just in case”. Upgrades feel incremental, so they stack up quickly. Before long, the kitchen becomes a checklist rather than a considered space.

The kitchens that work best aren’t the ones with the most features. They’re the ones designed around real routines, honest habits and a clear understanding of how the household functions day to day. Here are five things I regularly see homeowners assume they need in a kitchen, and why they’re not always the best place to invest.

Open shelving everywhere

Open shelving is one of the most requested kitchen features, and one of the most misunderstood. It’s easy to see the appeal. Open shelves feel lighter than full-height cabinetry, they create opportunities to display beautiful ceramics or glassware and they photograph incredibly well. In styled images, they give kitchens a relaxed, curated feel. The reality of open shelving is often very different.

In everyday use, open shelves reduce practical storage and amplify visual clutter. Items that would normally be tucked away are permanently on display. Packaging, mismatched glassware and everyday mess become part of the visual landscape. Shelves near cooking zones also attract grease and dust far more quickly than most people anticipate.

This doesn’t mean open shelving should never be used. When it’s applied sparingly and positioned thoughtfully, it can add warmth and interest. But when it becomes the default rather than the exception, it often creates more frustration than benefit. A kitchen doesn’t need to show everything to feel open. It needs enough closed storage, well planned internally, so the space feels calm and functional without constant effort.

Appliance cupboards with pocket doors

Appliance cupboards are frequently presented as the ultimate solution to visual clutter, particularly when paired with concealed pocket doors that slide neatly away. In theory, they’re perfect. Small appliances disappear, benchtops look clear and the kitchen feels streamlined and calm. In practice, this is where expectations and real life often diverge.

In many households, appliance cupboards are opened first thing in the morning and left open for most of the day. Coffee machines, kettles and toasters are used repeatedly, and the effort of opening and closing doors each time quickly becomes impractical. Over time, those carefully concealed doors tend to stay open far more often than planned.

Pocket doors also come at a premium. They require specialised hardware, careful detailing and more complex installation. When kitchen budgets start to tighten (which they often do) this is an area where a surprising amount of money can be spent without significantly improving how the kitchen actually functions.

That doesn’t mean appliance cupboards are a bad idea. It simply means they need to be approached honestly. In many cases, standard hinged doors achieve the same outcome at a lower cost. In others, leaving the appliance area open and treating it as a deliberate zone, with considered finishes and lighting, works just as well, without the expense or frustration.

A calm kitchen isn’t created by hiding everything. It’s created by making smart decisions about where to invest and where simplifying actually improves daily use.

The biggest island possible

Kitchen islands have become the focal point of modern kitchens, so it’s no surprise that many people want to make them as large as possible. A generous island promises more bench space, more storage and more seating. It signals luxury and abundance, and in the right space, it can work beautifully. Problems arise when size is prioritised over proportion.

An oversized island can restrict circulation, disrupt workflow and dominate the room visually. Clearances become tight, movement feels awkward and the island starts to act as a barrier rather than a hub. In some layouts, it compromises everything around it.

A kitchen can look stunning and still be impractical if two people can’t comfortably pass each other, or if you can’t cook at the bench while someone else unloads the dishwasher without bumping into one another. These are the kinds of everyday moments that don’t show up in styled photos, but make an enormous difference to how a kitchen actually feels to live in.

A successful island isn’t defined by its dimensions, but by how it functions within the space. It should support prep, conversation and movement without competing with other zones or creating pinch points. Rather than asking how big an island can be, it’s far more useful to consider how people move through the kitchen, where multiple users will stand and work, and how the island relates to surrounding cabinetry and living spaces. A well-proportioned island will always outperform a bigger one that’s been forced in.

Every appliance imaginable

Modern kitchens offer an extraordinary range of appliances and it’s easy to feel like you should include as many as possible while you have the opportunity. Second ovens, steam ovens, warming drawers, built-in coffee machines and wine fridges all promise convenience and efficiency. There’s also a common fear that if you don’t include something now, you’ll regret it later.

In practice, many kitchens end up crowded with appliances that are rarely used. Storage is sacrificed to accommodate them, layouts become more complex, and costs escalate quickly. What starts as a series of small upgrades can compromise the overall function of the space. Additional appliances make sense when they reflect how you cook now and how you realistically expect your household to use the kitchen over time, rather than being added purely because they’re available. The most successful kitchens prioritise workflow, storage and ease of use first, then layer in extras only where they add real value. A kitchen doesn’t need to do everything. It just needs to do the right things well.

Statement finishes everywhere

Statement finishes are another area where kitchens are often overdesigned. Bold stone, feature splashbacks, strong colours and decorative details can all be beautiful. But when every surface is competing for attention, the space quickly becomes visually overwhelming. The kitchen loses hierarchy and flexibility over time is reduced.

Kitchens that age well typically rely on quieter base materials, with one or two moments of emphasis rather than many. A single hero element, supported by supporting finishes, will always feel more resolved than a kitchen trying to showcase everything at once. This isn’t about playing it safe. It’s about being selective. Longevity comes from knowing where to exercise restraint, and where a bold choice will actually add value rather than noise.

The kitchens that function best don’t prioritise features, they prioritise fundamentals.

Clear layout and circulation.
Intuitive workflow.
Adequate, flexible storage.
Good task lighting.
Materials that age gracefully.
Proportion and restraint.

These decisions aren’t always the most exciting, but they’re the ones that make a kitchen a pleasure to live with long after the novelty wears off.

The kitchens people are happiest with aren’t the ones with the longest list of inclusions. They’re the ones that feel easy to use, support daily routines and don’t require constant adjustment or workarounds. They work quietly in the background, rather than demanding attention. That kind of kitchen doesn’t happen by accident. It comes from editing, prioritising and designing with real life firmly in mind. Sometimes, the best design decision is knowing what to leave out.