Among homeowners, few renovation projects are as popular as kitchen remodels. After all, a kitchen is often the room in your home that is most used and seen.
If you’re a foodie or aspiring cook, wanting a luxury kitchen with everything you need to create mouth-watering meals is natural. But your kitchen isn’t just for food prep and cooking. It can also be a space for conversation, gathering as a family, and entertaining.
As a result, upgrading to a high-end kitchen can dramatically improve your satisfaction with your home. The defining feature of a luxury kitchen is that it is tailored to your needs and sense of style.
So when you think of your dream kitchen, what do you see?
If you already have some ideas, that’s a great starting point. But if you want more inspiration, I’ll lay out some examples of our favorite luxury kitchen ideas that may help you determine what you’re looking for in a remodel.
What Are Common Characteristics of Luxury Kitchens?
There are certain core elements of all luxury kitchens, and you can almost always perceive these characteristics immediately when you walk into a high-end kitchen.
- Deeper customization: Real luxury is having a kitchen designed for your space and your priorities. Whether you want ample space for entertaining, a hidden pantry, a seated island, or a cute breakfast nook, your kitchen should be designed to incorporate the features you value. Achieving this often requires moving walls or other layout changes.
- Premium finishes: In the best kitchens, you’ll find impressive finishes and surfaces. This typically includes luxury kitchen cabinets, countertops, and flooring. But again, it’s tailored to your style, so it doesn’t have to mean marble countertops or any other specific material or design.
- High-end appliances: You can’t create a luxury kitchen with subpar appliances. You depend on your appliances every day, so they need to perform to a high standard. You can also cultivate visual appeal with built-in appliances that match the overall kitchen design.
Luxury Feature #1: A Kitchen Island
Southwest Ithaca Kitchen Remodel by Upscale Remodeling
A kitchen island can be a design focal point for a luxurious kitchen. An island serves as a hub, giving a distinct flow and gravity to your kitchen. At the same time, it’s a multifunctional surface that’s useful for food prep, serving, and entertaining.
In this remodel in southwest Ithaca, we put in an oversized island with built-in seating on one side. The other side provides extra space for storing items like cutting boards and pans. Dedicated lighting for the island features a gold finish that helps it stand out without being ostentatious.
This kitchen was remodeled with clean lines, classic wood floors, and stainless steel appliances. The color of the cabinetry is different for the cabinets above and below the countertops. All together, the kitchen comes together around the island in a wonderful way that evokes a sense of elegance and style.
Luxury Feature #2: A Custom Layout
Northeast Ithaca Kitchen Remodel by Upcale Remodeling
As I mentioned before, a luxury kitchen requires creating a design customized for your needs and your space. Often, that means changing the layout to give your kitchen a new flow and feel.
In this remodel in northeast Ithaca, we did exactly that, taking out walls so that a closed-off kitchen could be connected with an adjacent dining area. Along with that, we created a combination wet bar and beverage station in the dining area.
We installed matching custom cabinetry with stylish steel cabinet hardware along with a dark countertop. A serving counter sits between the kitchen and dining room, which is especially handy for entertaining.
Luxury Feature #3: Copious Natural Light
Lansing Kitchen Remodel by Upscale Remodeling
Natural light makes your kitchen feel brighter and more open, enhancing the perception of luxury. When possible, we love to get natural light through sliding glass doors that also provide access to an exterior patio or deck.
In this remodel in Lansing, we used large windows to take advantage of excellent views and natural light. This open-concept design includes an oversized island with movable bar stools. The floor plan provides for a seamless transition to the dining room, which also benefits from abundant daylight.
Natural wood is highlighted throughout the space, pairing with the natural feel that comes from the view of the trees outside.
While many kitchen islands are illuminated with pendant lighting, we chose to use overhead can lighting for this remodel to maintain the open feel and preserve views from the bar seating out through the kitchen window.
Luxury Feature #4: Custom Cabinetry and Storage
A Kitchen Remodel and Addition Project by Upscale Remodeling
Custom cabinets and drawers are one of the best ways to turn essential storage into a luxury component of your kitchen. With custom cabinetry, you can adapt the size and type of the cabinets to suit your space and personal style. The end result is ample storage that also looks great.
In this remodel, we installed custom hardwood cabinets that combine a polished and rustic look. The wood extends to the crown moldings and even a cover for the vent hood.
In the stove area, you can find narrow drawers, wider drawers, and traditional pull-open doors. The diverse arrangement gives the homeowner options for efficient space usage in their kitchen.
Luxury Feature #5: A Standout Sink
A Farmhouse Sink in Southwest Ithaca Kitchen Remodeled by Upscale Remodeling
Every kitchen has a sink, but luxury kitchens have one that truly stands out.
For this modern luxury kitchen project, we actually used a throwback option — the farmhouse sink. It not only provides more functional space inside the sink itself, but also creates unique visual appeal for the kitchen as a whole.
This type of sink may not fit every kitchen, but it gives you a sense of how luxury kitchen design can add style at every step. Along with the sink, we also focus on high-quality plumbing fixtures, including a pot-filler faucet for homeowners who want them installed near the stove.
Luxury Feature #6: Layered Lighting
East Hill Kitchen Remodel by Upscale Remodeling
While we mentioned natural light before, your kitchen also needs indoor illumination. In a luxury kitchen, you’ll find layered lighting, which includes ambient lighting, accent lighting, and task lighting.
In this East Hill remodel, you can see how under-cabinet lighting brightens all of the countertops, providing essential illumination for food preparation. There are no cabinets above the sink, so we installed can lights to increase brightness when washing dishes.
Lighting should always be adapted to your kitchen layout, which for some homes may involve pendant lights or even track lighting to create inviting, functional, and layered illumination.
Luxury Feature #7: A Unique Backsplash
Tiled Kitchen Backsplash in an Ithaca Kitchen Remodeled by Upscale Remodeling
A unique backsplash with custom tilework can be an appealing addition to a luxury kitchen.
In this project in Ithaca, we tiled the backsplash as it wrapped around the corner and behind the sink. We used small, amber-hued tiles that cultivate a feeling of warmth. We also installed open shelving instead of upper cabinets to give the kitchen a more airy feel.
Luxury Feature #8: Extended Counter Space
Trumansburg Kitchen by Upscale Remodeling
In a luxury kitchen, you shouldn’t be left wanting more counter space. Having more surface area to work with allows multiple people to work in the kitchen simultaneously without feeling crowded. A longer counter in an open kitchen also lets you show off your culinary skills while entertaining guests.
For this kitchen project in Trumansburg, we installed an extended and angled countertop, giving the kitchen a sense of movement and flow. The back side of the counter involves unique tilework for an added accent that complements the quartz counter itself.
Luxury Feature #9: Optimized Appliances
Whenever we design a luxury kitchen, we want to ensure that the appliances actually meet a homeowner’s needs.
For example, in the Trumansburg project, we installed an oven with side-opening doors. These offer improved ergonomics and safety since you can get easy access to the interior without having to reach or lean over a blazing hot oven door.
In other homes, optimized appliances might include double ovens, a refrigerator concealed behind decorative doors, or other options selected specifically for the homeowner to enhance their kitchen experience.
Designing Your Dream Kitchen
I hope that these high-end kitchen design concepts have helped you develop your own ideas for your luxury kitchen.
If you’re planning a remodel, Upscale Remodeling would welcome the opportunity to learn more about what you have in mind. We have longstanding ties to the Ithaca community, and we’ve been helping homeowners make their remodeling dreams a reality for more than 30 years.
We’re a design-build firm, which means we handle the entire process, from interior design through construction. Whether you’re into a traditional look, modern design, or contemporary styling, our team has the experience to deliver to the highest of standards.
Visit our website to learn more about our history and our team, or contact us today to schedule an appointment.
