Some homeowners require nothing more than a basic kitchen where there’s just enough cabinets, counters and appliances to serve food on the table. But, if you’re a fan of Master Chef who loves to cook and spends most of the time in the kitchen, then there are scores of kitchen interior design and renovation ideas that will transform your kitchen into a place where you enjoy to work in.

As one of the best interior design firms in Singapore, we take kitchen remodels seriously. We believe that even if you don’t do much of the cooking, the style and functionality of your kitchen is more important than ever. After all, it’s where you start with your day – sip your first coffee and read newspapers in the morning.

So, where to begin? We share the best tips on how to upgrade your kitchen like a 5-star chef.

Choose Functionality Over Style

Although style and functionality go hand in hand, it’s essential to put purpose first. So, when renovating a kitchen, position the sink adjacent to the cooktop and countertop to form a triangle.

Because we engage these fixtures the most out of any other in the kitchen, they should be no more than 6 ft. apart to guarantee ease of movement when preparing food.

Maximise Kitchen Island

Part workspace, part dining table, part storage – a kitchen island just serves multiple purposes. Smartly placed in the centre of the room, it provides an additional countertop for cooking as well as storage – hooks, shelves and drawers – for your kitchenware. It also proves to be a great place to gather everyone when dining.

For best results, consider an island that offers all these conveniences, and pair it with seating that matches the overall design. When all these are considered, make sure that the island leaves enough space to ensure easy access to the kitchen.

Invest In Your Storage

In kitchen renovation, it’s not merely a question of having an adequate amount of storage, you also need to identify the types of storage you actually need. So, it pays to get these details right. Here are some of the typical options you can consider:

• Open shelves – The absence of cabinet doors make an open shelving a great way to display all your kitchenware and supplies in fancy containers. Install shelves from the countertops all the way to the ceiling to make good use of the vertical space.
• Overhead cabinets – Installing overhead cabinets is also a great way to maximise the space between the countertop and the ceiling, while at the same time conceal clutter that you may not have time to organise.
• Concealed storage – Creating concealed cabinets is a recurring approach we take on many of our interior design projects. It offers a barely-there look on the cabinets, thanks to the absence of handles on the surface.

Get The Lighting Right

You can’t cook like a five-star chef if you can’t see your kitchen properly. The solution to bring in adequate light is to make sure that you’re making the most out of natural light. Often it means installing shelves across and above the windows to keep them from blocking the light penetrating through.

Additionally, while overhead lighting may be a given, it may be insufficient in the kitchen as it has the possibility to cast shadows on the workspace. It can be solved as simply as by placing lights on the bottom of the overhead cabinets to illuminate the area where you prepare food.

Give Your Kitchen A Personality

Just as you would add personal touches to your living room, pouring your character into your kitchen will not only create a space that is truly functional but one that is the focal point of your home.

It can be achieved by planning everything down to the last detail from the paint colours, window dressings, flooring, materials and finishes – and while you’re after exceptional styles, you should also opt for ones that are durable and handles signs of wear and tear beautifully for years to come.

Kitchen renovations, while they can be costly and time-consuming, are always worth the dollars you spend to transform your space into a 5-star-worthy kitchen. So, it goes without saying that if you want your kitchen renovated, you want to do it the right way – and Weiken can help you with just that.

The successful Kevin Kwan book series Crazy Rich Asians that has recently been adapted into a multi-million box office film romps through the fictitious, opulent world of Asia’s super wealthy and their upper-class living in luxury properties.

In the series, Nick Young is portrayed as the protagonist who hails from a crazy rich, but secretive family in Singapore. But, no matter how fictitious his character may sound, many of the elements the author details were actually based on real-life encounters with Singapore’s super-rich – an upper-class of society that the masses can only imagine in magazines and on social media.

But, while the Kevin Kwan books speak a seemingly far-fetched truth, the city-state is actually home to millions of dollar worth of properties only the crazy rich can afford. Now, while you may not fall under this upper-class, you can and deserve to enjoy the grandeur of a luxury home even without spending the money you don’t have.

In this article, Weiken, an award-winning interior design firm in Singapore is revealing the secrets on how to achieve a million dollar-looking home without breaking the bank!

Add Lightning

Lighting is one of the essential elements in a space, but it’s also one that’s often overlooked. When upgrading your home, you’ll want to create depth in the room by having additional light sources such as table lamps and pendant lights. You can also place candles in reflective glass containers for a cheaper alternative to lamp shades.

Invest In Textiles

Another easy way to spruce up your room is to invest in textiles such as throw pillows and cushions. Now, while these may seem costly upfront, there are many ways you can save a few bucks like by hitting up your local fabric store to hunt for discounted textiles and sew them yourself if you’re feeling crafty. These can instantly make your room feel more cosy and luxurious.

Upgrade Your Window Treatments

Many expensive homes indulge the conveniences of having high ceilings and towering windows that flood the interior with natural light. Get this look by hanging your curtains as high and as close to the ceiling as possible and make sure that they’re long enough to touch the floor. Finally, for that warm and cosy feel, opt for sheer curtains that will soften the light when penetrating through.

Display A Large-Scale Art

A large-scale, attention-grabbing piece of art can imbue your space with an instant lux feel. If you’re on a budget, you can check out thrift stores for bargain artworks. But, if you’re feeling artsy, you can also do it yourself! All you need is an oversized canvas and the medium of your choice. After all, you don’t need to spend a lot to own an impressive piece of art.

Play With Textures

For a look that’s collected rather than matchy-matchy, mix up a variety of textures such as glass, wood, metal and textiles. You can make a trip to discount home furnishing stores for faux fur blankets, sheepskin throws and statement area rugs to achieve a look that is both elegant and luxurious without breaking the bank.

Replace Or Add Mouldings

To wrap this list, make your home look and feel more expensive by improving its interior architecture. We don’t mean a full renovation though. Simply add mouldings to your walls to create a distinct character to your space. But, if you already have mouldings in place, then you might want to replace them with something thicker for a more elegant look. You can opt to hire a professional for this job.

Final Tips

• Commit to a unified palette

A coordinating palette makes a home feel more intimate and intentional. Pick a palette and stick with it. So, whenever you come across affordable pieces that match your colour scheme, you can easily buy them knowing that they will blend perfectly with your existing interior.

• Go minimal

Living in an age when minimalism is coveted has its own perks. You are urged to make a space look more expensive by putting less in it – and buying fewer pieces means saving the money you could have spent on more accessories that you may not really need.

Of course, every interior design is individual to your home and to you. If you’re on a tight budget but are looking to upgrade your space into something the crazy rich will love, you can trust Weiken to give you the best advice on how to do exactly just that.