Author: Sachi Amarasekara

Quick answer: The standard kitchen bench height in NZ is 900mm (90cm) from the finished floor, on a bench about 600mm deep. Walkways run 1000–1200mm, and our FAQ prices a typical mid-range Auckland kitchen at 10–12m².

Plan a kitchen reno well and you’ll forget the measurements exist. Plan it badly and you’ll be reminded every morning: the dishwasher door clipping the island, the bench just slightly too low for your back, two people trying to pass each other in front of the fridge. Standard kitchen planning measurements aren’t a constraint. They’re what stops the small mistakes that turn an expensive renovation into a daily frustration.

Most measurement guides online default to American inches or Australian sizing. The figures below are the baseline our design studio in Wairau Valley works from, after more than 1,000 Auckland renovations since 2017. Most of them are trade conventions rather than legal minimums, so we say which ones come from a published source and which are simply what works in the houses we build in.

NZ Kitchen Measurements at a Glance

Every figure our designers start from, in one table. Most are trade conventions, not Building Code rules (the Code section further down explains the difference). Trade drawings in New Zealand are set out in millimetres, so that is the primary column. Centimetres are there because that is how most people search, and the section on room size converts the layouts to metres.

💡 Quick tip: Print this table and take it to the appliance showroom. Nearly every measurement argument on a kitchen job traces back to an appliance being chosen after the cabinetry was drawn instead of before.

The sections below cover why each of these numbers exists and when it is right to break one. If you want the price attached to the layout rather than just the dimensions, our kitchen renovation cost calculator asks a few questions and emails you an Auckland range, and kitchen renovation costs in Auckland breaks the figures down by tier.

Standard Kitchen Bench Height and Depth in NZ

The standard kitchen bench height in New Zealand is 900mm (90cm), measured from the finished floor to the top of the benchtop. It is a trade convention, not a Building Code rule. Bunnings NZ’s kitchen measuring guide describes benchtops as usually around 900mm high and treats that as a starting point rather than a fixed measurement, and Houzz NZ’s island measurement guide calls 900mm the most common height, with benches up to 950mm also popular.

In practice the usable range runs from about 850mm to 950mm, depending on who does the cooking. Most Auckland kitchens still default to 900mm because it lines up with off-the-shelf base cabinets, under-bench appliances and an average-height cook.

Benchtop depth is typically 600mm front to back: a 560–570mm cabinet plus a 20–30mm overhang on the front edge. That gives you a usable prep zone without the bench eating into the walkway behind you, and the overhang lets you stand close without your toes hitting the cabinet.

Bench height in cm and metres, and stools to match

900mm is 90cm or 0.9m; a 600mm-deep bench is 60cm or 0.6m. Stools are the other half of the question. A seat height of around 600–650mm is the usual pairing for a 900mm bench and 750–800mm for a raised 1050–1100mm bar, but those are conventions, so sit on the stool at the showroom before you buy a set.

The 900mm benchtop height is the NZ default, but it isn’t right for every cook.

“The 900mm bench is the default, not the answer. We measure our clients during the design consult, taller cooks usually go to 920 or 950mm, and a couple of our clients with back issues have asked for 880mm because they prefer to brace their arms when chopping. The cost difference is nothing. The comfort difference is daily.”
— Alison Yu, Designer, Superior Renovations

When to deviate from 900mm

Two situations call for a non-standard bench height. The first is body type, if you or your partner is taller than 1.85m or shorter than 1.6m, the standard will feel wrong every time you use it. The second is task, a baking-heavy kitchen often benefits from a slightly lower zone (around 850mm) so kneading and rolling doesn’t strain shoulders, while a coffee or cocktail bench can sit higher to keep the work surface at hand height.

Concept plan · island clearances

Where the measurements actually get tested

Where the measurements actually get tested (Existing)×Existing

Where the measurements actually get tested (Proposed)×Proposed

An island only works if the walkways either side of it do. On this plan the island sits where the old dividing wall was, which is what creates enough depth for a clear run behind it and a path through to the dining space. Concept plans by Sonder Architecture. Concept only, not consent documentation.

If you’re planning to age in place, BRANZ’s universal design guidance for kitchens gives a height adjustment range of generally 620–900mm for adjustable worktops. Worth a conversation with your designer if accessibility is on the horizon.

💡 Quick tip: Bench height is measured from the finished floor, not the subfloor. Tile on its bed, engineered timber on underlay and vinyl plank each add their own thickness, so a bench drawn at 900mm off the old floor can finish at the wrong height once the new floor goes down. Lock the flooring spec before the cabinets are made.

Standard Kitchen Size in Metres

The Building Code does not set a kitchen size. Its food preparation clause, G3, asks for space and facilities for the hygienic storage, preparation and cooking of food that are adequate for the intended use of the building, and stops there. The useful question is how much room the layout you want actually needs. Add up the bench depths and the walkways and you have your minimum room width.

For a sense of scale, the kitchen answer on our renovation questions page prices a typical mid-range Auckland kitchen at 10–12m². The table shows the narrowest room each common layout works in, built from the bench and walkway dimensions in this guide.

These are working minimums, not targets. The length of each run depends on how many 600mm modules it has to hold: a sink, a dishwasher and a cooker are three of them before you add a single drawer bank. The 0.9–1.1m behind island stools comes from Houzz NZ’s island guide, which allows 900mm for someone to edge past a seated diner and 1,100mm for comfortable walking room.

Small kitchen measurements

If the room falls short of these widths, the layout changes before the cabinet sizes do. A galley under 2.2m usually works better as a single run with a table opposite. A room that can’t give you 3.4m across rarely suits an island, and a peninsula off one wall gives the same bench and seating in less floor. Compact appliances, such as a 450mm dishwasher in place of a 600mm one, save length along a run but do nothing for the walkway.

Reading a kitchen plan in mm, cm and metres

Kitchen drawings in New Zealand are dimensioned in millimetres: 900mm is 90cm or 0.9m, 600mm is 60cm or 0.6m, and 1200mm is 120cm or 1.2m. Read every number on a plan as millimetres, because a 90 scribbled on a sketch could mean either.

💡 Quick tip: Mark the layout out on your floor at full size with masking tape, benches 600mm deep and the walkway at the width on the plan, then walk it with the fridge and oven doors in mind. It tells you more about a tight room than any drawing.

Why Standard Kitchen Measurements Exist (and When to Break Them)

Standard measurements exist because they work for most people, most of the time. They come from decades of cabinetry practice and the sizes of the appliances you’re likely to install. The joint standard AS/NZS 4386.1:1996, Domestic kitchen assemblies is still current in New Zealand, and Standards New Zealand’s summary says it sets minimum requirements for the construction, durability, safety, ergonomics, strength and coordination of services of fitted kitchens. Its full text is paid, so the heights and widths in this guide are given as trade convention rather than quoted from it.

Standards do two jobs. They make sure your kitchen plays nicely with off-the-shelf appliances, a 600mm dishwasher slots into a 600mm cabinet without modification. And they make sure the kitchen is comfortable to use for the broadest range of body types and cooking habits.

Where standards stop being useful is the moment your kitchen is unusual — a 1920s Grey Lynn villa with a 2.4m wide room, a Hobsonville townhouse with an island that needs to anchor an open-plan space, or a homeowner who’s 1.9m tall and tired of leaning over a low bench. That’s when the standards become a starting point and a designer earns their fee.

💡 Quick tip: Before any cabinet is ordered, stand at your existing bench (or the bench at your friend’s place) and check how it feels for 10 minutes of food prep. If you’re bending or reaching, the standard isn’t your standard: flag it with your designer early.

Base Cabinet Dimensions and Modular Widths

Base cabinets carry the weight of the kitchen — drawers, pots, the appliances that sit underneath, and the benchtop above. Their dimensions decide what fits where, and they’re built to a standardised module so the cabinetry industry can manufacture efficiently.

• Cabinet height without the benchtop: about 870mm including the kickboard, so a 30mm benchtop finishes at 900mm
• Cabinet depth: 560–570mm carcass; the benchtop overhang brings the total to 600mm
• Common cabinet widths: 300mm, 400mm, 450mm, 600mm, 800mm, 900mm, 1000mm, 1200mm
• Kickboard (toe-kick): 100–150mm high, set back about 50mm

The 600mm module is doing the most work in your kitchen. It fits the standard dishwasher, the standard under-bench oven, most freestanding cookers, and the most common drawer bank size. When a designer is laying out your kitchen, the 600mm anchor points usually go in first, sink, dishwasher, cooker, and everything else stretches between them.

💡 Quick tip: Ask what the carcasses are made of and how thick the board is, and get it in writing with the quote. Board thickness changes how doors and drawer fronts line up, and it varies between makers and flat-pack lines. Little Giant Interiors, our in-house cabinetry company, explains what cabinet carcasses and doors are actually made from, including where moisture-resistant board belongs.

Upper Cabinets, Wall Storage and Reach Limits

Upper cabinets do storage without taking floor space — useful in the smaller kitchens you’ll find in older Ponsonby villas, character bungalows in Mt Eden, and apartment kitchens across the city.

• Height from bench to underside of upper cabinet: about 600mm, which the Bunnings NZ measuring guide gives as a starting point rather than a fixed rule; 450–600mm is the usual range
• Upper cabinet depth: 300–350mm — deeper than that and you start ducking when using the bench
• Top of upper cabinets: about 2220mm from the floor for 720mm-tall uppers hung 600mm above a 900mm bench (900 + 600 + 720), or run to the ceiling (2400mm+) for extra storage

The reach limit matters more than the storage volume. Anything above 2000mm needs a step ladder for most people — fine for the Christmas platters, useless for daily use. Plan the contents of each upper cabinet before you finalise the height; the top shelf is for things you touch twice a year, not your everyday glassware.

Walkway and Clearance Space in an NZ Kitchen

This is where most poorly-planned kitchens fall apart. The layout reads fine on a 2D plan. Then the appliances and the people go in, and suddenly the oven door blocks the fridge and you’re sidestepping every time someone wants the kettle.

• Single-cook walkway: 1000–1100mm between bench and wall, bench and island, or bench and bench (Houzz NZ puts the ideal gap between working benches at 1,000–1,200mm, with 900mm enough in a one-cook kitchen)
• Two-cook / busy household walkway: 1200mm minimum — non-negotiable if you regularly cook with another person in the kitchen
• Accessible kitchen: BRANZ’s universal design guidance calls for a turning diameter of at least 1500mm and a 1200mm minimum approach in front of benches and appliances for a wheelchair user
• Appliance door clearance: always check the open dimension, not just the closed cabinet width. A dishwasher door drops down into the walkway, so take its open depth from the installation manual and keep it clear of an island or opposite bench

“In open-plan Auckland kitchens, and most of the ones we design now are open-plan, the walkway numbers matter even more than usual. The kitchen isn’t just a kitchen, it’s the corridor between the front door and the lounge. We plan around the traffic flow on a normal Sunday, not a deserted weekday. 1200mm is the minimum we’d set for a family kitchen.”
— Eunice Qin, Designer, Superior Renovations

💡 Quick tip: Stand in your existing kitchen and have someone open the dishwasher, the oven, and the fridge all at once. If anyone can’t get past, that’s the walkway problem your new design needs to solve.

Kitchen Island Dimensions for Auckland Homes

An island is the best feature in a modern kitchen, or the worst — the difference is almost entirely in the dimensions. Get them right and the island anchors the room. Get them wrong and it’s a 1.5m obstacle eating your floor space.

• Minimum island width: 600mm (the smallest a working island can be)
• Comfortable working island width: 900–1100mm
• Island length: 1800–3000mm depending on room size — anything under 1500mm starts to feel pointless
• Bench overhang for stool seating: 300–400mm from the cabinet face (per Houzz NZ’s kitchen island measurement guidance)
• Bar stool seat height for a 900mm bench: 600–650mm
• Bar stool seat height for a raised 1050–1100mm bench: 750–800mm
• Clearance around the island: 1000–1200mm to any working bench, and at least 900mm to walls or furniture (Houzz NZ’s island guide gives both figures)

Island depth, overhang, and surrounding clearances all need to land together, and the room size dictates which one bends first.

How Auckland housing stock affects island sizing

The comfortable island depends entirely on the room. Imagine a Grey Lynn villa kitchen 3m wide: a 600mm bench, a 1200mm walkway and a 900mm island already use 2.7m, which leaves nowhere for stools, so a peninsula usually does the job better. An open-plan Hobsonville townhouse ground floor can take an 1100 × 2400mm island with seating along one side and a sink along the other. Same family, same budget, completely different island. How far the top can reach past the cabinets without support depends on the benchtop material and the slab size, and Little Giant Interiors works through what limits an island’s slab length and seating overhang.

💡 Quick tip: If you want stools on the island, decide whether you want elbows up or down. A flat 900mm island works for breakfast bowls and laptops. A raised 1050–1100mm section works better for drinks, casual chat, and hiding the working bench from the lounge view. Pick before the cabinetry quote — adding a raised section after the fact gets ugly.

For inspiration on how these proportions play out in completed Auckland projects, browse our Kitchen Design Gallery.

Appliance Placement and Space Requirements

Every appliance has its own measurement rules. Get them wrong and you’ll either block the workflow, hit a ventilation problem, or, most painfully, find out at install that the brand-new range doesn’t quite fit the cabinet you’ve already paid for.

Treat the figures below as planning allowances. Every appliance maker publishes its own installation clearances, and the manual for the model you buy overrides anything here.

Appliance clearances stack on top of each other — the fridge door, the oven swing, the dishwasher drop-down all need their own space.

Fridge

• Standard freestanding fridge width: 600mm (slim), 700mm (mid), 800–900mm (French door / side-by-side)
• Cabinet alcove width: allow 25–50mm on top of the fridge width for ventilation until you have the model’s manual
• Clearance above the fridge: the gap the maker specifies for heat to escape; it varies by model
• Door swing clearance in front: allow about 900mm to open the doors and unload

Oven and cooktop

• Standard oven widths: 600mm (most common), 750mm, 900mm
• Bench either side of the cooktop: 300mm minimum, 450mm preferred — for landing hot pans and prep
• Cooktop to rangehood (electric or induction): 600mm is the common allowance; the rangehood and cooktop instructions set the real minimum
• Cooktop to rangehood (gas): usually 650–750mm depending on the makers’ specifications, and the gas connection is work for an authorised gasfitter

Dishwasher

• Standard dishwasher width: 600mm (most homes), 450mm (slim/apartment)
• Distance from sink: within 900mm — keeps the plumbing run sensible and stops dripping plates being walked across the room
• Door-down clearance in front: the open door projects into the walkway, so take its depth from the manual and plan the walkway around it

💡 Quick tip: Pick your appliances before the cabinet drawings are finalised, not after. Even within “600mm dishwasher” there’s variation: two models from different makers can sit at different installed heights, enough to leave a visible gap under the benchtop. Send actual model numbers to your designer.

Sink and Tapware Measurements

The sink area is the busiest square metre of the kitchen. Position and sizing decide whether the kitchen works for one person rinsing wine glasses or two people prepping dinner.

• Single bowl sink: 500–600mm wide × 400–500mm front to back is typical
• Double bowl / 1.5 bowl sink: 800mm wide × 480mm deep is typical
• Sink depth (bowl): 180–220mm — deeper bowls handle pots without splashing
• Bench clearance on prep side: 600mm minimum, 900mm preferred
• Bench clearance on landing side: 450mm minimum
• Mixer tap spout height above the bench: 250–350mm depending on the tap and your sink depth — taller mixers suit pot filling, shorter ones look cleaner against a window

If your sink sits in front of a window, and a lot of Auckland kitchens do, especially in character homes facing the back garden, check the mixer doesn’t hit the window frame when the spout swivels. Take the swing dimension from the actual tap’s specification before the splashback and window details are finalised.

See the full project →

Lighting Heights: Pendants, Downlights, Under-Cabinet

Bad kitchen lighting is one of those things you don’t notice until you’re trying to chop something at 6pm in winter and squinting at the bench. The heights below are common design conventions rather than rules, and your electrician and lighting supplier will fine-tune them on site. Three lighting layers do the work in a properly designed kitchen: overhead general light, task light on the working surfaces, and feature pendants over the island or dining bench.

• Pendant lights over an island: 750–900mm above the bench surface — high enough not to block the view across the kitchen, low enough to cast usable light on the bench
• Recessed ceiling downlights: 800–1000mm apart, 600mm from any wall, positioned over the front of the bench (not behind it — otherwise you cast a shadow over your own hands while working)
• Under-cabinet LED strip: mounted at the front edge of the underside of the upper cabinet, aimed across the bench
• Pendant cord length over a fixed dining bench: 700–800mm above the bench

Layered lighting, recessed downlights for general light, under-cabinet LED for the bench, and pendant lights as features.

Pendant lights positioned low over the island — both functional task lighting and a design feature in their own right.

For more on getting kitchen lighting right, our previous guide on the importance of lighting in achieving a beautiful kitchen design goes deeper.

Splashback Heights and Wall Coverings

The splashback is the wall between the bench and the upper cabinets. Two jobs: protect the wall from water, steam, and oil, and add a finish that suits the rest of the kitchen.

• Standard splashback height: 600mm — matches the standard bench-to-upper-cabinet gap
• Behind the cooktop: the splashback should extend the full bench-to-rangehood height with no joins — usually 700–900mm depending on hood placement
• Full-height splashbacks (bench to ceiling): increasingly common in Auckland renos, particularly with engineered stone or large-format tile — easier to clean, fewer grout lines, more contemporary
• Window-as-splashback: a feature in a lot of villa kitchens — the bench abuts the windowsill, no splashback, which works as long as the trim is waterproof-finished

Adjusting Standards for Auckland Housing Stock

The standards above are the starting point. Auckland’s housing mix means most kitchens need at least one adjustment off-standard, and the older the home, the bigger the gap between “what the textbook says” and “what fits”. Here’s what we see across the suburbs.

Pre-1940s villas (Grey Lynn, Ponsonby, Mt Eden, Herne Bay)

Original kitchens were often the smallest room in the house, sometimes 2.5 × 3m with a chimney intruding into one wall. Walkway standards still apply, but island ambitions usually need to give way to a peninsula. Ceiling heights are generous (often 3m+), which lets you run tall pantry cabinets up to 2700mm without the room feeling crammed.

Leaky-era plaster homes (mid-1990s to mid-2000s, widespread)

Standard sizing usually applies, but recladding work in adjacent walls can change the kitchen footprint mid-project. New framing after a reclad can move a wall line by tens of millimetres, so the benchtop should not be templated until the framing is final. Worth factoring in if you’re combining a kitchen reno with weathertightness work.

1970s–80s brick-and-tile (South and West Auckland, North Shore)

Generally a kind house for kitchen renos: generous floor footprints, square rooms, easy access for delivery and trades. Standard measurements apply cleanly. The constraint is usually ceiling height (2.4m) which limits how tall the uppers can run.

Hobsonville, Flat Bush, Millwater townhouses (post-2010)

Open-plan ground floors, often with an L-shape kitchen running into a dining-living combined space. Walkway and island standards matter even more here because the kitchen is a circulation space, not just a cooking room. Many of these homes were built with 900mm benches and modular cabinetry already in place, so a refresh (new doors, benchtop and splashback on the existing carcasses) often makes more financial sense than a full tear-out.

Apartments (CBD, Takapuna, Newmarket)

Tight galley kitchens are common, and body corporate rules often prevent moving plumbing or extraction. Compact appliances (450mm dishwashers, 600mm cooktops) get used heavily here. Pay particular attention to ventilation. Many apartment kitchens vent through a shared duct, and changing it can need body corporate approval and possibly a building consent.

What the NZ Building Code Actually Requires in a Kitchen

This trips up a lot of people planning a renovation, so it is worth being clear about which rules are rules and which are conventions.

The Building Code does not set your cabinet dimensions. It is performance-based. Clause G3 asks for space and facilities for the hygienic storage, preparation and cooking of food that are adequate for the building’s intended use, and other clauses cover ventilation, access, plumbing, drainage and electrical work. None of it tells you your benchtop has to be 900mm high or your island 1500mm long.

Where the dimensions in this guide come from: The 900mm bench, the 600mm depth and the modular cabinet widths come from trade convention, from appliance manufacturers’ installation specifications, and from what actually works in the houses we build in. AS/NZS 4386.1 covers how fitted kitchens are built rather than publishing a set of legal heights. These figures are the industry baseline, not a legal minimum, which is exactly why a designer is allowed to move them for a taller cook or a narrow villa.

Where the Code does bite on a kitchen renovation: Extraction and ventilation, the electrical work behind a new appliance layout, any plumbing or drainage that moves, and any structural change if a wall is coming out to open the room up. Those are the parts that need the right licensed trade and, in some cases, a building consent. Restricted Building Work has to be carried out or supervised by a Licensed Building Practitioner.

Accessible and universal design: Where a kitchen needs to work for a wheelchair user or someone with limited reach, the planning numbers change: wider clear manoeuvring space, a lower or height-adjustable bench, and different reach limits to wall storage. BRANZ’s guide to universal design for kitchens is a practical starting point. Confirm the requirement for your specific project with Auckland Council or a Licensed Building Practitioner rather than working off a general figure.

Important note: Whether your kitchen renovation needs a building consent, and which parts of it count as Restricted Building Work, depends on your actual plans. That call belongs to Auckland Council or an LBP, not to a measurement guide. Gas connections need a gasfitter authorised by the Plumbers, Gasfitters and Drainlayers Board, electrical work needs a licensed electrician, and if the kitchen is part of recladding or weathertightness work, talk to a building surveyor, an LBP or Auckland Council first.

How a Designer Catches Measurement Errors Before They Cost You

Two things make this easier for us than it is for a homeowner with a tape measure. The first is that we design before we price, so the dimensions are settled on a drawing rather than discovered on site. The second is that our cabinetry is made in our own Rosedale factory, which means a run that does not divide neatly into stock module widths gets a cabinet built to the gap instead of a filler panel covering it.

If you are at the stage of pricing rather than measuring, this is how we set out, build and install an Auckland kitchen from the drawing up. Worth reading alongside it: how long a kitchen renovation takes, and if the carcasses are sound, what replacing just the doors costs.

Standard measurements give you the language. Catching the errors specific to your house is where a designer earns their keep. Three checks in our design process catch most of the errors well before any cabinetry is ordered.

• Site measure: we measure the existing room in person, not just from your drawings. Wall lines in older Auckland homes are rarely square, and a 20mm taper across a 3m run will show up in the finished cabinetry unless it’s planned around.
• 3D rendered walk-through: a 3D kitchen render lets you see the proportions before manufacture. Walking the camera around the rendered space catches sightline issues (the rangehood looming over the dining table, the pendant lights in the way of the window view) that 2D plans hide.
• Shop drawings sign-off: the final cabinetmaker drawings list every dimension to the millimetre, every appliance model number, every hinge type. This is the last stop before anything is cut.

“Measurements are the boring part of design, which is exactly why they’re where renovations go wrong. We’ve inherited kitchens where the previous designer signed off on drawings that listed a 600mm dishwasher cabinet next to a 650mm appliance. By the time it’s at install, you’re spending money to fix what should have been caught at drawings stage. The check is half an hour. The fix is thousands.”
— Dorothy Li, Head of Design, Superior Renovations

If you’d like a sense of what the design process looks like end-to-end, our Design Studio page walks through it, or check out our previous guide on top kitchen design ideas for a small kitchen renovation for layout examples that put these measurements to work.

Measure Twice, Order Once

A tape measure gets you most of the way. The last 20mm is where a kitchen either fits or doesn’t: the new floor that went down higher than planned, the wall that runs out of square, the dishwasher chosen after the cabinets were drawn. Settle those on the drawing, where changing them costs nothing.

➡ Book your free in-home consultation with Superior Renovations
➡ Price the layout you’ve just measured in our kitchen cost calculator
➡ Request a free feasibility report for your project

Related guides

• which kitchen jobs a homeowner can do and which need a licensed trade
• choosing between an open-plan and a closed kitchen
• the stages of a kitchen renovation, from first measure to handover

Further Resources

1. Featured projects and Client stories to see specifications on some of the projects.
2. Real client stories from Auckland

Need more information?

Take advantage of our FREE Complete Home Renovation Guide (48 pages), whether you’re already renovating or in the process of deciding to renovate, it’s not an easy process, this guide will help you avoid costly mistakes.

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References

1. Standards New Zealand, AS/NZS 4386.1:1996 Domestic kitchen assemblies: Kitchen units
2. New Zealand Legislation, Building Regulations 1992, Schedule 1 (Building Code), clause G3 Food preparation and prevention of contamination
3. BRANZ, Universal design for kitchens
4. Bunnings New Zealand, How to measure up for a new kitchen
5. Houzz New Zealand, Key measurements for designing the perfect kitchen island

Quick answer: The kitchen ideas that actually work in Auckland come down to four moves — a light tonal palette, full-extension drawers, ceiling-height cabinetry, and layered lighting. The 28 ideas below cover colour, storage, layout, appliances and modern design direction, and apply whether you’re reworking a compact villa kitchen or a larger open-plan space. Most kitchen renovations sit between $26,000 and $110,000 depending on whether the layout stays put or walls move.

In an Auckland villa kitchen at the back of the house, or a brand-new townhouse in Hobsonville with a kitchen tucked along one wall, the question is the same: how do you make a kitchen design work without a full architectural rebuild? The 28 ideas below come from completed Superior Renovations projects across Auckland — Parnell, Greenlane, Mangere Bridge, Mt Eden, Avondale, Bucklands Beach. They cover colour, storage, layout, appliances, modern design direction, and the small visual tricks that make a tight kitchen feel less tight. Read them as a working list, not a prescription. The point is to find the three or four that suit your home and your budget.

Many of these ideas earn their keep hardest in a small kitchen, where every decision is amplified — so you’ll see compact spaces used as the worked example throughout. They apply just as well to a larger kitchen; the principles don’t change with the square metreage.

One upfront note: we’re a full-renovation company based at 16B Link Drive, Wairau Valley. Kitchens are usually one room of a larger renovation we’re doing — full house renovation, addition, character home work — where the trades (builder, electrician, plumber, tiler, painter) need to be coordinated under one project manager. If you only need new cabinetry in the same footprint, see the honest answer in the renovate-vs-cabinetry section below.

How to make a small Auckland kitchen feel bigger

The fastest gains in a small kitchen are visual, not structural. These five ideas don’t move a single wall. They change the way the room reads.

1. Choose a light, neutral colour palette

Light surfaces bounce daylight; dark surfaces absorb it. In a 6–10 m² Auckland kitchen with one or two windows, that difference is the gap between a room that feels like a cave and a room that feels open. Warm off-whites and soft greys are the workhorse palette — think the Dulux or Resene neutral families, used on walls, cabinetry and ceiling together so the eye doesn’t hit a colour change every metre. Save the contrast for the splashback or a single accent. A kitchen painted entirely in one tonal family will read as 20–30% larger than the same kitchen with three competing colours.

💡 Quick tip: take a colour sample home and stick it to the wall for 48 hours. Auckland’s afternoon light shifts dramatically — a white that reads warm at 11am can read grey by 4pm.

2. Match cabinets to walls to remove the visual break

Most small kitchens lose the spatial fight at the colour join between cabinetry and wall. The eye registers the break, and the room divides into “kitchen zone” and “everything else.” Specify cabinetry in the same colour family as the walls — or the same colour, if you’re feeling brave — and the kitchen reads as part of the room rather than a stand-alone object inside it. This works best in open-plan layouts where the kitchen sits inside a living space. If the kitchen is enclosed, the trick is weaker but still useful for the upper cabinetry, which is what sits at eye level.

3. Maximise natural light with bigger windows or a skylight

A skylight above a galley kitchen does more for the perceived size of the room than any cabinetry decision. In an Auckland villa with original sash windows, the kitchen is often the darkest room in the house because it’s at the back, north-facing windows have been blocked by extensions, and the ceiling is low. A 600 × 600 skylight over the bench costs $2,500–$5,500 installed (including framing, flashing and the consent that comes with cutting a roof). It’s the single highest-impact item on this list if your current kitchen is dark. If a skylight isn’t possible, enlarging a window over the sink is the next move — even an extra 300 mm of glass height changes the room.

💡 Quick tip: if your kitchen sits in the south-facing back-of-villa configuration that’s common in Mt Eden and Grey Lynn, a skylight is almost always worth the consent cost. The room never gets direct sun from a wall window.

4. Layer your artificial lighting

Small kitchens get this wrong almost universally. One bright ceiling pendant, glaring straight down, casting shadows under the upper cabinets onto the bench where you’re chopping. The fix is three layers: recessed downlights for the room, under-cabinet LED strips for the bench (this is the layer most kitchens lack), and a pendant or two over the island or breakfast bar for warmth. Under-cabinet LED is cheap — $200–$500 in materials — and changes the usability of a small kitchen at night. Specify dimmable on at least the pendants and the downlights so you can drop the room down for dinner.

5. Use larger floor tiles to reduce grout lines

This one feels counter-intuitive: bigger tiles in a smaller room. The reason is grout. Every grout line is a visual break, and a small kitchen tiled in 300 × 300 squares has twice as many breaks as the same kitchen in 600 × 600. The eye stops counting tiles and starts reading the floor as a continuous surface, which makes the room read as larger. 900 × 600 rectangular porcelain in a stack-bond pattern is the current go-to for Auckland kitchens — looks contemporary, sits well under both modern and character home cabinetry, and large-format porcelain has come down in price enough that it’s no longer a luxury spec.

“Matching cabinetry to wall colour is the cheapest spatial trick we have. In a Mt Eden galley we did last year, the same cabinetry in a warm grey reads about 30% wider than it would have in white. The eye stops registering the join.”
— Dorothy Li, Head of Design, Superior Renovations

Storage solutions that turn cramped into clever

The single biggest reason a small kitchen feels small is that it stores its things badly. These six small kitchen design ideas are about getting the same gear to fit better.

6. Replace cupboards with full-extension drawers

Standard cupboards are a waste of space in a small kitchen. Whatever sits at the back of the cupboard becomes a lost cause — you’d rather buy a new one than dig past three roasting pans to find it. Full-extension drawers fix this completely. You pull the drawer out, you see everything, you grab what you need. Soft-close runners are standard from any decent cabinetmaker now and add maybe 10–15% to the cost of the cabinetry. For a small kitchen, that’s the best money you’ll spend.

💡 Quick tip: deep base drawers (300–400 mm) work better for pots than two shallow drawers stacked. The deep drawer lets you stand a 28cm pot upright without stacking pans on top of it.

7. Build cabinetry to the ceiling

The gap between the top of a standard wall cabinet and the ceiling is usually 200–400 mm. In a normal-sized kitchen that gap is wasted but tolerable. In a small kitchen it’s lost storage you can’t afford. Take the upper cabinetry all the way up. The top row stores things you use twice a year — Christmas platters, the slow cooker, the bread maker — and you climb on a step stool to get them. The visible surface in the kitchen drops by 15–20% because the cabinetry no longer collects dust on top and looks unfinished.

8. Add floating shelves at the right scale

Floating shelves are everywhere in design magazines, and most of them don’t work in real kitchens. The shelves are too shallow, too short, too high, or styled with objects that never come down. Done right, floating shelves replace one bank of wall cabinets and give the room visual relief — the walls stop looking like a solid line of cabinet doors. The rule is: every item on the shelf must be something you actually use weekly — mugs, plates, glasses, the salt and pepper. If it’s decorative, it’s wrong.

9. Use magic corners and pull-out trolleys for awkward cabinets

Every L-shape kitchen has a dead corner where two runs of cabinetry meet. Standard cabinetry treats this corner as a black hole. Magic corners (sometimes called magic corner pull-outs or LeMans units) are sprung trolley systems that pull the back of the corner out into the open when you swing the door. You go from 30% usable corner storage to 95% usable. They’re not cheap — $400–$900 per unit installed depending on the brand — but in a small kitchen the corner is too valuable to leave broken.

💡 Quick tip: magic corners pay for themselves in an L-shape under 8 m². In a larger kitchen, a standard corner carousel or lazy susan does most of the same job for half the cost.

10. Install sliding pantry doors

A hinged pantry door swings into the kitchen and steals 600 mm of clearance every time it opens. In a galley layout, that clearance is the only walking space you have, which means the pantry door is closed every time you’re cooking. Sliding pantry doors solve this in tight kitchens — they run on a top track, take up zero floor swing, and let you keep the pantry open while you’re working. Specify them in the same finish as the rest of the cabinetry so they disappear into the run.

11. Use magnetic strips and tool walls instead of drawers

Knives, scissors, peelers, kitchen shears, metal spice tins — these all live in drawers in most kitchens, where they collect together at the bottom and slide around when you open them. Mount a magnetic strip on the splashback above the bench and they live within reach, off the bench surface, out of drawers entirely. The bench gets clearer, the drawer gets smaller, the kitchen functions faster. The same idea works for a pegboard tool wall if you’d rather hang utensils than stick them to a magnet.

Layout choices that make a small kitchen work harder

Storage and colour are surface fixes. Layout is the structural one. These four ideas are about the geometry of the room — which is also where Superior Renovations earns its keep, because changing a layout usually means moving a wall, relocating plumbing, and coordinating four or five trades through a consent process. If you want to go deeper on the geometry before you read these, our kitchen layout guide walks through the work triangle and the main layout types in detail.

12. Galley layout — for long, narrow spaces

The classic Auckland villa kitchen is a long narrow rectangle at the back of the house. The galley layout — two parallel runs of cabinetry with a corridor between them — was made for this shape. Sink and prep on one side, cooktop and pantry on the other. The work triangle stays tight, the cook can pivot between sides without walking. The clearance between the two runs needs to be at least 1,000 mm — any less and two people can’t pass; any more and you’re walking too far between sides. Galley works because it doesn’t fight the room’s geometry.

💡 Quick tip: the 1,000 mm minimum is for single-cook kitchens. If two people cook together regularly, bump the galley clearance to 1,200 mm so the dishwasher and oven doors don’t collide when both are open.

13. Single-wall layout — for very small footprints

In an apartment kitchen or a tiny back-of-villa space under 5 m², a single-wall layout is often the only one that works. Everything on one wall, the rest of the room left as open floor or living space. The trade-off is bench space, which becomes precious. Pair a single-wall kitchen with a mobile island or a fold-out prep surface (Idea 25) to compensate. Single-wall kitchens also pair well with European laundries hidden inside a cabinet at the end of the run.

14. Add an island that doubles as storage and dining

An island isn’t always possible in a small kitchen, but where there’s a metre of clearance to spare, an island earns its space three ways: extra bench for prep, extra storage underneath, and seating for two or three so the dining table can shrink or disappear. The island doesn’t need to be big — 1,200 × 700 is plenty. Storage on both sides of the island is the trick: shallower cabinets facing the seating side for cookbooks and serving ware, deeper cabinets facing the cook side for pots and the dishwasher. Our Wairau Valley showroom kitchen at 16B Link Drive has exactly this setup — worth a visit if you’re trying to picture it.

15. Break the wall to open the kitchen to your living space

This is the single biggest move on the list, and the one that requires the most planning. Most small Auckland kitchens feel small because they’re cut off from the dining and living rooms by a wall that was there when the house was built in 1925, 1965 or 1985. Removing that wall — even partially — turns a closed kitchen into an open plan kitchen that borrows light, sightlines and air from the next room, and the cook joins the household instead of working in solitary confinement.

Important note: if the wall is load-bearing, you’ll need a structural engineer, a building consent, an LBP-supervised build, and a beam to carry the load above. That’s where a full-renovation company matters — the trades, the engineering, the consent and the build all need to run as one project, not five.

Smart appliances and fixtures for small kitchens

Appliances are the next round of decisions. The brand matters less than people think; the size and the integration matter more.

16. Compact two-burner induction cooktops

A standard 600 mm four-burner cooktop is overkill for a household of two or even three. A 300 mm or 400 mm two-burner induction cooktop frees up 200–300 mm of bench either side, which in a small kitchen is the difference between having room to chop and not. Induction also runs cooler than gas or ceramic, so you can stand closer to the cooktop without the bench heating up. If you cook for larger groups occasionally, pair the smaller cooktop with a portable single burner that goes back in the drawer.

17. Slim profile or integrated appliances

The dishwasher and the fridge are the two biggest space-eaters in a small kitchen. A standard 600 mm dishwasher and a 700 mm side-by-side fridge consume 1,300 mm of run on their own. A slimline 450 mm dishwasher does the same daily wash for a 2–3 person household, and a column fridge (taller and narrower) gives the same volume in less floor footprint. Integrated appliances — clad in the same finish as the cabinetry — also visually shrink the kitchen because the eye reads one continuous run instead of three appliances and a cabinet.

💡 Quick tip: integrated panels add roughly $300–$600 per appliance over a freestanding equivalent. Worth it on the dishwasher and fridge; rarely worth it on the oven, which is already a feature of the kitchen.

18. Install a large single bowl sink

The double bowl sink had its moment. In a small kitchen, it’s the wrong choice. Each bowl is too small to wash a baking tray or a roasting pan, and the divider in the middle is wasted space. A single bowl sink — at least 500 mm wide and 200 mm deep — handles everything from a single mug to a full oven tray, and stays out of sight under the bench profile. Specify it under-mounted so the bench wipes straight into the sink and the silicon line that catches grime in a top-mount sink doesn’t exist.

19. No-handle cabinetry for visual cleanness

Handles are a visual interruption. In a kitchen with eight or ten cabinets, that’s eight or ten interruptions. No-handle cabinetry — either push-to-open or with a routed J-pull on the top edge of the door — reads as a single clean surface, and in a small kitchen that calm makes the room feel less busy. The trade-off is that push-to-open mechanisms can be temperamental over time if the cabinetry isn’t perfectly hung. Routed J-pulls are the more reliable option for households with kids.

Visual tricks that make small kitchens feel open

These four ideas are pure visual cheating. They don’t add storage or change layout. They change the way the room reads.

20. Glass-fronted cabinets for depth

A wall of solid cabinet doors feels heavier than a wall with one or two glass-fronted cabinets in the run. The glass admits a fragment of background — a coloured plate, a stack of glasses — and the eye reads depth where it would otherwise read a flat plane. Specify glass on the upper cabinetry only, and only on cabinets storing things you’d be happy to have on display. The clutter cabinet (the one with the lunchboxes and the cereal) stays solid.

21. Mirror or glass splashback

The splashback is the only surface in the kitchen that sits at eye level on a wall. Make it work: a mirror splashback doubles the perceived width of a galley kitchen, and a back-painted glass splashback in a light colour bounces daylight back into the room. Mirror splashbacks need to be toughened glass with a heat rating if they’re behind a cooktop. Some homeowners find them too literal — they don’t like seeing themselves while cooking — but in a tight kitchen the spatial gain is significant.

💡 Quick tip: back-painted glass in a warm white is the safer choice than a mirror — same daylight bounce, no reflection of yourself mid-cook. Costs about the same per square metre installed.

22. Bi-fold windows above the sink

A bi-fold window opens the kitchen onto a deck, a courtyard or a garden, and on a summer evening turns the window itself into a serving hatch. The kitchen suddenly has twice the footprint because the outside has joined in. Bi-fold windows above a sink need careful detailing for waterproofing — the sill takes water during rain and the seal at the open edge has to drain outward — but the spatial result is dramatic for the cost.

23. Textured feature wall

A single feature wall in a small kitchen — textured tile, V-groove panelling, exposed brick, a strong wallpaper — gives the eye somewhere to land and stops the room reading as a uniform box. The other walls stay calm. Don’t try to make every surface a feature; the wall that gets the texture is usually the one without cabinetry, often behind a dining nook or breakfast bar. The texture adds depth without stealing floor space.

Modern kitchen ideas for 2026

“Modern” in an Auckland kitchen has shifted. The hard, high-gloss, all-white kitchen that defined the 2010s has given way to something warmer and more textural — matte finishes, natural materials, and a few deliberate breaks from the all-neutral palette. These four modern kitchen ideas are the design directions our team is specifying most often for 2026 renovations, and they work as well in a large open-plan kitchen as they do in a compact one.

Matte and textured finishes over high gloss

The single clearest modern kitchen direction for 2026 is the move away from gloss. Matte polyurethane and textured laminate doors are now the default specification — they hide fingerprints, sit more calmly in the room, and read as more expensive than the glossy equivalent. Warm whites, soft greys and muted earth tones lead, with deep forest green and charcoal coming through as cabinetry colours rather than just accents. The fingerprint resistance matters more than it sounds: a matte door in a working kitchen still looks clean at the end of the week.

Two-tone cabinetry

The all-one-colour kitchen is giving way to two-tone schemes — a different colour or material on the lower cabinetry to the uppers, or a contrasting island against the perimeter run. The modern move is a muted base colour on the lowers (forest green, navy, warm clay) with a lighter neutral on the uppers to keep the room feeling open. In a smaller kitchen, keep the darker tone on the island or the lowers only — a dark upper run will close the room in. Two-tone is also a way to bring warmth into a kitchen without committing the whole space to a strong colour.

Natural materials and timber accents

Modern kitchens in 2026 are leaning into natural texture — timber-veneer cabinetry, fluted timber detailing on an island front, stone benchtops with visible movement rather than uniform engineered surfaces. A single timber element in an otherwise painted kitchen does the heavy lifting: an oak open shelf, a timber-fronted bank of drawers, a butcher’s-block end on the island. It softens the hard surfaces that define a kitchen and gives the modern palette somewhere warm to land. The look reads contemporary without the coldness that the early-modern white kitchen could fall into.

Integrated and handle-free for a clean, uninterrupted modern look

The contemporary kitchen reads as a series of clean planes, not a collection of appliances and handles. Integrated appliances clad in cabinetry panels, handle-free push-to-open or J-pull doors, and a continuous benchtop-to-splashback surface are the details that pull a modern kitchen together. This is the same principle behind Ideas 17 and 19 above — in a modern kitchen it becomes the whole design language rather than a single space-saving move. The payoff is a room that feels resolved and calm rather than busy.

What makes kitchen design in NZ different

Good kitchen design in New Zealand isn’t a copy-paste of what trends overseas. Three things shape it here. First, the light: Auckland’s low winter sun and bright, shifting summer light mean a palette that reads warm in a UK kitchen can turn cold and grey in a south-facing Grey Lynn villa, so we specify tones against the room’s actual aspect rather than a showroom swatch. Second, indoor-outdoor flow: most Auckland kitchen renovations we design open onto a deck or courtyard, so the kitchen has to work as the hub of summer entertaining, not just a cooking room — bi-fold windows, a servery bench and a run that faces the outdoor space all earn their place. Third, supply: NZ-made cabinetry, built and installed locally, avoids the long lead times and shipping damage that imported flat-pack brings, and it lets us match a benchtop, splashback and cabinetry run precisely to the space. These are the design choices that separate a kitchen that photographs well from one that actually works for the way New Zealanders live.

💡 Quick tip: before you lock in a kitchen design, stand in the space at the time of day you cook most and note where the light falls. A kitchen designed for morning light behaves very differently at 6pm in June.

Concept plan · borrowing space

The best small-kitchen idea is usually the wall

The best small-kitchen idea is usually the wall (Existing)×Existing

The best small-kitchen idea is usually the wall (Proposed)×Proposed

A small kitchen often is not short of cabinetry, it is short of borrowed space. Here the dividing wall goes and the room takes light and depth from the living area next to it without gaining a single square metre of its own. Concept plans by Sonder Architecture. Concept only, not consent documentation.

When a kitchen design moves beyond new cabinetry into moving walls, relocating services or reworking the layout, it becomes a coordinated build rather than a fit-out. That is where our Auckland design-and-build kitchen team takes over the whole job — design, consent, and every trade under one project manager. Timelines matter here too: our guide to how long a kitchen renovation takes sets out realistic on-site and lead-time expectations before you commit.

“The biggest shift we’re seeing is matte everything and a willingness to use real colour on the cabinetry. The white-gloss kitchen still sells, but the homeowners who’ve done their research are asking for forest green lowers and a timber island. It dates far less quickly than people expect.”
— Cici Zuo, Head of Sales, Superior Renovations

Real small kitchen renovations we’ve delivered in Auckland

Three completed Superior Renovations projects — different suburbs, different home types, different briefs. Each one shows what a few of the ideas above look like in practice. You can see more of the kitchen designs we’ve completed across Auckland in our gallery.

Parnell townhouse — relocating the kitchen for a small-footprint win

This central Parnell townhouse came to us with a kitchen squeezed into the wrong end of an open-plan living space. The original layout cut the cook off from the dining table and left almost no bench. We moved the kitchen from the left wall to the right, extended the cabinetry down the dining wall as integrated storage, and added a deep single-bowl sink under a new window. The kitchen footprint stayed the same — the layout did the work. Budget range: $55,000–$70,000. See the full Parnell project →

Greenlane — opening up a closed 1960s kitchen

Joanna and Steve’s Greenlane home had a closed-off kitchen typical of its era — a small room with one door in and one door out, separated from the living space by a non-load-bearing wall. We took the wall out, built a breakfast bar across the new opening, and used the bar as both extra prep space and the dividing line between kitchen and dining. The room reads now as roughly twice the size it used to, because the eye stops at the back of the dining room instead of at the kitchen wall. Budget range: $48,000–$62,000. See the full Greenlane project →

See the full project →

Mangere Bridge — a full-renovation kitchen with floating shelf storage

This Mangere Bridge kitchen was a single-wall layout that needed more storage without a footprint change. We added floor-to-ceiling cabinetry, floating shelves on the wall opposite the run, and an under-mounted single-bowl sink. The shelves became the focal point of the room — coloured mugs, pottery, cookbooks — and the upper cabinets stored everything that didn’t earn display space. Budget range: $32,000–$45,000.

“The Parnell townhouse came to us as a corridor kitchen — the bench was on the wrong wall. Moving it across, putting the sink under a new window, did more than swapping cabinetry ever could. Layout is where small kitchens win or lose.”
— Alison Yu, Designer, Superior Renovations

How much does a small kitchen renovation cost in Auckland?

Honest answer with ranges. Auckland small kitchen renovations sit in three bands depending on what you’re actually changing.

Band 1: $26,000–$45,000 — like-for-like with new cabinetry and finishes. The kitchen stays in the same footprint. New cabinetry, new benchtop, new appliances, new splashback and floor. No walls move, no plumbing relocates. This is where most small kitchen projects through a full-renovation company sit, with the lower end matching the Auckland average for a mid-range kitchen renovation.

Band 2: $45,000–$70,000 — modest layout changes. The sink moves, a window enlarges, the cooktop swaps walls, perhaps a small section of non-structural wall comes out. Plumbing and electrical relocations bring extra trades into the project, and a building consent is sometimes required depending on what’s moving (see the next section).

Band 3: $70,000–$110,000+ — structural change. A load-bearing wall comes out, a beam goes in, the kitchen extends into a former dining room or new addition. This is where the consent process, the engineer, the LBP supervision and the trade coordination all earn their fees. A small kitchen on paper, but a full-renovation project in reality.

💡 Quick tip: small kitchens save money on cabinetry and material volume — a 6 m² kitchen needs roughly half the cabinetry of a 12 m² one. They don’t save on labour. Trades still need to come, still need a project manager, still need the same coordination time. That’s why a small kitchen rarely costs less than the band 1 floor through a full-renovation company.

Where the wider construction market sits matters too. Cordell’s Construction Cost Index — June 2025 quarter 0.6% rise, annual rate 2.7%; QV CostBuilder Nov 2025 — 0.5% three-month, 1.1% annual; 2020–2024 cumulative rise of ~38%. Construction cost inflation in NZ has cooled significantly in 2025, which means budgeting a renovation in 2026 is more predictable than it has been since 2019.

To work out where your project lands, run the numbers through our kitchen renovation cost calculator — it sets out the cost bands by scope so you can see what a $35K kitchen looks like versus a $75K one before you commit to anything.

“Most homeowners underspend on the layout change and overspend on the appliance brand. Layout drives resale value. The sticker on the oven doesn’t.”
— Eunice Qin, Designer, Superior Renovations

When does a small kitchen renovation need building consent?

The short answer: it depends what you’re moving, not how big the kitchen is. A small kitchen renovation in the same footprint usually doesn’t need a building consent. A small kitchen renovation that moves the plumbing across the room, removes a wall, or adds new sanitary fixtures usually does.

Schedule 1 of the Building Act 2004 exempts certain low-risk work from needing a building consent. The relevant exemptions for kitchens are minor non-structural alterations (replacing cabinetry, painting, retiling), like-for-like fixture replacement (swapping a tap or sink in the same place), and cosmetic work that doesn’t affect the structure, fire safety, or weathertightness of the home. The trades doing the plumbing and electrical still need to be licensed under the Plumbing, Gasfitting and Drainlaying Act and the Electricity (Safety) Regulations — that requirement doesn’t go away just because a building consent isn’t required.

Consent is required when:

• A load-bearing wall is being removed (always)
• Plumbing is being relocated to a new wall, or new fixtures are being added
• The kitchen ventilation is being routed through a new wall penetration or roof
• A new window or skylight is being installed
• The work crosses the threshold into Restricted Building Work, which requires LBP design and supervision

Important note: Auckland Council fees for residential building consents are set on a project-value basis. For a project valued between $20,000 and $99,999 — which covers most small kitchen renovations requiring a consent — the base fee plus processing deposit sits at around $2,870 in the current 2025/26 schedule, with additional inspection fees layered on depending on the number of inspections needed.

For a deeper walkthrough of what triggers consent, when it doesn’t, and how Auckland Council’s process works, see our companion guide: what renovations need building consent in Auckland. The Auckland Council fee schedule is published in full at aucklandcouncil.govt.nz, and the MBIE Schedule 1 exemption list sits at building.govt.nz.

What we do as a full-renovation company is run the consent process for you. You don’t lodge the application; we do, with our LBP designer producing the consent drawings and the Records of Work submitted at sign-off. That’s the difference between hiring a cabinetmaker and hiring a renovation company — the cabinetmaker isn’t taking on the consent risk.

Should you renovate, or just replace the cabinetry?

An honest section that doesn’t fit the rest of this article. If your kitchen layout works, the plumbing is fine, the floor is sound, and what you actually want is new cabinetry and a new benchtop in the same footprint — you don’t need a full renovation. You need a cabinetmaker.

The full-renovation model pays for itself when there are multiple trades to coordinate, walls to move, consents to manage, or an entire room being reworked. If none of that applies, the renovation overhead — project management, the engineer, the consent fees, the trades you don’t need — adds cost you won’t recover at resale. For cabinetry-only work, our sister brand Little Giant Interiors’ small kitchen design guide is the better starting point — they design, manufacture and install custom cabinetry in their own Auckland factory, and you’d manage the other trades yourself (or none, if the cabinetry is genuinely all that’s changing).

Where Superior Renovations comes in is the second case: when the wall needs to come out, when the layout has to change, when the kitchen is part of a wider renovation, when you’d rather not coordinate a builder, a plumber, an electrician, a tiler and a painter yourself. Same group, different jobs. The choice between them is really a choice about scope.

Ready to talk about your kitchen renovation?

If your project is more than cabinetry — if the layout has to change, if the wall has to move, if you’d rather have one project manager coordinating every trade instead of chasing five contractors yourself — we’d love to talk. Book a free, no-obligation in-home consultation and we’ll come out, look at the space, talk through what’s possible, and give you an honest read on scope and budget before you commit to anything.

➡ Book your free in-home consultation with Superior Renovations
➡ Use our kitchen renovation cost calculator to see where your project lands
➡ Request a free feasibility report for your project

Kitchen ideas FAQ

Further Resources for your small kitchen renovation

1. Featured projects and Client stories to see specifications on some of the projects.
2. Real client stories from Auckland

Need more information?

Take advantage of our FREE Complete Home Renovation Guide (48 pages), whether you’re already renovating or in the process of deciding to renovate, it’s not an easy process, this guide which includes a free 100+ point check list – will help you avoid costly mistakes.

Download Free Renovation Guide (PDF)

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References

1. Auckland Council
2. Building Performance (MBIE)

Open Plan Kitchen Ideas, Costs & Consent: The Auckland Guide

Quick answer: An open plan kitchen joins the kitchen, dining and living into one space. Opening up a closed Auckland kitchen usually means removing a wall, and if it’s load-bearing that triggers a building consent, an engineer’s design and LBP-supervised work, which is where most of the cost and timeline sits.

The most requested kitchen change we get in Auckland isn’t a fancy benchtop or a smart tap. It’s “can we get rid of this wall?” People want the light in, the cook back in the room, and the boxed-off kitchen gone.

Fair enough. But here’s the part most open plan kitchen articles skip entirely: whether that wall comes out cleanly or turns into a structural job with an engineer, a consent and a steel beam. That single question decides your cost, your timeline, and whether the project even gets off the ground. So this guide leans into it harder than a lifestyle piece would, alongside the design side, the open-versus-closed comparison, and what it all costs in 2026. It’s put together with our Head of Design, Dorothy Li, and our Sales Manager, Cici Zuo, who work from our Design Studio at 16B Link Drive, Wairau Valley.

Design render by Sachi Amarasekara – Open Kitchen

What is an Open Plan Kitchen?

An open plan kitchen combines the kitchen, dining and lounge into one connected space, with no full-height walls dividing the cooking zone from the rest of the room. It’s the layout most new Auckland builds use by default, and the one most renovation clients ask us to create out of an older, closed-off kitchen.

The appeal is simple. Knock out the wall and a dim back-of-house kitchen borrows light and space from the rooms around it. A villa kitchen in Grey Lynn that felt like a corridor becomes part of the living area. A 1970s brick-and-tile in Manurewa with a separate dining room suddenly reads as one generous space. And because it’s what buyers now expect, the layout tends to support resale value rather than work against it.

Why the Island Does So Much Heavy Lifting

Open up a kitchen and you create a problem at the same time: where does the storage and bench that used to live on the missing wall now go? The answer is almost always an island.

An island claws back the counter and cabinetry you lose when the wall comes out, and it does it in the middle of the room where it’s most reachable. It can carry a sink or a cooktop, double as a breakfast bar, and act as the natural gathering point when people drift into the kitchen. The one rule our designers hold firm on: leave enough clearance around all sides so the island doesn’t choke the traffic between the stove, sink and fridge.

💡 Quick tip: Keep at least 1000–1100mm of walkway around a single-cook island, and 1200mm if two people cook at once. Tight clearances are the most common regret we hear after the fact. For the full set of numbers, see our kitchen planning measurements guide.

“When a wall comes out, people fixate on the open space and forget where the storage went. The island has to earn its keep, so I design it to carry the drawers and the prep zone the old wall used to hold, not just look good in the middle of the room.”
— Dorothy Li, Head of Design, Superior Renovations

How to Convert a Closed Kitchen into an Open Plan One

This is where open plan kitchen projects are won or lost. When someone asks us to open up their kitchen, the very first thing we work out is whether the change is cosmetic or structural, because the two are worlds apart on cost, consent and timeline.

• Kitchen is already open plan: No structural work. It’s a cabinetry-and-finishes renovation, same as any other kitchen.
• Kitchen is currently closed off: A wall has to go, which is where engineering, consent and trade coordination come in.

If a wall is coming out, we ask for the whole-house floor plan first. That tells us which of two very different walls we’re dealing with.

Partial Walls (Non-Load-Bearing)

A partial wall carries no structural load. It’s there as a divider, or to frame a doorway. These come out fairly cleanly: the builders remove the wall, then make good the GIB, plaster and paint where it met the floor, ceiling and adjoining walls.

A non-load-bearing internal wall can usually come out without a building consent. Schedule 1, clause 11 of the Building Act 2004 exempts building work on an internal wall in an existing building unless the wall is load-bearing, a bracing element, a fire separation wall, part of a specified system, or masonry (brick, block or stone laid in mortar).

Bracing is the one that catches people out. A wall can carry no weight from the roof and still be one of the walls holding the house against wind and earthquake loads, and Auckland Council lists modifying internal walls that affect bracing elements as work that may need a consent. So “it’s not holding anything up” isn’t the whole test. A builder or engineer confirms which category your wall falls into before it comes out, and if you’re unsure about consent, ask the council or a licensed designer. Sonder Architecture, our architectural design arm, walks through the checks a designer makes before an internal wall comes out.

Structural Walls (Load-Bearing)

A load-bearing wall carries weight from the structure above, the roof, a second storey, or both. You can’t just take it out. The load has to be picked up by a beam, typically steel or engineered timber, sized by an engineer for the span and the weight above it.

Removing a load-bearing wall needs a building consent, and because it alters the home’s primary structure it is restricted building work. Before anyone swings a hammer, the job needs a structural engineer’s design, a building consent from Auckland Council, and Licensed Building Practitioners to design and carry out or supervise the work. Building Performance (MBIE) says any work or design that alters the primary structure of your home is restricted building work, and lists studs, lintels, beams, posts and bracing among the elements it covers. Auckland Council names removing a load-bearing wall between a kitchen and dining room, and replacing a load-bearing wall with a beam and posts, as minor structural alterations that need a consent.

Here’s the quick check we run to tell whether a wall is load-bearing:

1. Check the whole-house floor plan.
2. Look for extra support, doubled studs, posts or a thickened section.
3. See whether the wall runs through more than one level.
4. Check the joists and beams in the subfloor and roof space, and which way they run.

None of this is guesswork you should be doing yourself, especially in an older home with no original plans, where the framing is anyone’s guess until the GIB comes off. We talk through trial GIB removal and inspections with clients before committing to a structural approach.

Important note: If your home has no floor plan on record, budget time and a small cost for investigation before the design is locked. What’s behind the lining changes the engineering, and it’s better found in week one than mid-build.

Who Carries the Consent Risk

This is the real difference between hiring a cabinetmaker and hiring a full renovation company to open up your kitchen. We run the consent process for you: we arrange the consent drawings and the engineer’s design, lodge the building consent with Auckland Council with the engineer’s producer statement, book the inspections, and make sure the Records of Building Work are in at sign-off. A cabinetmaker isn’t taking on any of that structural or compliance risk, and they’re not meant to. That’s the work behind a clean open plan conversion, and it’s why a closed-to-open job sits in a different bracket to a like-for-like kitchen swap. You can see how we handle the whole sequence on our design-and-build kitchen renovation service.

“The honest version most people don’t hear: removing a load-bearing wall isn’t the expensive bit, the beam and the engineering are manageable. It’s the consent and the coordination that catch people out when they try to project-manage it themselves. That’s the part we take off your plate.”
— Cici Zuo, Sales Manager, Superior Renovations

What Does It Cost to Open Up a Kitchen in Auckland?

The cabinetry and finishes of an open plan kitchen sit in the same bands as any kitchen renovation. In Auckland in 2026, a mid-range kitchen renovation costs between $26,000 and $35,000 + GST for a 10–12m² kitchen with custom cabinets, stone benchtops and quality appliances. Basic refreshes start from $15,000, and luxury custom builds reach $138,000+. Auckland runs higher than the national average on labour rates ($120–$150/hour) and compliance costs. Our Auckland kitchen renovation cost guide breaks those bands down tier by tier.

The line that varies most is the wall, and we don’t publish a single price for it, because two walls that look the same can carry completely different loads. Here’s what moves that line:

The load-bearing line is the one that swings. It depends on the span of the opening, the weight sitting above it, and whether you’re under a single storey or a two-storey home, which needs a bigger beam and more temporary propping during the build. That’s why we price it from your floor plan and a site visit, and it shows up as its own line in a fixed-price quote. To see where your overall project lands, run the numbers through our kitchen renovation cost calculator.

💡 Quick tip: On timeline, a like-for-like kitchen takes 5–6 weeks from the day demolition starts. Structural work adds stages on top (propping, the beam, inspections), and if consent is needed we plan on 4–8 weeks for Auckland Council processing before the build starts. The council’s own target is 20 working days, and the clock stops whenever it asks for more information. Factor that into your move-out or kitchen renovation timeline.

Before and After: A Blockhouse Bay Wall Removal

One simple move, removing a wall, can completely change a kitchen. A good example is a full kitchen transformation we did in Blockhouse Bay, West Auckland.

Before

After

Before the work, the kitchen was congested, dim and short on storage. The core of the renovation was breaking the two partial walls dividing the kitchen from the living space, and removing the counter that had acted as a divider, which freed up room for a proper island. Opening it up changed how the whole space felt. Read the full Blockhouse Bay kitchen project.

What Else Changes When the Wall Comes Out

The wall is the headline, but it’s rarely the only thing that moves. Most of the surprises on an open plan conversion come from what was inside that wall, or what sat either side of it.

Services Inside the Wall

Kitchen walls carry power points, light switches, and sometimes plumbing or a gas line. All of it has to be relocated before the wall goes, usually into the island or the remaining walls. Electrical and gas work in that wall is a job for licensed tradespeople who certify what they’ve done, so these trades get booked into the sequence early rather than discovered on demo day. If the sink or cooktop is moving to an island, the waste and venting runs under the floor are part of the design, not an afterthought.

Floors and Ceilings That Never Met

Two rooms that were separate often have different floor coverings, sometimes at slightly different heights, and the strip where the wall stood needs filling. In most cases the honest fix is one continuous floor through the new space. The ceiling is the other decision: a beam can sit below the ceiling as a visible bulkhead, or be recessed up into the ceiling space so the ceiling reads flat. The engineer and the existing framing decide which is possible, so it’s worth asking early which one you’re getting.

Ventilation, Heating and Noise

One big room behaves differently from two small ones. Cooking steam and smells now reach the lounge, so a ducted rangehood matters more than it did. The heater that kept a closed lounge warm may struggle with the extra volume. And hard surfaces like stone, tiles and glass bounce sound around, so a rug, soft furnishings or acoustic panels take the edge off. None of this is a reason not to open up, but it belongs in the plan.

Asbestos in Older Homes

If your house was built before 1 January 2000, the asbestos regulations cover refurbishment work on it, and the wall linings, ceilings or old floor coverings you’re about to disturb may need testing first. That check happens at the design stage so anything it finds is in the programme and the price. Our asbestos and renovation guide sets out the sequence.

Planning the Layout Once It’s Open

An open plan kitchen works best when it’s planned as zones rather than one big space. Prep and cooking sit together, ideally with the cooktop against a wall so the island stays clear for serving and sitting. The sink and dishwasher sit close together, and the fridge sits at the edge of the kitchen so people can reach it without walking through the cook’s path. If you want the mess out of sight, a scullery or butler’s pantry behind the main kitchen gives you that, with the dishes and small appliances kept off the main bench. Plan the lighting in layers as well: task lighting over the bench and island, softer light at the living end, each on its own switch, so the kitchen can go dark while the lounge stays lit.

💡 Quick tip: If you want light and connection but still want to close the kitchen off now and then, a broken-plan layout is the middle ground: a glazed screen, a half-height wall with a servery, or wide sliding doors between kitchen and living.

Open Plan vs Closed Plan Kitchen: How They Compare

Design render by Sachi Amarasekara – Open Kitchen

Design render by Sachi Amarasekara – Open Kitchen

Not every Auckland home suits an open plan kitchen, and not every homeowner wants one. A closed plan kitchen is shut off from the rest of the house by a wall or a doorway or two. It’s the traditional layout, most common in older properties, though plenty of newer homes still use it.

Closed plan suits people who want cooking mess and clean-up out of sight, who like privacy while they cook, or who cook daily and elaborately and want a focused, contained space. It’s also the cheaper renovation, because it skips the structural work that opening up a kitchen demands.

If you’re leaning closed plan but want it lighter, our designers suggest glass-panelled doors to keep light moving between rooms, two-toned cabinetry so the space doesn’t read flat, and a banquette in a corner for a breakfast nook. You don’t have to knock out a wall to make a closed kitchen feel good. For ideas on making a compact closed kitchen work harder, our small kitchen design ideas are worth a read.

“Closed plan gets written off too quickly. For a busy family that cooks every night and hates a kitchen on permanent display, it’s the better call, and it costs less to renovate. The trick is light: glass doors and a lighter palette stop it feeling boxed in.”
— Eunice Qin, Designer, Superior Renovations

The Verdict: Which Layout Do Our Designers Recommend?

There’s no universally right answer, and this guide isn’t built to make the choice for you. But for most Auckland homeowners renovating today, the open plan kitchen is what they’re after, and for good reason: light, space, connection, and the layout buyers expect. For a feel of how these layouts turn out, our kitchen design ideas gallery shows finished Auckland kitchens.

We asked Cici and Dorothy which they’d choose for themselves.

Cici: “Open plan, for me. I cook a lot and I want to be talking to family while I do it. When I design my own space I think about the future, friends over, kids around, conversations flowing. A big island in an open room does all of that.”

Dorothy: “Open plan, from a design point of view. It gives you far more to work with, the finishes carry through from the living area, and you get that one big connected space that feels like the heart of the home.”

If you’re weighing it up for your own home, the fastest way to get clarity is to have a designer look at your actual floor plan and walls. Our team does that in a free in-home consultation, and we’ll tell you straight whether your wall is load-bearing before you fall in love with a layout you can’t easily afford. You can also browse our in-house Design Studio to see how the design-to-build process works.

➡ Book your free in-home consultation with Superior Renovations
➡ Estimate your kitchen renovation cost
➡ Request a free feasibility report for your project

Related guides

• What NZ law lets you do yourself in a kitchen renovation
• How to plan a renovation, step by step

Further Resources

1. Featured projects and Client stories to see specifications on some of the projects.
2. Real client stories from Auckland

Need more information?

Take advantage of our FREE Complete Home Renovation Guide (48 pages), whether you’re already renovating or in the process of deciding to renovate, it’s not an easy process, this guide will help you avoid costly mistakes.

Download Free Renovation Guide (PDF)

Have you been putting off getting renovations done?

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Still have questions unanswered?

Book a no-obligation consultation with the team at Superior Renovations, we’d love to meet you to discuss your renovation ideas!

References

1. Auckland Council: Apply for a consent for minor structural alterations
2. Building Performance (MBIE): Restricted building work
3. Building Act 2004, Schedule 1 (version as at 08 October 2026)

Quick answer: Good kitchen lighting is planned in layers: ambient light for the room, task light on every bench, accent light for features and one or two decorative pieces. Pick one warm colour temperature, put each layer on its own switch or dimmer, and lock the wiring in before the cabinets are made.

Most kitchens we’re asked to fix don’t have a lighting problem you’d notice in a showroom. They have one you notice at 6pm in July, when the only light is a ceiling fitting behind you and you’re chopping onions in your own shadow. This guide covers the kitchen lighting ideas our Auckland designers use on real projects, from Grey Lynn villas to 1990s homes in Henderson Valley, plus the numbers worth settling early: colour temperature in Kelvin, colour rendering, under-cabinet LEDs, pendant heights over an island, dimming and switching. It also covers the part people skip, which is who is allowed to do the wiring.

What’s the Role of Lighting in Kitchen Design?

Lighting does three jobs in a kitchen, and a plan that only does one of them shows. It makes the work safe and easy. It shows off the materials you paid for. And it sets the mood when the cooking is done and the kitchen becomes the place everyone ends up. Get all three and a mid-range kitchen looks considered. Miss them and an expensive one can look flat.

That’s why lighting sits in the design stage at Superior Renovations, not the electrical stage. Our designers plan it alongside the layout and cabinetry in our Wairau Valley design studio, and you can see how that process runs on the design process page or compare the design packages if you want the plan drawn up before you commit to a build.

Enhancing aesthetics

Whether your kitchen is contemporary, traditional or somewhere in between, the lighting either backs up the design or works against it. Pendant lights over an island can be the focal point and a style statement at the same time. Light aimed at a splashback, a benchtop edge or a run of glass-front cabinets pulls the eye to the features you chose and gives the room depth.

In our work: Look at the lighting beneath the upper cabinets in the photo below. Our designer Dorothy Li placed it to wash the herringbone splashback, so the tile reads as a feature wall, and it doubles as the task light for the coffee station. This classic kitchen is on display in our showroom at Wairau Valley, Auckland.

The tile sheets came from Tile Depot: a herringbone mix of engineered stone made to look like marble, with gold metal through it. A strip of LED light grazing across a textured tile like this picks out every joint and change of finish, which is exactly what you want on a feature wall and exactly what you don’t want on a wonky one.

See every display in person: a walk-through of the kitchen displays in our Auckland showroom, or plan a visit to the Superior Renovations showroom.

Improving functionality

A kitchen is a workshop with nicer finishes. You cut, pour, read labels, wipe up and check whether the chicken’s done, and all of it needs light falling on the bench in front of you rather than on the back of your head. Task lighting under the upper cabinets and over the sink, hob and prep zones does that job. Well-placed ceiling lights then fill the rest of the room so there are no dark corners or deep shadows in the walkway.

Creating ambience

The same kitchen has to work at full brightness on a Saturday morning and at low light when friends are over and the dishes can wait. Dimmers and separate switching are what make that possible. With the layers on different controls, you can drop the downlights, leave the under-cabinet strip on and let the pendants carry the room.

The Four Layers of Kitchen Lighting

Kitchen designers build a lighting plan from four layers: ambient, task, accent and decorative. Few kitchens need every fitting type in every layer, but nearly every good kitchen uses at least three of the four.

Ambient lighting

Ambient light is the even, general light that fills the room. It’s what makes the kitchen comfortable for eating and talking as well as cooking. Recessed downlights are the usual choice in Auckland renovations, with track lighting or wall sconces where the ceiling or the style suits them better.

In our work: This rendering from our Design Studio pairs soft ambient light in the ceiling with task lighting above the hob and accent lighting inside the open cabinets. It’s the kind of render our clients receive after working through the design process with our team, so the lighting can be judged before anything is built.

A soft kitchen design that uses three layers of lighting to keep the room warm.

Dimmers make ambient light far more useful. Bright for cooking, low for dinner. Layering in over-cabinet or toe-kick lighting adds another level you can switch on its own, which helps define zones in an open-plan kitchen and dining room.

Task lighting

Task lighting is focused light on the places you work. Whether you’re chopping vegetables, reading a recipe or cleaning up, it lets you see what your hands are doing. The common options are LED strip under the upper cabinets, which removes the shadow your body casts on the bench, and pendants or downlights over an island, sink or hob.

Recessed lights can be placed over the sink, cooktop and dishwasher so every work area is covered, and natural light from a big window or skylight does a lot of the daytime work. The point of planning task lighting is that no bench in the kitchen is left working in the dark.

In our work: In this Henderson Valley kitchen renovation, designed by Dorothy Li, an LED strip under the cabinets washes the chevron splashback and doubles as the task light. Six LED downlights and three pendants over the island complete the layers.

Kitchen renovation designed by our designers in Henderson Valley.

The full specification is on the Henderson Valley case study, with before and after photos. It lists Laminex Prime Acrylic black matte fronts, a Tile Depot Art Stone Painting Grey Chevron splashback with a 3D effect, and a kitchen re-wired by a licensed electrician to AS/NZS 3000.

Accent lighting

Accent lighting picks out the details that make your kitchen yours: a splashback, open shelving, a display niche or a piece of art. Spotlights, uplighters and directional fittings all do it. On a textured tile feature wall, a grazing light shows the relief and colour that flat overhead light would wash out.

In our work: This kitchen renovation in Remuera was designed by Dorothy Li. Matte acrylic cabinet fronts contrast with a glossy benchtop and splashback, and the upper cabinets have glass doors. She took it a step further with accent lighting inside the glass cabinets and task lighting underneath them.

Lighting used to lift the whole design of this kitchen.

Lighting inside glass-front cabinets turns glassware or a collection into a feature. It works best when the shelves are glass too, or when the strip runs down the cabinet sides, so the light carries past the first shelf.

A closer look at the accent lighting and task lighting in the drinks and coffee corner.

In our work: This kitchen display in our Auckland showroom uses every layer. Accent lighting sits in the open veneer cabinets, LED task lighting runs over the sink area, a strip under the base cabinets lights the floor, pendants hang over the benchtop and recessed lights cover the ceiling. All of it dims, so the same kitchen goes from bright and practical to warm and low. Lighting here isn’t an afterthought: it’s part of the design from the first drawing.

One of the kitchen displays in our Auckland showroom.

Below is a closer look at the bar area of the Henderson Valley kitchen, where the under-cabinet light is doing the accent work on the splashback.

A kitchen renovation in Henderson Valley.

Decorative lighting

Decorative lighting is the fitting you’d buy even if it gave no light: a chandelier, an oversized pendant, a sculptural piece. It still has to light something, but its main job is to set the style, whether that’s modern, rustic or traditional.

In our work: This display in our Auckland renovation showroom uses a decorative chandelier as part of the kitchen design. It shows that a light fitting can be a design element in its own right, not just a source of light.

Different materials, textures, lighting and finishes working together in one kitchen design.

In our work: In this kitchen renovation, pendant lights over the peninsula act as the decorative layer.

A simple modern kitchen renovation using decorative pendants. See the full video transformation below.

See the full transformation of the kitchen above.

A chandelier over the dining table adds formality. Pendants in natural materials like rattan, timber or linen give a softer, more organic feel. Either way, choose the decorative pieces to suit the rest of the scheme so each fitting earns its place.

Kitchen Lighting Ideas for NZ Homes: The Numbers to Settle Early

Layers tell you what kind of light goes where. These are the decisions that make the layers work, and most of them have to be made before the electrician’s rough-in, not at the lighting shop afterwards.

Colour temperature: pick one Kelvin and stick to it

Colour temperature describes how warm or cool white light looks, measured in Kelvin (K). Lower numbers look yellower and warmer, higher numbers look whiter and bluer. EECA’s LED lighting guidance puts it simply: warm white is more comfortable in homes, while cool white suits places where contrast matters, such as workshops and garages.

The kitchen designers at Little Giant Interiors, our in-house cabinetry company, give the numbers in their guide to getting a high-end look from kitchen lighting and materials: warm white around 3000K flatters timber, brass and warm-toned stone, while a cooler 4000K suits a cool grey or monochrome scheme. The bigger rule is to choose one colour temperature and use it on every layer. Mixing temperatures across pendants, downlights and strip is the most common reason a new kitchen looks slightly off in person and worse in photos.

💡 Quick tip: Buy all the lamps for one layer at the same time, in the same model and from the same supplier. Mixing brands bought months apart is where mismatched whites usually come from, even when the boxes print the same Kelvin number.

Colour rendering (CRI): what lighting makes food look more appealing?

Colour temperature is the colour of the light itself. Colour rendering is how truthfully that light shows the colours of what it lands on: the red of a tomato, the green of herbs, the real tone of your benchtop. It’s rated on the colour rendering index, or CRI. The higher the CRI, the closer colours look to how they appear in daylight, which is why food, timber and stone look richer under a good lamp and grey or washed out under a poor one.

EECA describes minimum performance standards for LED lamps in New Zealand as proposed, not yet in force. EECA’s December 2025 testing of LED bulbs against proposed standards lists what packaging would have to show under the proposed rules, including the rated colour temperature rounded to the nearest 100K, the rated CRI with additional markings if the CRI is below 80, and dimmability. The same testing found 2 of the 20 models tested failed the colour performance requirements in the first round. Until the rules land, ask your supplier for the rated CRI of every fitting near the bench, and treat 80 as the floor, not the target.

Under-cabinet LED: where the strip goes matters

Under-cabinet lighting is the single most useful task light in a kitchen, and the most often fitted wrongly. Little Giant Interiors recommends LED strip in an aluminium channel with a diffuser, set toward the front edge of the upper cabinet. Mounted at the back, it lights the splashback. Mounted forward, it lights the bench you’re actually working on. The diffuser also stops a glossy splashback reflecting a row of bright dots back at you.

Sometimes you want the splashback lit. On the Henderson Valley kitchen above, the strip was placed to wash the 3D-effect chevron tile, and the bench still gets enough spill to work by. Decide which job the strip is doing before the cabinets are drawn, because the channel is built into the cabinet underside.

Pendant heights over an island

Two or three pendants is the usual answer for an island, and the Henderson Valley kitchen uses three. Little Giant Interiors suggests hanging them so the bottom of the shade sits roughly 750mm above the bench. Higher and they stop feeling connected to the island. Lower and they cut across the sightline to the rest of the room, which matters in the open-plan kitchens most Auckland renovations end up with. Treat 750mm as a starting point, then check it against the shade size, the ceiling height and the height of the people who use the island.

Downlights: lumens, placement and the ceiling above

Compare LED downlights by lumens, not watts. EECA notes that LED packaging shows light output in lumens, usually with an incandescent wattage equivalent, and that LEDs will typically appear brighter than the wattage suggests. For placement, Little Giant Interiors puts downlights over the front edge of the bench rather than the middle of the walkway, so you’re not standing in your own shadow while you work.

EECA also recommends replacing the whole fitting, not just the bulb, when you upgrade recessed downlights, because the biggest savings come from reducing heat loss into the ceiling. Its guidance says most LEDs can be installed without gaps between them and the insulation. Check the specific fitting’s rating with your electrician, particularly in an older Auckland villa or bungalow where the ceiling insulation is being topped up at the same time.

Dimming and switching zones

Put each layer on its own switch: under-cabinet, pendants and downlights at a minimum, as Little Giant Interiors recommends. On one switch you get full glare or nothing. Add dimmers to the ambient and decorative layers and the kitchen can run at three or four different moods. Two catches: EECA notes that LEDs come as dimmable or non-dimmable, so check every lamp, and the proposed labelling rules would add dimming compatibility to the pack because not every LED works with every dimmer.

How Kitchen Designers Plan Lighting in a Renovation

Professional kitchen designers treat lighting as part of the layout, not a finishing touch. In a renovation that matters even more, because lighting is one of the cheapest things to get right at design stage and one of the most expensive to retrofit: under-cabinet channels, pendant drops and new switch positions all have to be wired before the cabinetry and GIB go back on.

Planning the layout

The first step is reading the room. Our designers look at where natural light comes from and when, then map the work zones that need task light: the sink, the hob, the main prep bench and any island. That plan sets where every switch, pendant drop and under-cabinet feed goes, so the electrician’s rough-in matches the cabinetry that arrives weeks later. Our walk-through of each stage of a kitchen renovation shows the order: the electrician wires new circuits and lighting positions to the design plan at rough-in, then connects the under-cabinet and pendant lighting at fit-off, once the benchtop is in. If you’re working out the order of trades, our kitchen renovation checklist puts the lighting decisions in sequence with everything else.

For a small or galley kitchen, the same thinking applies on a tighter footprint. Our design ideas for small kitchens cover the layout side, and light-coloured fronts with good under-cabinet lighting do a lot to make a narrow room feel wider.

In our work: This kitchen render from our design studio shows natural light planned in from the start. Two skylights bring daylight over the island, pendants hang above it, recessed lights sit around the fridge and accent lighting runs near the island.

Kitchen render by our Design Studio.

A second view of the same Design Studio render.

In our work: This kitchen we renovated in Herne Bay shows skylights built into the kitchen design.

Kitchen renovation in Herne Bay with skylights for added natural light in the kitchen.

See the full design transformation for the project above.

Layering the lighting

A well-designed kitchen combines the four layers so it works for every job. Layering also creates zones in an open-plan space: bright task light over the cooking area, softer ambient light where the dining table sits, and accent light that ties the two together in the evening.

This Design Studio render layers pendant, linear and accent lighting across a mix of textures and materials.

Choosing the right fixtures

The fittings have to suit the style and do the job. Sleek modern kitchens usually suit minimal recessed lights and slim pendants. A villa kitchen in Ponsonby or Grey Lynn can carry a lantern or a more traditional pendant. Beyond looks, LED is the sensible default: EECA puts LED lifetime at 30,000 hours against 2,000 for an incandescent bulb, and says LEDs use up to 85% less electricity. Match the colour temperature to the materials, as above.

A second view of the same Design Studio render.

Integrating smart lighting

Smart lighting lets you control brightness, colour and timing from an app or by voice, and set scenes for cooking, dining or a late snack. It can also link to motion sensors, so the pantry or scullery light comes on by itself. If you want it, plan it now: smart switches and hubs are far easier to wire in during a renovation than after. Our guide to smart home wiring during an Auckland renovation covers what to put in while the walls are open.

Who Can Wire Your Kitchen Lighting in NZ?

Lighting design is a design job. Lighting installation is electrical work, and New Zealand law is specific about who can do it.

Section 79 of the Electricity Act 1992 lets the owner of a home they live in do some electrical wiring work on it, but only within limits set by regulations, with no part of the work connected to a power supply while it’s being done. Regulation 57 of the Electricity (Safety) Regulations 2010 sets those limits for a domestic installation. They include removing and replacing switches, socket-outlets and light fittings where the work doesn’t involve the switchboard, and relocating existing switches and lighting outlets supplied by tough plastic-sheathed cable. Installing, extending or altering subcircuits is only allowed if the owner never enters an enclosure where live conductors are likely to be present, and the work must be tested and certified to Part 2 of AS/NZS 3000 by a person authorised to inspect mains work before it’s connected. The regulation also requires the work to be done and tested to the electrical code of practice ECP 51.

In a kitchen renovation, new circuits for pendants, under-cabinet lighting and separate dimmer zones go well past swapping a light fitting. Have a licensed electrician do the wiring. On our kitchens the designer sets the electrical and lighting points in the layout and the electrician wires to that plan. Our guide to what you can legally DIY in a kitchen renovation sets out the electrical, plumbing and gas limits in full.

Important note: This section summarises the law as written on legislation.govt.nz when we checked it on 12 Oct 2026. It is general information, not advice for your installation. Talk to a licensed electrician before any wiring work, and to your council or a Licensed Building Practitioner if the renovation includes building work.

Kitchen Lighting Mistakes to Avoid

The right lighting makes a kitchen. The wrong choices can undo a good design. These are the ones we see most often when we’re called in to redo a kitchen.

1. Harsh overhead lighting on its own

A single overhead fitting, especially an old fluorescent batten, gives a flat, cold light and throws your shadow straight onto the bench. Mix in task and ambient light instead. If an overhead fitting has to stay, make it dimmable and warm white.

2. Not enough task lighting

Neglecting task light is the most common mistake in kitchen design. Ambient light alone leaves shadows across the bench, which means eye strain and a higher chance of a slip with the knife. Under-cabinet strips, pendants and recessed spotlights over each work zone fix it.

3. Overly bright or coloured lighting

Colour-changing strips and very bright, very cool LEDs can be fun for a week and tiring after that. Choose light that suits the kitchen’s materials and colours, and add dimmers so it can be turned down.

More on this: 10 mistakes our kitchen designers see most often.

4. Mixing colour temperatures

Warm pendants, cool downlights and a neutral under-cabinet strip in one room will clash, even if every fitting is good on its own. As covered above, pick one colour temperature and buy the lamps for each layer together.

5. Mismatched fixtures

Mixing styles can work, but only on purpose. Make sure the fittings agree on finish, scale and style, or keep to one design theme. If you’re not sure, a kitchen designer can pull it together.

Related reading: a guide to kitchen layouts and ergonomics.

6. No dimmers or separate controls

Without dimmers or separate switching you’re stuck with one level of light for every task and occasion. Bright for cooking, soft for dinner: that only works if the wiring was planned for it. Smart controls add convenience on top.

Our Design Studio Experience

Meet our designers and see how a kitchen is planned in our design studio.

Getting Your Kitchen Lighting Right

Good kitchen lighting comes down to a handful of early decisions: four layers, one colour temperature, task light on every bench, pendants at the right height and each layer on its own switch. Make them at design stage and they cost little. Make them after the cabinets are in and every change means opening up finished work.

➡ Book your free in-home consultation with Superior Renovations
➡ See how we plan a kitchen’s lighting, cabinetry and build as one job
➡ Request a free feasibility report for your project

Further Resources for your kitchen renovation

1. Featured projects and client stories to see specifications on some of the projects.
2. Real client stories from Auckland
3. Kitchen and bathroom inspiration: our kitchen design gallery and bathroom design gallery
4. Meet the people behind the designs: our in-house design department

Want a specific cost estimate? Try our renovation cost calculators

• Bathroom Renovation Cost Calculator
• Kitchen Renovation Cost Calculator
• Reroofing Cost Calculator
• Double Glazing Cost Calculator
• House Extension Cost Calculator
• Custom Kitchen Cabinetry Cost Calculator

Need more information?

Take advantage of our FREE Complete Home Renovation Guide (48 pages), whether you’re already renovating or in the process of deciding to renovate, it’s not an easy process, this guide which includes a free 100+ point check list – will help you avoid costly mistakes.

Download Free Renovation Guide (PDF)

Have you been putting off getting renovations done?

We have partnered with Q Mastercard ® to provide you an 18 Month Interest-Free Payment Option, you can enjoy your new home now and stress less.

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References

1. EECA, LED lighting: select lighting that reduces your home energy costs
2. EECA, Testing LED bulbs against proposed standards (December 2025)
3. Electricity Act 1992, section 79
4. Electricity (Safety) Regulations 2010, regulation 57

Quick answer: Our kitchen showroom in Auckland is at 16B Link Drive, Wairau Valley, open Monday to Saturday, 9am to 5pm, with no appointment needed. Three complete kitchens let you open the drawers and touch the benchtops before you choose.

A kitchen is the room you touch thousands of times a week, and most people still choose one from a screen. The drawer that rattles, the benchtop that shows every water mark, the corner cupboard you have to kneel to reach: none of that shows up in a render. That’s the reason to walk into a kitchen showroom before you sign anything, and it’s why we built ours as finished rooms rather than a wall of door samples.

Imagine two kitchens that look identical in the brochure. One has a corner unit that swings out to meet you; the other is a dark cupboard you’ll be on your knees in for the next fifteen years. Five minutes with the doors open tells you which is which, provided you know what to check.

What to look at in a kitchen showroom before you renovate

Most kitchen showrooms are set up to sell cabinetry. That’s fine, as long as you know what a display can and can’t tell you. Here’s what we’d check in any showroom, ours included.

Open every drawer and cupboard

Pull each drawer out to full extension and let it close on its own. Does it glide or grind? Does the soft-close catch it, or does it bang? Then open the corner cupboard.

Corners are where kitchens lose the most usable space, and a display that has solved them properly (a magic corner, a pull-out carousel, drawers that turn the corner) will show you how. While you’re down there, look at the cabinet box itself. The front might be acrylic or painted MDF, but the carcass behind it is usually particle board, and the edges and hinge fixings tell you how it’s been put together.

💡 Quick tip: Photograph the inside of any drawer or cupboard you like, including the hinge and runner brand stamped on the hardware. It is the quickest way to compare like for like between two quotes.

Touch the surfaces under the showroom lights

Matte and gloss fronts behave differently day to day. Press a thumb on each and look along the door side-on: gloss picks up every mark, while matte hides them better.

Do the same with benchtops. A leather finish on stone has texture under your hand; a polished one is smooth and reflective. Pick the one you’ll still like after five years of wiping it down.

A showroom can show you how a material looks. What it tolerates (heat, stains, abrasive cleaners) is set by its maker, so ask for the care sheet and warranty for the exact product before you sign. If a number matters to you, that document is where it should come from.

Ask what the showroom price leaves out

This is the question that catches people out. A kitchen maker’s price usually covers the cabinetry, the benchtop and installation. A new kitchen also needs the old one stripped out, new flooring, plastering and paint, and almost always some electrical and plumbing work, plus gas if a cooktop moves. Ask every showroom which of those trades are in the price, and who organises them.

Those trades are licensed. The Plumbers, Gasfitters and Drainlayers Board advises homeowners to make sure anyone doing plumbing, gasfitting or drainlaying work is licensed for it, and to check their practising licence on the public register (PGDB, Advice for Consumers). For electrical work, WorkSafe’s guidance is that installation work must be tested and certified during construction and at completion (WorkSafe, low voltage electrical installations). When we renovate a kitchen, those trades sit inside one project with one project manager, and the certificates come to you at handover.

Important note: This is general information, not trade or compliance advice. Moving a sink, adding a gas cooktop, or a new circuit for an induction hob or downdraft rangehood is work for a licensed plumber, gasfitter or electrician. If the change touches walls or structure, check the consent position with a Licensed Building Practitioner or Auckland Council before you commit.

Bring your measurements, photos and a budget range

Our showroom team asks visitors to bring a rough idea of the space, any measurements or plans, and a few inspiration photos on their phone. That works for any showroom.

Add a budget range too. For context, our published Auckland kitchen price bands put a mid-range kitchen renovation at $26,000 to $35,000 + GST for a 10 to 12 m² kitchen with custom cabinets, stone benchtops and quality appliances. Basic refreshes start from $15,000, and luxury custom builds reach $138,000+. A display kitchen shows you what’s possible. Your budget tells the designer which version of it to draw.

Visiting our Wairau Valley kitchen showroom in Auckland

We opened the showroom on 28 February 2022 (the story of how the Wairau Valley showroom came together), and our designers Cici Zuo and Dorothy Li put together the layout and the material pairings. It isn’t a cabinetry showroom. It’s a renovation showroom, so the kitchens sit alongside the bathrooms, flooring, tiles and hardware that go into the same job.

What’s on display today

What’s on the floor at the showroom right now: six full bathroom displays, three complete kitchens, an outdoor display area for decking, cladding and pergola finishes, and a materials library with tile swatches, benchtop samples, hardware and colour chips you can use to build a mood board. The products come from more than 50 brand partners.

Opening hours, parking and design sessions

We’re open Monday to Saturday, 9am to 5pm, and closed on Sundays and public holidays. You don’t need to book to browse, and there’s parking right out front.

If you want a designer’s undivided time, book a design session. Our kitchen, bathroom and laundry design packages start at $695 + GST per room, and there’s a free 30-minute remote consultation if you’d rather start from home. The showroom phone is 0800 199 888, extension 2.

Coming from the Hibiscus Coast or further afield

Wairau Valley is on the North Shore, the side of Auckland closest to Orewa, Silverdale and Whangaparāoa. We work Auckland-wide, and our consultation coverage includes the Stanmore Bay region, so the designer comes to you for the in-home visit. One of our Hibiscus Coast jobs is Mary’s timber-look rustic kitchen in Stanmore Bay: custom timber-look cabinetry, brass fittings and bright Spanish-style tiling, carried through her bathroom and laundry. Closer in, here’s how we run kitchen renovations across the North Shore.

💡 Quick tip: Coming from the coast? Measure each wall of your kitchen and take a photo of it before you set off, including where the sink, cooktop and power points sit. It saves a second trip.

The three kitchens below are broken down as Cici and Dorothy built them in 2022: a modern matte black kitchen, a handcrafted classic kitchen and a smaller contemporary kitchen. Appliances and finishes on a display floor do change, so ask on the day what’s current.

Table of contents:

1. Difference between our showroom and other kitchen showrooms in Auckland ⇓
2. Our lead renovation designers Cici and Dorothy – examples of their prior work ⇓
3. Highlighting our modern matte black kitchen in our kitchen showroom ⇓
   
   – Overall design highlight
   – Premium Acrylic boards for cabinets – features and benefits
   – Leather finish benchtops – Features and Benefits
   – Silgranit Sink – What exactly is Silgranit?
   – Soft close technology for cabinets
   – No handle set up + Push open cabinets
   – Maximising storage solutions in a sleek kitchen
   – Waterproof Laminate floors
   – who are these types of materials/kitchens good for?
4. Highlighting our Classic kitchen in our Kitchen showroom ⇓
   – Overall classic design explained
   – highlighting 60mm polished benchtop
   – Handcrafted cabinet fronts
   – Feature walls
   – Premium luxury materials
5. Contemporary Kitchen in our Kitchen showroom ⇓
   – How to achieve a great design which is budget friendly
   – Premium Acrylic cabinet fronts Vs Mid-range acrylic cabinets
   – Combination of different materials to create a contemporary style
   – Creating continuity with benchtop and splashback
   – Why is this kitchen more budget friendly than the other two?

Renovation showroom vs Kitchen manufacturer’s showroom – Why we are different? ⇑ (Back to the top)

Chances are that if you are renovating your kitchen, you are also changing its flooring, painting the walls, and moving electric sockets around. With kitchen manufacturing companies you will have to find the additional trades, handle supply deliveries, and manage the process.

Most showrooms that you see in Auckland are kitchen manufacturing companies that have a showroom where they display their quality of kitchens. You will mostly meet a designer that designs your kitchen which is then manufactured and installed at your home. They do not however provide other trades like electricians, builders, plumbers, painters, or a project manager. You will also have to go to flooring companies to select your flooring, choose a painting company, and organise other trades.

Need ideas? Check out our Kitchen Design Gallery or browse our Bathroom Design Gallery for inspiration!

 

Our renovation showroom and design studio at 16B Link Drive, Wairau Valley, Auckland: three kitchen displays, six bathroom displays, an outdoor display area and a materials library.

 

In our case, the kitchen is one part of a managed renovation. When renovating a kitchen with us, a designer comes to your home for a 60 to 90 minute visit, takes measurements and talks through how you actually use the room. Within 7 days you receive an Action Plan (the scope, specifications and an initial quote) and a concept you can picture in your space. The consultation is free and valued at $250, and the price is fixed before any work starts.

Before you accept, come and see the workmanship in the showroom. Once the design is approved, your cabinetry is built in Auckland through Little Giant Interiors, our in-house cabinetry brand.

While the kitchen cabinets and benchtops are being manufactured, we will take you to our flooring, lighting appliance supplier showrooms to select all your other fittings for the kitchen. We will then install your cabinets and benchtop, install your flooring, and provide all trades like electricians, flooring installers, painters, plasterers, plumbers, builders and you will have a dedicated project manager to oversee the entire renovation process.

Cici and Dorothy – Our in-house Renovation and Kitchen designers (Examples of their kitchen designs)– ⇑ (Back to the top)

Cici and Dorothy come with an extensive experience in designing renovation spaces which are functional yet beautifully designed. They both worked together to create our kitchen showroom displays as well as our bathroom showroom displays. They create initial designs on sketch up but also create 3D renderings and models using CAD for our renovation clients. They are an asset to our company not just because they are very good designers but they also have extensive knowledge about the evolving renovation materials of today. Dorothy Li now leads our Design Department as Head of Design.

A kitchen renovation in Massey – Take a look at the design phase behind this Kitchen renovation.

The kitchen renovation pictured below was designed by Dorothy and managed by our project manager Jin. It was primarily designed to renovate a closed off kitchen into an open plan kitchen with an area to entertain.

The pictures below show the transformation of a kitchen renovation that we carried out in Massey, Auckland. The kitchen was a closed off room which was demolished an open plan living which is often why many of our clients get their kitchens renovated. A bar area was also created which was extended from the kitchen. Dorothy and our client decided to use the same renovation materials as well as cabinetry for the kitchen as well as bar to maintain continuity in the overall kitchen design.

Before the kitchen renovation

Design draft 1

Design Draft 2

After the Kitchen was Renovated

 

Design drafts Vs Reality of the kitchen

Elevation 1 Kitchen design Vs Completed Kitchen

 

Elevation 2 Kitchen design Vs Completed Kitchen

Elevation 3 Kitchen design Vs Completed Kitchen

 

Other drafts initial designs

 

Read: Before, and After pictures + design specifications of a kitchen renovation in Massey designed by Dorothy

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1st Display – Modern Matte Black kitchen in our Kitchen showroom in Auckland ⇑ (Back to the top)

 

Dorothy designed this kitchen for our kitchen showroom keeping a minimalistic and sleek design in mind. This kitchen also highlights different storage solutions as well as in cabinet organisation that you can incorporate in your kitchen design to make it more functional.

It also puts some of the hardest-wearing finishes we use in one place, so you can see how they cope with fingerprints, spills and daily wiping.

 

 

The key features of this kitchen showroom display includes:

• Premium Acrylic boards on MDF boards for all kitchen cabinets and drawers
• Stone engineered benchtop with a leather finish
• Timber Veneer boards for floating shelves
• Glass Splashback
• Downdraft rangehood on the island
• Large induction stove on the island
• Hidden fridge and dishwasher
• Pull our rubbish and recycling bins
• Full length pull out pantry with drawers
• Pull out condiment cabinet
• Magic corner for corner cabinet
• Hidden drawers
• Soft close cabinet and drawers with a push open technology
• Silgranit sink with a insinkerator
• Waterproof SPC laminate floors

 

Design stages for the kitchen display done by Dorothy

You can see some of Dorothy’s preliminary designs for this display for our kitchen showroom. This is one of our most interactive kitchens in our showroom because practically all storage and appliances are hidden behind the cabinets. Our clients spend most of their time on this kitchen because there is always a surprise behind each cabinet/drawer that they open.

 

The materials and the storage are what make this display worth a close look. Kitchens no longer serve the same purpose that they did in the past. They are now a hub of entertainment and often a place that the whole whole family congregates around in the evenings or for a quick breakfast before school or work.

It is no longer a separate room but a room in the living space with an open plan setting. Children and adults often cook their meals together which makes it important that the materials used to create your kitchen are durable and easy to clean/maintain.

“I wanted to show our clients that you can achieve a sleek and minimalistic look for their kitchen design without compromising on storage or functionality. Storage solutions of older kitchens are often either bulky or inconvenient for accessibility. The materials especially are an highlight for this kitchen because they are very durable and easy to clean.” explains Dorothy when asked about her vision for this kitchen showroom display.

Most people renovate their kitchens or even homes only once or twice in their lifetime which means that there is a serious lack of knowledge about the renovation materials of today. Our aim through this article is to educate our clients about the materials that we use as a renovation company as well as the materials in our kitchen showroom displays.

Read more…

10 Mistakes to avoid when designing your kitchen by our in-house kitchen designers

How much does it cost to renovate a kitchen in NZ (2022)

Cabinets and panels for all cabinetry – What are they actually made of?

All the cabinets and drawers fronts in this matte black kitchen are made of premium acrylic pressed onto MDF. The carcass or framework of the cabinetry is made of particle board.

Premium Acrylic panels on MDF boards for all the cabinet and drawer fronts. Recessed Veneer below the stone engineered countertop gives the benchtop an appearance of floating.

What is MDF?

MDF or Medium density fibreboard is manufactured or engineered in a factory. It is made by breaking down any scrap/residual parts of hardwood which are bound with wax and resin. High pressure and temperature is applied to this to make them into panels.

Premium Acrylic panels by Laminex

We used Laminex’s premium acrylic decorative boards, pressed onto MDF. The colour has real depth, and the matte finish is smooth enough to feel almost like velvet.

This is the display to test the fingerprint question for yourself. Run a hand across the doors, then look along them under the downlights and compare them with the gloss white acrylic on the contemporary display. How a particular board resists scratches and stains, and how long its warranty runs, is set by Laminex for that product, so ask for the current product sheet rather than relying on anyone’s summary, ours included.

The colour on this display is Metallic Coal. The hidden drawer below holds samples of other colours from the same range.

When you open one of our hidden drawers, you will see all the other colours that you can use to customise your kitchen in the style that you would like.

 

Benchtop used in this kitchen display

The benchtop is also engineered stone with a concrete look. Dorothy wanted this kitchen to have an overall matte finish for all its materials and hence the benchtop also has a matte finish. This benchtop is soft to touch like the acrylic panels and has a leather finish, which means it isn’t polished: it has texture under your hand. A textured finish doesn’t throw the light back the way polished stone does, so smudges and water marks show less.

Heat, stain and impact tolerance differ between engineered stone products, so ask for the exact product’s care guide before you decide whether a hot pan can go straight onto it.
 

The top edge of the benchtops have a shark nose that gives the benchtop a floating quality. This can be seen in the picture below.

All the floating shelves are made of Veneer board with a crown cut. Veneer board is basically MDF with real timber on the surface. The floating shelves add warmth to the kitchen and cut the monotony of the matte black cabinets. It also allows clients to display ornaments, crockery or wine making the kitchen homely.

Read more…

Lynette and Henry’s modern kitchen renovation – Black Stone engineered benchtop with ingrained sparkles

No handle set up + technology used in cabinets

This kitchen does not have any knobs or handles to open the drawers or cabinets. All the lower cabinets have a shark nose at the edge, making it easier to grip and open them. There is a veneer board recessed strip between the benchtop and cabinet edge which has an LED light strip making it easier to see where you open the cabinets in the dark.

All the top cabinets use a ‘push open’ technology to open the cabinets which simply means that you push the cabinet and it opens. As the cabinets are finger print resistant, you will not find any fingerprint marks when you touch the top cabinets.

All the cabinet and drawers use a ‘soft close’ technology which reduces means that even if you slam the cupboards, they will slow down and close softly. This is great as it reduces noise in the kitchen and especially when young kids are in the kitchen.

Glass mirror splashbacks – Why a glass mirror splashback was used for this kitchen showroom display?

Tiles have always been the most popular choice for splashback for kitchens. Glass mirror splashbacks have seen a growth in popularity recently especially for modern and contemporary kitchen designs.

This glass mirror splashback in our kitchen showroom is coloured black to match the overall kitchen design. Contrary to popular belief, this splashback is resistant to heat as it is made of toughened glass and will will not break easily. Using glass mirrors is also a way of making your kitchen look more spacious. Glass splashbacks are also easy to clean compared to tiles as there are not grout lines.

Extensive Storage solutions for your kitchen design – Making organisation easy

Most of our kitchen renovations include making the kitchens into an open plan kitchen. Open plan kitchens often have the living and dining area in the same space as the kitchen. While open plan kitchens promote family interaction, they also pose a problem. The problem is that open plan kitchens need to look presentable and uncluttered at all times as they are visible from other living areas. This means that you should be able to store all your big appliances, condiments, pots and pans inside the cabinets comfortably.

Dorothy says that the ease of retrieving your appliances/condiments should also be considered when building internal storage or organisation for cabinets and drawers.

This kitchen in our kitchen showroom in Auckland is a great example of good storage with great internal organisation and everything is easy to find/retrieve.

Hideaway Dishwasher and Fridge in our kitchen showroom in Auckland

Having your dishwasher and fridge hidden behind your cabinets gives your kitchen a clean, sleek look. This is especially an advantage for open plan kitchens as there is an added emphasis on aesthetics in open plan kitchens.

So how do hideaway dishwashers and fridge work? The cabinet fronts are attached to the exterior of the dishwasher and fridge so from the exterior it looks like a cabinet.

We have created hidden dishwasher and fridge in our kitchen showroom to show our clients how they look and feel.

Hidden SMEG dishwasher with cabinet front attached to the exterior of the dishwasher in our kitchen showroom in Auckland

 

Hidden Fridge and Freezer with cabinet fronts attached to the exterior of the fridge in our Kitchen showroom in Auckland

 

Pull out panty with drawers

The older pantries in our kitchens often just feature a large cabinet with shelves. We often store all our pantry items in the shelves and no matter how much we organise it, it always ends up looking cluttered. When retrieving items from behind, we have to move the items in front out of the way. This wastes time as and is also quite inconvenient.

This kitchen display shows a pull out pantry that you can build it within your kitchen with in built compartments as seen below. The in built drawers are see through from the sides which means that you can see all your pantry items which makes retrieving them easy.

Pull out pantry with in-built shelves makes it easy for you to clearly see all the stored items and retrieve them. – This pantry can be seen in our matte black kitchen display in our Kitchen showroom in Auckland.

 

Individual drawers in the pull out pantry

 

There are several types of pull out pantries that can be incorporated in a kitchen design. We did a full kitchen renovation in Papatoetoe which included creating pull out drawers in a pantry as opposed to the entire pantry being pulled out. In this type of pantry you can pull out individual drawers with see through plastic drawers making organisation of items and retrieving of them easy (see below).

 

Kitchen renovation in Papatoetoe with individual pull out drawers built within the pantry.

 

In this pantry, instead of building an entire pull out pantry, we instead created individual drawers that can be pulled out.

 

See full kitchen renovation specifications + Before and After pictures (for renovation above)

Magic Corner for corner cabinets in our Kitchen showroom

What exactly is a magic corner? Magic corner is a storage solution for corner cabinets or L shaped corner cabinets. It is often hard to get appliances or pots from the corner part of the cabinets which is where a magic corner comes in handy. The idea of a magic corner is to build a shelf which can be pulled out completely. See below for the magic corner that we installed for our matte black kitchen in our kitchen showroom in Auckland (at Wairau Valley).

Magic corner in our kitchen showroom for our matte black modern kitchen

 

As is the case with a pantry, magic corners come in various designs depending on the preference of our clients. You can see a few examples of different magic corner styles that we have used in our clients’ kitchen renovations around Auckland.

 

Kitchen renovation in Hillsborough

Kitchen renovation in Papatoetoe

Kitchen specifications + Before and After renovation for Hillsborough Kitchen renovation (Picture above left)

Kitchen specifications + Before and After renovation for Papatoetoe Kitchen renovation (Picture above right)

 

Pull out bins + Recycling bin in our Kitchen showroom in Auckland

Pull out bins and recycling bins have become popular with clients because they are more hygienic than bins that are on the floor beside the kitchen. They also make the kitchen area look less cluttered without a bin on the floor. This kitchen showroom display has two full sized pull out bins which are installed next to the sink for easy disposal of rubbish.

 

2 Full sized bins that can be pulled out from the cabinets in our Kitchen showroom in Auckland

Some examples of pull out bins that we have incorporated in client kitchen designs. As you can see the bins in our client homes as seen below are half length bins as there is also a drawer beneath it. The size of bins depends on your preference as some of our client s prefer to empty the bins more often than others.

 

Kitchen renovation in Papatoetoe

Kitchen renovation in West Harbour

 

Pull out condiment cabinet in our kitchen showroom in Auckland

Pull out condiment cabinets may not be a necessity in a kitchen but it makes organisation easy. Condiment drawers are usually built around near the stove for easy access while cooking. Our display shows just that in the picture seen below.

Pull out condiment cabinet in our kitchen showroom in Auckland

Most of the kitchens we have renovated include a condiment cabinet like this in its kitchen design. Some examples of pull out condiment cabinets can be seen below in our kitchen renovations that we have completed in Auckland.

 

 

Hidden drawers with a drawer in our Kitchen showroom in Auckland

Dorothy’s vision for this particular kitchen display in our kitchen showroom was to create a sleek look especially from the exterior. This meant that smaller drawers like cutlery drawers would create smaller lines in the exterior which would break up the clean look. Hence, Dorothy decided to incorporate smaller drawers within the big drawers as seen below in our kitchen showroom display.

 

Smaller hidden drawers within the larger drawers to keep the outside of the cabinetry even.

 

Downdraft Range hood with a large safety induction cooktop in our kitchen showroom in Auckland

The induction stove top was designed to be installed in the kitchen island for this kitchen design. The induction cooktop is a SMEG model. Induction heats the pan rather than the glass, but the glass still takes heat back from a hot pan, so if you have young children, ask the appliance supplier how the residual-heat warning works on the model you’re considering.

Large induction stovetop from SMEG with a safety feature in our kitchen showroom in Auckland. The downdraft range hood goes back into the benchtop when not in use.

When you need to use the downdraft range hood, you simply press a button and it comes up.

 

Keeping to the clean lines, Dorothy decided that having a rangehood at the top of the stovetop might make the area look cluttered and cumbersome. Hence she decided to include a downdraft range hood which goes back into the benchtop when not in use. In order to use it, you just have to push a small button and it comes back up.

 

When in use the downdraft range hood comes up from the benchtop. This can be seen in our kitchen showroom in Auckland (Wairau Valley).

 

Electric downdraft rangehood.

 

In order build a downdraft rangehood you need to have an island that has space behind the rangehood as the electric mechanisms need to be built behind and under the cabinet of the benchtop.

In built Microwave, 2 Ovens and a Steamer Oven

 

In built 2 Ovens, Microwave, and Steamer Oven from SMEG – Can be seen in our kitchen showroom in Auckland

This kitchen really shows how sleek and functional a kitchen design can really be. In the picture above, you can see that there are 4 appliances that are built in within the cabinetry. As they are not switched on, you cannot see the light on the touch screen. There are 2 ovens, 1 microwave, and a steamer oven built within the cabinets. Originally Dorothy wanted to include an inbuilt coffee machine instead of 2 ovens but we did experience some supply issues during the creation of our showroom so we decided to forgo the in-built coffee machine.

 

Silgranit sink from Blanco in our kitchen showroom in Auckland

There are a diverse set of sinks that can be included in your kitchen depending on your preference and kitchen design. There are many types of sinks available like ceramic, stainless steel, stone sinks, and silgranit. We have used Silgranit sinks for 2 of our kitchen displays in our kitchen showroom due to its popularity with most of our client renovations as well as its many features and benefits.

What exactly is Silgranit? It’s Blanco’s name for its granite composite sink material. It feels like stone, has a matte surface, and comes in finishes that can match or contrast with the benchtop, like the concrete-look sink on the classic kitchen.

What to check on a granite composite sink

• The colour against your benchtop sample, side by side, in daylight as well as under the showroom lights.
• Undermount or inset: an undermounted sink lets you wipe straight off the benchtop into the bowl.
• The bowl size against your largest pot or oven tray. Bring the measurements.
• Heat, stain and hygiene performance from the maker’s product sheet for that exact sink, not from a showroom summary.
• The tap position, and whether a boiling-water or filtered-water tap needs a second hole.

Waterproof Neptune SPC (stone based laminate) flooring from Tile Depot for this kitchen display

In the past any kind of Acrylic or laminate flooring would not have been a good choice for kitchens or bathrooms as they are prone to warping when in contact with water. Tiles were mostly used as they are easier to maintain and are resistant to water. Tiles however, are hard on your feet when one is standing on it for too long which can make you tired easily. Tiles also get cold in winter and you often have to put mats or rugs to comfortably stand them unless of course if you have underfloor heating.

That’s where Neptune SPC comes in. So what exactly is it?

Neptune is Tile Depot’s stone-based (SPC, or rigid core) floating floor. Tile Depot describes it as 100% waterproof and limestone-based, which keeps it stable, with a sound-absorbing underlay pad attached to each plank. The planks click together over most flat, stable hard floors; Tile Depot’s FAQ lists the exceptions, including existing laminate, other floating floors and carpet.

Key points from Tile Depot’s Neptune FAQ

• 100% waterproof, though Tile Depot says not to lay it in areas prone to flooding.
• Free of ortho-phthalate plasticisers and certified GREENGUARD Gold.
• An IIC sound rating of 66 dB, so no separate underlay is needed.
• Resists staining and needs no wax (waxing voids the warranty).
• Like any similar floor, it isn’t guaranteed against scratching, and prolonged direct sun can fade it.
• Kitchen cabinets must not be installed directly on top of it, because the floor has to move freely.

💡 Quick tip: That last point changes the order of work. With a floating floor like Neptune, the cabinets go in first and the floor runs up to them, so make sure whoever quotes your kitchen and whoever lays the floor are working to the same sequence.

We used Neptune SPC in all three kitchen displays. Look at the photo below and it reads as timber. It comes in several colours.

 

Neptune SPC flooring in our Kitchen showroom in Auckland

Is this type of Kitchen design for you? – Consider the materials and design

There are 100s of materials that you can mix and match to create countless variations of any kitchen design. This means that you can use different materials and get the exact same design of any kitchen. This also means that you should consider the materials of your kitchen carefully before renovating.

Dorothy and Cici often as several questions and they try to understand the lifestyle of the family. It is important to design the kitchen based on your lifestyle instead of fitting your lifestyle around your kitchen design.

This kitchen is great for families with an open plan kitchen. Aesthetically it would be beautiful in an open plan living due to its clean, simple design. It has a sleek uncluttered look with ample storage which makes it a very functional kitchen. We built this kitchen keeping in mind the hectic lifestyles of today and chose materials that are durable and easy to clean. Most of the materials are scratch resistant, stain resistant, water proof and easy to maintain with just a wipe or a vacuum. This would also be a great kitchen for families with young children as the materials are so durable.

This kitchen however, would not be so great for rental properties as the materials used in this design are premium and hence not cost effective for rental kitchen renovations.

 

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Display 2 – Classic Kitchen in our Kitchen showroom in Auckland (Handcrafted) ⇑ (Back to the top)

 

Each kitchen display in our kitchen showroom is designed for a particular purpose. The matte black kitchen (first display) that we discussed above was designed to show hard-wearing modern materials as well as storage solutions that can be incorporated within a kitchen design. The previous kitchen was also a perfect kitchen for busy families with young children and hence the materials chosen to design the kitchen were easy to maintain and were durable.

This kitchen in our kitchen showroom is there to show the craftsmanship of our kitchens and the luxury materials that can transform a kitchen design. The skillset required to craft this kitchen is a lot harder than the other kitchens in our kitchen showroom. This is because all the cabinets are handmade and not made in a factory. This kitchen was designed by Cici who is our lead kitchen designer.

 

Classic kitchen display in our kitchen showroom in Auckland

 

Classic kitchen with luxury materials that are hand crafted – Can be experienced in our kitchen showroom in Auckland

 

Read more…

Classic kitchen renovation in a historic home in Epsom – See before and after pictures

Cottage Style kitchen renovation in Mangere – before and after pictures + project specifications

 

Design Phase for our classic kitchen display

Cici wanted to design a kitchen in a classic and timeless style which would be suited for clients that lived in Villas or homes with a classic overall style. As mentioned above, this kitchen was renovated to show the premium and luxury materials available today. It is also a handcrafted kitchen which means that the cabinets were handmade instead of manufactured in a machine. This requires considerable skill from our cabinet maker but the result of that is a beautiful and timeless kitchen design.

 

 

We asked Cici what inspired her to create this particular kitchen design and she said “Classic kitchens are quite popular with some of my clients, especially the heritage homes and Villas found in Epsom. A very modern kitchen design does not really suit these homes. Classic Kitchens have a timeless feel and can be customised in many ways to still incorporate modern storage solutions. This particular kitchen is very similar to one of the kitchens I designed for my client in Epsom. It has many fine details and is completely hand crafted by our cabinetry maker so it makes it even more special. In order to see the details you should definitely visit the showroom in Wairau”.

 

Handcrafted cabinet fronts in our kitchen showroom in Auckland

Why are these cabinet fronts so special compared to the others in our kitchen showroom? The actual cabinet fronts are made from MDF which are then cut by hand to make the paneling around the cabinet fronts. This requires quite a high skill set compared to manufacturing the cabinet fronts in a machine.

Handmade cabinet fronts in our classic kitchen display in our kitchen showroom in Auckland

 

White handcrafted drawer fronts with soft close drawers

 

All the cabinet fronts in the kitchen are spray painted using ‘half black white’ matte finish lacquer paint expect the cabinets on the island which are spray painting using ‘Madison blue’ with a matte finish lacquer paint.

 

Resene lacquer paint with a matte finish was used on the cabinets.

 

All cabinet fronts in the classic kitchen were painted with ‘Madison blue’ to create a beautiful contrast with the white cabinets.

Creating contrast with colour for this kitchen design

Most classic kitchens have a neutral palette when it comes to cabinets as neutrals never go out of style or trend. Such kitchens usually incorporate colour in their kitchen design by using colourful tiles or brass tapware. Cici however went with this blue for the island to give it a more cottage style classic kitchen. Blues have always been very popular in classic country kitchens and she wanted to create a contrast that would really make the kitchen a showstopper. The fact that most kitchens are open plan, it becomes even more important to to pay careful attention to the aesthetics of your kitchen design. Cici believes that kitchens need to add to the beauty of your living space instead of just being a functional space to cook.

Cabinet door handles – Why Cici did not choose a no-handle set up for this kitchen design?

As most of our clients choose a no-handle set up for their cabinets, we were curious why Cici chose to incorporate door handles and knobs for this kitchen design. When asked this question Cici explained as follows:

 

“While I would use a no handle set up for contemporary and modern kitchen designs, I generally do not recommend that for more classic or traditional kitchens. Of course if a client wants a classic kitchen with a no-handle set up then I would design it for them in the way they like, after all it is their kitchen and they should have it designed the way they like it. However, classic and tradition design styles have something that are vital to their design and I try to stick with the basics for such kitchen designs. I incorporated simple matte black handles and knobs for this kitchen keeping with the classic theme. If I was designing a more traditional kitchen then I would have chosen more ornate handles. Classic kitchens however, have a simple and timeless feel to it and is often made with more solid quality materials.

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Handcrafted Rangehood cover with classic detailing in our Kitchen showroom in Auckland

While we used SMEG’s stainless steel rangehood, Cici wanted to make it look like a vintage hooded chimney. She did not want to make it too ornate as that would be too traditional but decided to add some detailing like the cabinets. The hooded rangehood is also hand-made like the cabinet fronts with MDF that has matte lacquer painted on it.

Handcrafted detailing in our hooded rangehood in our kitchen showroom in Auckland

 

Handcrafted hood on top of a range hood to give it an appearance of a chimney

 

Handcrafted detailing in the hooded chimney in our kitchen showroom for our classic kitchen display

 

The hooded chimney is made above the SMEG over head rangehood

 

Soft close cabinets with BLUM hinges

We mostly use BLUM for hinges and drawer hardware, and Hafele for hinges and storage fittings such as magic corners. When the showroom was built in early 2022, BLUM supply in New Zealand was tight, so some jobs from that period used Hafele instead.

This classic kitchen uses BLUM hinges and soft close technology. Soft close technology in cabinets makes such a difference when cooking in the kitchen with your family. When cooking we are often prone to closing the cabinets with force as its not always easy to carefully close the cabinets. This makes BLUM’s soft close technology very helpful when cooking in a chaotic kitchen.

 

Soft close drawers with BLUM technology in our Kitchen showroom in Auckland

 

BLUM hinges used in all cabinets in this classic kitchen

 

” I wanted to add simple black handles and knobs to all the cabinets and doors to keep the overall design classic and I also wanted the focus to be on the detailing of the handmade cabinet fronts. Black was an easy choice as it complements the white cabinet fronts as well as the blue cabinet fronts” said Cici about her choice for choosing matte black handles for the cabinets.

 

60mm Polished Stone engineered Benchtop – Why is it unique?

 

You may wonder why a 60mm benchtop would be anything special for this kitchen design. This is because this benchtop is not just one slab of engineered stone. In fact, this benchtop comprises of two separate sheets of engineered benchtops that are joined at 45 degrees which is called the mitre joint to create a 60mm benchtop. 60 mm benchtops

You need a high set of skill level to join two separate benchtops and this technique can only be carried out by a very experienced professional. Keeping with the classic theme, the benchtop chosen by Cici was a marble looking matte benchtop with a polished look. A polished look mere means that the benchtop is smooth to touch instead of having a texture like our matte black kitchen that we discussed above.

 

60mm engineered stone benchtop which combines to separate pieces of the benchtop to form a single benchtop.

60mm benchtop are not very common as mostly common types of benchtops are 30mm. The engineered stone benchtop also have veined lines to mimic the natural lines found in marble.

Read more…

60mm polished engineered benchtop – Before and After pictures of a Luxury kitchen renovation in Parnell

Guide on designing Classic, Contemporary, Modern, Traditional, Cottage style, and Industrial kitchens – all elements explained

Feature walls in our Classic kitchen display in our Kitchen showroom

Feature walls are great to add a designer element in any kitchen. There are two feature walls in this kitchen with each serving a very different purpose.

The first feature wall that you can see below is to add depth to the kitchen and to give it a luxurious look. The tiles used on this feature wall are 3 dimensional and are sheets which are of a size 256 X 297X 8mm. They combine a stunning combination of marble and gold metal mosaic. We used these tile sheets from Tile Depot and these tiles are specifically called ‘Mosaix Lux Gold Herringbone White 275 x 303.

The beautiful tile sheets from Tile depot were used to add a touch of luxury to this feature wall. They are installed in a Herringbone style and are a combination of stone engineered to look like marble as well as gold metal. This can be seen in our kitchen showroom in Auckland (Wairau Valley).

 

A close up look the feature wall. You may not be able to see the 3d effect in this picture but it can be seen in our kitchen showroom.

 

LED lights installed below the cabinets light up the feature wall which draws your eye to the wall.

We often put LED lights below the cabinets if we want to light up a feature wall. This feature wall needs to be maintained well if you do not want to damage it. It should not be cleaned with abrasive liquids, harsh acid or abrasive scrubs as they will scratch the gold surface of the metal. Hence this type of feature walls with groves should be used as a splashback in areas where you do not cook and where much cleaning is not required.

This brings us to the splashback that we have used in the cooking area of this classic kitchen display in our kitchen showroom. We have used simple white gloss subway tiles for the cooktop area which we got from Tile Depot. White subway tiles are a key feature of classic kitchen designs and we wanted to find a way to integrate them in this kitchen design. The glossy finish of these tiles also make them easy to clean and are perfect as a cooking splashback. Using two different sets of tiles as splashbacks in the kitchen also create interest and provide depth to this kitchen design.

Vintage Appliances to match this classic kitchen design

Cici did not want to include very sleek or modern appliances as they would be an eyesore for a classic kitchen design. She chose a freestanding SMEG cooker with a vintage design, sourced through Kitchen Things. SMEG is known for its range of appliances in all kinds of styles like traditional, contemporary, vintage, classic and modern.

SMEG standalone cooktop with 6 gas burners, 1 warming tray, bread oven and roast oven – this can be seen in our Kitchen showroom in Auckland

 

This cooking range has similar detailing in its front like the cabinet fronts and elevates this elegant classic kitchen design.

 

Small warmer oven

 

This beautiful vintage SMEG cooking range has gorgeous old style knobs and gas burners which combine elegance and modern functionality

 

This SMEG cooking range is a piece of art with beautiful vintage detailing in its oven fronts, old style dial knobs, big handle and 6 gas burners that are reminiscent of a timeless classic era.

Silgranit Sink with a marble texture and matte look from Blanco

The sink here is the same Blanco Silgranit granite composite as the matte black kitchen, this time in a concrete look that sits well against the marble-look benchtop. The checklist above applies: compare the colour against your own benchtop sample and read the product sheet for the exact sink.

 

Concrete finish Silgranit sink from Blanco – It can be seen in our kitchen showroom in Auckland

 

Subline 700-U level sink. It is an undermounted sink with a large U shape tap. The end of the sink can be extended out to wash vegetables with ease.

 

Silgranit sinks from Blanco

 

This classic kitchen display in our Kitchen showroom has a Silgranit sink with a concrete look and finish.

Hideaway Dishwasher and Hidden Rubbish Bins can be seen in our Kitchen showroom in Auckland

Hideaway dishwashers and fridge have become quite popular with our clients especially for open plan kitchens. This is so all the big appliances can be tucked away in cabinetry to give it a uniform look.

Cici decided to incorporate the dishwasher within the cabinetry for this classic kitchen. The cabinet front is attached on top of the door of the dishwasher as can be seen in the picture below.

 

Built in dishwasher in our classic kitchen display – In our Kitchen Showroom in Auckland

Pull out bin and recycling bin in our kitchen showroom in Auckland

Pull out bins have become quite a common feature with all our kitchen renovations. They are practical, hygienic and give your client an uncluttered look in their kitchen area. This is a full sized bin and recycling bin with a hidden drawer inside for any rubbish bags.

Waterproof Neptune stone based floors for kitchen floors

We used waterproof Neptune flooring from Tile Depot just as we have for all our kitchen displays in our Kitchen showroom in Auckland. As covered above, it’s a stone-based floating floor that looks like timber. The points that matter most in this kitchen:

1. 100% waterproof, per Tile Depot
2. Resists staining
3. Quieter underfoot than tiles, with an IIC sound rating of 66 dB
4. A timber look without timber maintenance

We used a darker and more rustic looking colour for the classic kitchen to imitate real oak flooring that is usually found in classic kitchen designs.

Neptune Stone based floors in our classic kitchen design in our kitchen showroom in Auckland

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Display 3 – Contemporary Kitchen in our Kitchen showroom in Auckland (Small Kitchen design) – ⇑ (Back to the top)

This kitchen display is truly unique in the fact that it combines a wide variety of textures, colours and materials to form a contemporary kitchen design. This kitchen was designed by Dorothy to show our clients that it is possible to create a beautiful yet functional kitchen when you have a small space available. This kitchen boasts materials that are designed to show our clients that it is possible to renovate a beautiful kitchen and be budget friendly.

Our contemporary kitchen design can be seen in our kitchen showroom in Auckland

 

This kitchen is renovated using a diverse set of materials to create contrasts as well as adding some creative elements to form a contemporary design.

 

Some of the key highlights in the kitchen are:

• Waterfall stone engineered benchtop
• Stone engineered splash back that continues till the ceiling
• Mid-Range which acrylic panels on MDF cabinets
• Melteca black board used for black cabinets
• Soft close drawers with Hefele hinges and runners
• Wood Benchtop using Plywood extends out of the kitchen island
• Gold stainless steel frame with glass shelves doubles
• Black floating shelves
• Undermounted Stainless steel sink with gold brass tapware
• Induction cooktop and rangehood from SMEG
• Waterproof Neptune flooring

Read more…

Top 16 Design ideas for small kitchen designs in Auckland

Kitchen Layout guide – Which layout is best for your kitchen space?

Overall design concept for this kitchen design

Dorothy wanted to design a contemporary kitchen for a small space which could show off a variety of contrasting materials and textures to suit most budgets. So what is a contemporary kitchen design? Contemporary should not be confused with modern. A modern kitchen design focuses on sleek and simplistic design like our matte black kitchen design we previously discussed.

Contemporary designs focus on using renovation materials that are popular at a current period of time. You can say that contemporary materials are a mix of various styles and its design elements change as the current trends or materials change in popularity.

“I used all the materials for this kitchen design that are cost effective but also quite popular in the current renovation market. Just like the matte black kitchen, I used Acrylic boards for half the cabinets, however to make it more budget friendly I used the Acrylic panels that are from the mid range as opposed to their premium range. To contrast these white acrylic cabinets I used MDF Melteca black boards for other cabinets as this is also quite a popular material in the renovation industry too. I also used engineered stone for all benchtops as well as the wall which acts like splashback. It is quite common to use the same material for benchtops and the walls because it creates continuity which makes a small space appear larger. Other popular trends of today include floating shelves and hence I tried to incorporate that within this kitchen design. Some of the key designer features of this kitchen include the stainless steel open shelf, floating breakfast bar and a wine fridge” explains Dorothy about the over design of this kitchen.

Elevation 1

First initial draft of the kitchen design done by Dorothy. Here you can see all the different elements that she talks about above.

 

Kitchen display in our kitchen showroom in Auckland – Reality of elevation 1

This kitchen display shows how colour is used to create contrast and interest in this kitchen design. – This can be seen in our kitchen showroom in Auckland.

 

Initial drafts of this kitchen design show the floating cabinets, black cabinets, white acrylic cabinets, and the floating breakfast bar on the right.

 

Elevation 2

This kitchen elevation shows the stainless steel rack for drinks with stainless steel frames and glass shelves. This shelf adds to the overall aesthetic to the overall kitchen design. You can also see the floating breakfast nook on the bottom left of the picture. You can also see a feature wall partition on the left side of the kitchen. This is great if you want an open plan kitchen but do not want your kitchen to be wholly visible from the living areas.

 

Kitchen display in our Kitchen showroom in Auckland – Reality of Elevation 2

The kitchen display designed based on the elevation about – This kitchen can be seen in our kitchen showroom in Auckland.

 

Other elevations of this kitchen in our kitchen showroom in Auckland

A different elevation of the same kitchen design

 

 

This elevation shows that Dorothy used the same engineered stone for the benchtop as well as the entire wall to promote continuity.

 

 

This kitchen elevation shows the island with a floating benchtop attached on benchtop

 

A combination of Acrylic panel cabinets (White cabinets) and MDF Melteca board cabinets (Black cabinets) – Can be seen in our Kitchen showroom in Auckland

The materials chosen for this kitchen design were chosen not just because of their current popularity but also to make it affordable for an average Aucklander. In the end the cost of your kitchen renovation will greatly depend on whether you have chosen mid-range materials or ones that are more on the side of luxury.

White cabinets – what are they actually made of?

The white cabinets are made of MDF and then the acrylic panels are attached to the surface. The panels are from the brand ULTRAglaze with the actual product being high gloss white Alabaster. They’re a mid-range gloss board, which keeps the cost down compared with the premium matte acrylic on the matte black kitchen. Gloss shows fingerprints and food splashes more readily, so plan on wiping these fronts down more often. These panels come in various different colours which gives you much room for customisation.

A range of colours available for our clients to choose from for their Acrylic panels.

 

The material for the black cabinets is not Acrylic panels but it is MDF with a layer of black paper sheet. This is Melteca by Laminex. The range is wide, and the sample wall in our design studio (below) is the easiest way to see it. If you’re weighing the two board types on this display, Little Giant Interiors’ comparison of acrylic and laminate kitchen cabinets covers how each one wears.

 

High glass white acrylic panels are used for all white cabinets in this kitchen in our kitchen showroom in Auckland.

The finish of the white cabinets is glossy which means that it reflects light and is very smooth to touch. The black Melteca cabinets on the other hand have a ‘pearl’ finish which means that they are matte and have a textured feel to it when you run your hands over it. This shows that different textures and sheens can be combined together to form a great overall kitchen design.

 

 

 

Below, you can see the range of colours available from Melteca and the number of customisation options you have when renovating your kitchen. Bestwood boards, which are similar to Melteca, sit alongside them in the design studio.

 

A sample range of Melteca colours that can be seen in our design studio in our kitchen showroom in Auckland

 

Samples of the Bestwood range in our design studio in our kitchen showroom in Auckland

 

All of the hinges used in our cabinetry is from Hafele and have a soft close set up.

 

Engineered stone benchtop and splashback in our kitchen showroom in Auckland

Creating continuity

One of the aims to create this kitchen display in our showroom was to show how it is in fact possible to create an aesthetically beautiful kitchen within a small space. Some of the ways to create an illusion of space in a small kitchen design is to create continuity. This was done in this kitchen by using a lighter shade in engineered stone for the splashback as well as benchtop above the already white cabinets.

Benchtop with a waterfall edge on one side

The benchtop and splashback are made of engineered stone with a polished finish. A polished finish just means that it is smooth to touch and it has a matte finish. It has a look of marble and have natural vein lines that you see naturally occurring in marble. in It is also 20mm in width and this width has started becoming popular in the last few years. The edge of one of the sides of the island has a waterfall edge which basically means that the engineered stone extends to the floor of the kitchen, hence the waterfall. This benchtop is from the mid range of engineered stone and not from the premium range that is used in our classic kitchen display discussed above. Using the mid-range engineered stone makes this kitchen more budget friendly as compared to our classic kitchen display.

 

Waterfall edge for one side of the island can be seen in our kitchen showroom in Auckland

Floating shelves, feature divider/wall and stainless steel open shelves – in our kitchen showroom in Auckland

 

Dorothy and Cici usually try and incorporate floating shelves in small kitchen spaces as it opens up the space and also adds to the aesthetics of the kitchen. If you had full top cabinetry in a small kitchen design then it will close the space up and make your kitchen look cumbersome. Hence, Dorothy decided to create one full length storage cabinetry in black and for part of the kitchen she decided to add black floating shelves to contrast with the white stone on the walls.

 

Black floating shelves with LED lights against a white stone wall adds interest to this small kitchen design

Drinks cabinet – Stainless steel frame with glass shelves

Dorothy also wanted to add another colour to the kitchen instead of just white and black to make it more appealing and to add a designer element to the kitchen. This drinks cabinet is made of brushed gold stainless steel frame and glass shelves and is a perfect way to display your glassware as well as drinks. This brushed gold colour also matches the tapware and chandelier found in this kitchen display in our kitchen showroom.

This drinks cabinet has a stainless steel frame in brushed gold/brass with glass shelves. This makes it a perfect display cabinet for drinks. This brushed gold also matches with the tapware as well as the chandelier in this kitchen – This can be seen in our kitchen showroom in Auckland

Feature wall – can be seen in our kitchen showroom in Auckland

Feature walls can be anything that is added on a wall for design purpose. It can be a wall that has designer tiles on it, wall paper or you can built an entirely separate walls that act as a divider.

The reason we built this feature wall is to show our clients that they can create dividers with their homes. It is also great for clients who have an open plan kitchen but do not want their kitchen to be fully visible from their living areas.

The feature wall of 4 vertical wooden beams can be seen next to the drinks cabinet in this design created by Dorothy

 

The kitchen display in our kitchen showroom shows the 4 vertical wooden beams next to the open drinks cabinet

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Floating breakfast nook – extends out from the stone benchtop

Any kind of wooden element in any design brings some warmth in the kitchen to make it look cozy. This breakfast nook extends out of the benchtop and is attached on top of the benchtop. It creates a separate area for people to eat meals or even do for kids to do their homework.

The fact that it is a completely different material that is attached on to the benchtop also creates depth in kitchen and adds to its design.

The wooden looking breakfast nook that extends out from the benchtop. You can also see a wine fridge at the bottom left of the breakfast nook.

 

Elevation 2 of the breakfast nook – This can be seen in our Kitchen showroom in Auckland

Floating breakfast nook – what is this material made of?

The wooden benchtop is made of two different pieces of plywood that is joined together at 45 degree in a mitre joint to form a 50mm box. It is hollow inside so it is relatively light and can be easily attached to the benchtop without any strain on the stone.

We do not have bar stools for this kitchen display but we do plan to get them in the future. A sleek set of bar stools can be fit under the floating breakfast nook.

Brushed gold for the tap, stainless steel frame and feature chandelier

As Dorothy wanted to add some colour to this kitchen design, she decided to add 3 components with brushed gold. The feature chandelier, brass gold tapware and stainless steel frame are brass gold and even though they are not big components, they do add a great contrast.

Chandelier with brushed gold trimmings that match the U-shaped tap and frame of the open shelf

 

Brushed gold u-shaped tap matches the stainless steel frame of the drinks shelves and trimmings of chandelier. The nozzle at the end of the tap can be pulled out and stretches till the stainless sink.

 

Stainless steel frame with glass shelves of the drinks cabinet matches the tap as well as the chandelier

Neptune Waterproof Flooring from Tile Depot

All three kitchen displays use Neptune. It’s a stone-based floor with a limestone core, and Tile Depot rates it 100% waterproof, which is the quality that matters most next to a sink and dishwasher.

It also resists staining and is quieter underfoot than tiles. Dorothy chose a slightly lighter shade than the matte black kitchen for this kitchen design and it can be seen in the picture below.

The flooring in this kitchen looks like real timber but is Neptune stone-based SPC. This flooring can be seen in our kitchen showroom in Auckland.

Appliances in this kitchen

Dorothy used a standard SMEG induction cooktop and built-in rangehood here, from the mid-range rather than the premium range on the matte black kitchen. The matte black kitchen was built to show what the top end can do; this one was built to fit most budgets. Whichever cooktop you choose, check how its residual-heat indicator works if there are young children in the house.

Who is this type of kitchen design good for?

This kitchen is suitable for most families or even rental properties as it budget friendly and easy to maintain. Some of the materials are however, not stain resistant which means that it is advisable for you to wipe away and spills once you are finished cooking. Most spills will not stain the benchtop or cabinet fronts even if you do not wipe them straightaway.

However, spills like red wine, beetroot juice and turmeric should be wiped off sooner rather than later to avoid staining. This however may not be a great kitchen design for people who prefer more classic and traditional kitchen designs.

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Seeing a kitchen in person beats any render

Open the drawers, put your hand on the benchtop and ask what the price leaves out. Ten minutes in a showroom with your own measurements in your pocket will tell you more about the kitchen you want than a month of scrolling. Ours is at 16B Link Drive, Wairau Valley, Monday to Saturday from 9am to 5pm, and the team is on 0800 199 888 (extension 2 for the showroom).

➡ Book your free in-home consultation with Superior Renovations using the form at the bottom of this page
➡ put a price range on the kitchen you liked in the showroom
➡ Request a free feasibility report for your project

Related guides

• which kitchen jobs need a licensed electrician, plumber or gasfitter
• how long an Auckland kitchen renovation takes, start to finish
• what to compare when you shortlist renovation companies

Further Resources

1. Featured projects and Client stories to see specifications on some of the projects.
2. Real client stories from Auckland

Need more information?

Take advantage of our FREE Complete Home Renovation Guide (48 pages), whether you’re already renovating or in the process of deciding to renovate, it’s not an easy process, this guide will help you avoid costly mistakes.

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References

1. Plumbers, Gasfitters and Drainlayers Board, Advice for Consumers: check your plumber, gasfitter or drainlayer is licensed
2. WorkSafe, Low and extra low voltage electrical installations
3. Tile Depot, Neptune Stone Based Waterproof Floors
4. Tile Depot, Neptune Frequently Asked Questions

While the bathroom might be the most used room in the house, a kitchen is easily the most hardworking room of a home. It is more prone to wear and tear because of high foot traffic with constantly having to withstand spills and cooking mess which means that your kitchen floor must be durable.

The evolution of our lifestyles also means that more homes in Auckland have an open planned kitchen which is connected to the living and dining room. The kitchen of today is easily visible from other living areas of the house which means that it must be uncluttered and aesthetically pleasing.

If you spend quite a bit of your time in the kitchen then you should choose a kitchen flooring that is comfortable to stand on. Today’s kitchens therefore wear several hats and need to be durable, strong, beautiful as well as comfortable on your feet.

In this article we will talk about how you to choose the right type of flooring for your kitchen with a special focus on Tiles as they have been the most popular with our clients.

Why tiles?

Tiles have been a natural choice for kitchen flooring because they are water-resistant, do not stain easily and come in various styles to create a functional yet beautiful kitchens. Using certain tiles can however be hard and cold which could be uncomfortable in winter or when you are cooking for an extended period.

So then how do you choose the right type of tiles for your flooring especially since there is such a variety in materials, patterns, and textures? We work very closely with Tile depot for your renovation projects so we thought it would be a good idea to have a chat with Ruth from Tile depot to understand more about Tiles for kitchens.

Tiles are also often used as splashbacks and as feature walls in a kitchen, so we decided to include them in the article. If you are looking at renovating your kitchen or simply planning on changing its flooring, then this article will be useful to understand how to choose the correct tiles for your family.

Need ideas? Check out our Kitchen Design Gallery or dive into our Bathroom Design Gallery for inspiration!

Table of contents

1.) Materials of tiles available today – Pros and cons for each

2.) Properties of Tiles that affect the choice of your kitchen tiles (Water resistance, Texture, Durability/PEI rating, Underlay and Natural lighting)

3.) In discussion with Ruth – 6 Questions to ask yourself before choosing the correct tiles for your kitchens- What is your budget?

– How much cooking happens in your kitchen? How much time do you spend in your kitchen?

– Is your kitchen a high traffic area?

– Is it an open planned kitchen or a separate room?

– Do you have young children?

– Do you need non-slip tiles?

4.) 5 top Tile trends for backsplash in Auckland – by Ruth

5.) 5 Top tile trends for kitchen flooring in Auckland – by Ruth

6.) 6 Top ideas for Feature walls by Ruth

Materials of Kitchen Tiles Available today – Pros and cons for each

There are many materials of tiles available today and it is always good to know as much as possible about each material. Knowing about the materials will give you a better idea of what works for your kitchen. Tiles can be broadly categorised into manufactured and natural stone tiles.

Examples of Manufactured tile materials:

• Ceramic tiles
• Porcelain ceramic tiles
• Terracotta
• Glass
• Cement

Examples of Natural stone tiles

• Marble
• Granite
• Limestone

Non porcelain Ceramic Kitchen Tiles

Ceramic tiles are one of the most cost effective type of kitchen tile available and have an extensive range of styles to choose from. Ceramic tiles are a mix of minerals and clays which are baked and then the pattern or texture is printed on them.

Ceramic tiles are however quite hard and can be very cold in winter. They also can be chipped easily and have sound reflective properties which means that they should be avoided in open plan kitchens. We would also recommend clients to use larger tiles as this means that there will be lesser grout lines to clean as grout does get stained quite easily.

Tip: We would recommend our clients to use ceramic tiles as feature walls or splashbacks but not the floors unless you have underfloor heating. Installing underfloor heating can however be expensive.

Luxury Ceramic tiles from the Vein cut series from Tile Depot (Tile Depot 2021)

Porcelain Kitchen tiles

Porcelain Kitchen tiles are more expensive than ceramic tiles but are non-porous which means that they are harder to damage. They are made of high quality clay and minerals that are compressed under high temperatures.

They are harder than ceramic tiles which means that they are harder to cut and heavy. They do however can be made to look like stone engineered marble, Cement or wood which makes them a great design option. They also make for good outdoor tiles which means that you can achieve a great indoor and outdoor floor if your kitchen is extended to the outside of your home.

Glazed Vs Non Glazed Porcelain Kitchen Tiles

All porcelain tiles are made by using natural clays and pigments which are then fired to harden them. This gives you an unglazed tile which looks more natural, has a textured look with a matte finish. Glazed tiles go through a second firing process, where a protective liquid glass coating is applied and a variety of colours or designs are printed upon this before firing them yet again. This give glazed tiles a slick look and they are often seen in more modern designs.

 

Unglazed porcelain tiles are textured and hence better for wet areas such as bathrooms, kitchen floors and laundry areas. They also feature more anti-slip properties when compared to glazed porcelain tiles. They are however harder to clean and are not ideal for kitchen splashbacks or as cabinet fronts. Glazed porcelain tiles are however more popular as they have a lot more variety in designs and colours. They are also easier to clean due to their non-porous surface and are often used as splashbacks, cabinet fronts and flooring for modern and contemporary designs.

Non-glazed tiles from the Heritage Collection (Tile depot 2021)

Pieno Perla Vernata Glazed Porcelain Tiles (Tile depot 2021)

Glass tiles

Glass tiles have traditionally been popular as splashbacks, countertops, backsplash, and feature walls. Glass tiles have always been used as a decorative tile and are mostly used in mosaics for truly beautiful look. They are non-porous so they will not let any dirt or grime get into it. They are however easy to scratch, and the surface can look dusty easily and are extremely difficult to install which means that they are not the best option as kitchen flooring.

Mosaic tiles are small bits of glass that are put together to elevate a kitchen design. We recommend clients to use mosaics as accents on the wall with details like horizontal line etc to elevate the overall design of the kitchen.

Tip: Use it as a feature wall or detailing on walls but avoid using them as a flooring or a backsplash.

Read more…

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Stone Kitchen flooring Tiles

Stone tiles are made of natural stone and are not manufactured in the factory. Stone tiles are made of either limestone, granite, slate, or the more popular marble. Stone tiles are porous which means that they must be sealed every two years or so. They are usually polished so their natural design shines through, but they can be slippery when wet which can be a hazard for older people. While stone is durable, they can be a bit expensive to maintain as they must be resealed every 2-3 years. They will however last you a long time and give your kitchen a look of luxury which is hard to match with ceramic or porcelain tiles.

Marble flooring Tiles

Marble is the most common type of stone tiles used in New Zealand. They add a touch of understated elegance that will transform your kitchen into a luxurious space. As marble is a natural stone, you can expect some of your tiles to have different patterns which are natural to that marble tile. Marble tiles are however expensive so they might not suit every budget. You can however incorporate marble in smaller areas to save cost like the kitchen floor or splashback.

Granite Tiles

Granite tiles also have the naturally occurring flecks as marble, but they look a lot less luxurious as compared to marble. While marble exudes a sense of luxury, granite often does not add a sense of luxury. It is a cheaper alternative to marble tiles and choosing the right type of design is essential, so your flooring does not look dated. Granite tiles are not very popular as kitchen floor tiles in New Zealand but are often used outdoors.

Limestone Tiles

Limestone is almost never used as a kitchen flooring in New Zealand. It is often found as an outdoor tile, around the fireplace or as a feature wall.

Metal Tile and Resin Tiles

Using metal tiles is another great way to add some depth into your kitchen space as it elevates the over all kitchen design. They come in various shapes, sizes and finishes which make them a perfect addition as wall accents as well as feature walls.

Resin tiles add depth and dimension to a feature wall but they are prone to chipping so they should not be used in homes with very young children.

5 things to think about before choosing your kitchen flooring tile material

Now that you know the types of materials available in tiles, you should consider the following factors before deciding on your kitchen tiles.

1. Water resistance:

   Kitchens need a good water resistance flooring, so you are not always worrying about your flooring getting damaged. When using tiles on your kitchen floors we recommend using tiles that are unglazed with an absorption rate of 0.5% and unglazed tiles wit a maximum rate of 3%.

2. Texture:

   If you have elderly people in your household then you should go for more textured tiles as they are less slippery when wet. Textured tiles can however be quite hard to clean so they should be avoided in households that have young children as they are harder to maintain. If you have young children, then we recommend using mats in front of your sinks or wet areas.

3. Durability and measure of PEI:

   Durability refers to how well your tiles can withstand wear and tear. So how do you check the durability of a particular tile? The best way to check the durability of a tile is to check its PEI rating. The PEI rating of a tile is the measure of its resistance to abrasion. The higher the PEI rating the more it can withstand wear and tear before showing signs of deterioration. In most households, kitchens are considered a high traffic area and hence should have flooring that has a high PEI rating. We recommend our clients to use kitchen tiles that are rated at PEI 3 or PEI 4 as they are the best for high traffic areas. You can however use PEI 1 or PEI 0 rated tiles for feature walls as they do not have any foot traffic.

4. Underlay:

   Tiles should always be installed on a surface that is smooth, even and level. If your floor is not even then you might have to install a subfloor that is even, smooth and hard before you lay your tiles. It is always good to get your subfloor checked before you decide on your kitchen flooring.

5. Natural Lighting:

   People often do not think about the amount of natural lighting in their kitchen and the importance of it before purchasing their tiles. A tile in a well lit showroom or online on a website can look very different when compared to the tile within your kitchen.Glossy tiles for example are work well in smaller spaces with less natural lighting as reflect light and make the room look more lit up. This is also true with lighter coloured tiles as they reflect light and make the space appear larger.

In Discussion with Ruth from Tile Depot

As our preferred tiles supplier, we work very closely with Tile depot for flooring and tiling needs of our clients. Our project managers often seek advice from Ruth when it comes to choosing the right type of tiles for our client home renovations.

With this article our aim is to educate our clients on the type of tiles suited for their floors, backsplash, and feature walls so we decided that it was time to have a chat with Ruth. Ruth has over 16 years of experience with Tile depot, and she has extensive knowledge on the myriad of options available for tiles.

It is often very overwhelming when you walk into a tile showroom because there are so many options, and it is hard to make a choice.

When choosing kitchen tiles for our clients we believe that there are a few things that need to be considered before selecting a tile.

6 Questions to ask yourself before you choose your Kitchen tiles

1) What is your budget?

When renovating your kitchen, it is important to have an idea on what you want to be spending for tiling your kitchen. Tiles can really transform the look of your kitchen and some clients often feel that they would prefer making a statement through the clever use of tiles. For such clients we often recommend using porcelain tiles as they can be manipulated to look like wood, cement, or natural stone. They are more expensive than ceramic tiles but are more durable and of a higher quality so will last you a longer time.

Foil Porcelain tiles are installed in the Splashback as well as the floors and give a sense of Urban Luxury. A contrasting cement finish tiles are also used as the front of cupboards to add to the industrial kitchen design (Tile Depot, 2021)

If your budget allows, then we would recommend using natural stone tiles which add a sense of luxury and elegance to your kitchen. If you do however have a rental property, then you are looking for a return of your investment. For rental property renovations we recommend using tiles that are durable but also cost effective which could make ceramic tiles the best option for you.

You should always have an honest chat with your project manager about your budget so they are able to suggest the right options for your kitchen tiles. The good news is that tiles have evolved dramatically over the years and there are a lot of texture and design options no matter what your budget is.

2) How much cooking happens in your kitchen? And how much time do you spend in your kitchen?

Pro tip: Choose tiles that are easy to clean + Soft on your feet

Kitchen tiling needs for households that cook a lot is very different from the ones that do not cook as much. If you do cook a lot in your kitchen then will want to choose a backsplash which is easy to clean with a simple wipe. You might also want your flooring to be soft on your feet, so you do not tire easily when cooking for extended periods of time.

Kitchen flooring to consider

Most tiles are hard on the feet and can cause foot fatigue so no matter what tiles you chose your floors will be hard on your feet. You can remedy this situation by adding rugs on your kitchen floor or wearing comfortable shoes.

Ruth explains that there are alternatives to using tiles on kitchen floors if you do not want to add rugs and if you want a flooring that is softer on your feet. Laminate and wooden flooring care softer on your feet and will not make you as fatigues compared to tiles.

She also recommends a new hybrid flooring called SPC by Neptune which is becoming increasingly popular with Aucklanders for their kitchen floors. SPC stands for stone (limestone) polymer composite and has many benefits over tiles for your kitchen flooring. It is a mix of limestone and Vinyl and is manufactured in a way that it carries the benefits of both these materials.

Benefits of Neptune SPC

• It is 100% waterproof which means that they are perfect for kitchen floors
• It is softer on your feet as it embodies the qualities of limestone
• It does not echo the sound of footsteps and reduces the noise of any foot traffic. This is great for kitchens which are on the second storey of the house as you will not be able to hear any footsteps even if you are directly below the room.
• It is easy to clean and maintain
• It is much warmer than tiles so you will not require underfloor heating, warm rugs, or shoes while cooking.

If you do however prefer tiles for your kitchen floor, then opt for porcelain or natural stone tiles instead of ceramic. Also consider installing underfloor heating for the colder winter months.

Neptune Stone Polymer composite tiles (SPC) used in the kitchen. (Tile Depot 2021)

Read more…

See pictures of SPC Neptune flooring used in all our kitchen displays in our kitchen showroom in Wairau Valley

Kitchen Splashback tiles to consider

If you do cook a lot, then install a kitchen backsplash tile with fewer grout lines or grout lines that are sealed. If your grout lines are not sealed, then you will have to keep cleaning your grouting as they are easily stained.

It is also a good idea not to choose textured, 3D or handmade tiles as you will not be able to wipe off the stains easily. If you do however like handmade tiles, then we suggest using tiles that look man made and textured but are in fact have a smooth surface that is easy to clean.

This tiled splashback is textured and has grout lines, however the surface is smooth to touch and the grouting is sealed which makes cleaning easy. This is from the Hexa tile collection at Tile Depot (Tile depot 2021)

An example of this is the handmade looking tiles from Tribeca. These tiles look like they are handmade and have textured patterns but are in fact smooth on the surface and very easy to clean. They will also add an interesting design element to your kitchen.

Tribeca tiles are however on the more expensive side so if you are looking for a more budget friendly kitchen splashback tile then opt for either a glass splashback or white subway tiles as they are very cost effective. You can also install one large piece of ceramic or stone tile as a splashback if you do not want grout lines at all. Do not use porcelain as a splashback because they are very heavy and installation might be a problem.

See pictures of different splashbacks used in our kitchen renovations

Black glass splash back used in an Entertainer’s kitchen renovation in Massey

White subway tiles used in a Classic kitchen renovation in Epsom

Hexagonal 3D white frozen tiles used for texture and depth in this Kitchen renovation in Parnell

A combination of dark grey, white, black hexagonal tiles used to give a retro feel to this kitchen renovation in Bucklands Beach

3) Is it a high traffic area for your family?

You might not cook a lot but your kitchen could still be considered a high traffic area if several members of your family are always coming in and out of the kitchen. This could be to simply have a tea or use the island as a breakfast nook. If you have an open plan kitchen then there are higher chances that the kitchen will be a high traffic area.

If you kitchen is a high traffic area then your kitchen flooring should be easy to clean and also not echo your footsteps. For high traffic kitchens Neptune SPC flooring would be best for your kitchen as they are waterproof and do not echo sounds when people are going in and out of the kitchen.

Porcelain kitchen tiles and stone kitchen tiles will also be better compared to ceramic tiles as they are more waterproof than ceramic. You could also add rugs to the kitchen to control the noise made by footsteps. The sound of the footsteps should not be much of an issue if your kitchen is on the ground floor of your house. The noise mostly becomes an issue when the kitchen is on the 1^st floor and if there are bedrooms or living areas underneath it.

Neptune SPC used as Kitchen flooring for this open plan kitchen. This flooring is 100% water resistance, soft on your feet, durable, and warmer compared to tiles

Aspen wood Neptune SPC used as a kitchen flooring

For more budget friendly options, you could opt for luxury laminate for your kitchen flooring as they are softer on the feet, easy to clean and do not echo the sounds of footsteps. If you are installing laminate floors, then do remember to clean the floors immediately in case of any water spillage as they are not waterproof.

4) Is it an open planned kitchen or is your kitchen a separate room?

Open planned kitchens pose a unique challenge when choosing the materials for the kitchen. As your kitchen will be visible from the living and dining area, you want to make sure that your kitchen is renovated in a similar style as the rest of the living space.

Our kitchen designer Cici says that the two most important things about an open planned kitchen is to have a continuity in design with the rest of the living room area. When choosing splashbacks, flooring, feature walls, countertops, and tapware, always make sure that they complement the rest of your living space.

Before starting your renovating, ask your kitchen designer to come over to your home for a visit so they can see the overall design of your living space. Try and have a similar colour scheme for your walls or go for a contrasting style which still complements the style of the rest of the space.

The same glazed porcelain tiles are used in the kitchen as well as the dining area which makes the design more cohesive. These porcelain tiles have a matte stone look which makes gives the space an Urban contemporary look. (Tile Depot, 2021)

Choose kitchen tiles that are like the ones in your living and dining area for a seamless feel. If you are changing the flooring of the entire living area, then opt for natural stone or porcelain tiles. These tiles elevate the design of a room a lot more than ceramic tiles as ceramic tiles can look dated.

When asked Ruth what the current trend was for open planned kitchens, she said “the current trend is to get a stone matte finish tiles for your living and kitchen area”. These porcelain tiles are glazed and hence easy to clean which makes them a popular choice for open planned kitchens. They are more cost effective than natural stone tiles like marble so are more suited for most budgets.

Glazed porcelain tiles used as splashback to create a modern kitchen. These York tiles come in a matte and glossy finish depending on your preference and are easy to clean as they are glazed. These splashback tiles can also be used as a feature wall and are a great choice for open plan kitchens because of their modern look which will elevate your kitchen design. Tile Depot 2021)

5) Do you have children and hence need tiles that can be cleaned easily and are warmer?

If you have young children, then you might want a flooring that is warmer and not easily scratched. Use glazed porcelain tiles or natural stone tiles for the floors and install underfloor heating if your house does not already have it. Luxury laminate is also an option but it can sometime be scratched easily so might not be the best option if your children are too young.

6) Does your kitchen floors need non-slip tiles?

If you have elderly people living in your house then you should install tiles that have a good anti-slip rating. Tile depot carries an extensive Lifemark range of kitchen tiles that are suited for households that need anti slip tiles.

“In addition to anti-slip tiles, we also have this new range of Microgrip kicthen tiles that are great for bathrooms as well as kitchens. They basically become anti-slip when water falls on them. They also have anti-bacterial properties so these are truly a revolutionary product” says Ruth about their newest range of Microgrip kitchen tiles.

Enzo Microgrip tiles that become anti-slip when wet (Tile Depot 2021)

Ruth Shares Current trends for Kitchen Flooring, Kitchen Splashback and Kitchen Feature walls for Auckland homes

Ruth deals with clients who are renovating, building their homes from scratch, new builds, architects, and renovation companies. We wanted to know more about what Aucklanders were using for their kitchen flooring, Kitchen splashback, and tiles. She gave us some great insights to Aucklanders’ buying habits and the trends that she has seen for tiles as well as the trends that have begun to decline.

5 Kitchen Splashback/ Backsplash tile trends for Auckland kitchens

1.White subway tiles are on their way out

“The white subway look has really been overdone and does not add much to a kitchen” says Ruth about white subway tiles. White subway tiles became very popular as kitchen splashbacks as well as wall tiles for bathrooms in the last few years because they added a contemporary flair to the kitchen. More people are now looking at ways of adding colour and interest in the kitchen through splashbacks.

2. Earthy and warm kitchen backsplashes are becoming a popular choice

Ruth says that more people are now are choosing warm and earthy colours for their backsplash. Earthy colours often bring in a sense of warmth into the kitchen and make it look more homely. They are also a way of bringing some nature into the décor of your kitchen which has become a popular trend in the last few years, especially for urban homes like Auckland.

Warm yellow tiles are used in this kitchen as a splashback. These tiles are from the Tribeca collection at Tile Depot and this range comes with various warm coloured tiles. (Tile Depot 2021)

3. Handmade looking kitchen backsplash tiles

There has been a growing trend of adding artistic elements to the overall kitchen design. People often add these touches through artistic backsplashes, feature walls or accessories while choosing simpler contemporary materials for cabinets and floors.

Hexagonal tiles add a retro element to your kitchen design. The surface is still very smooth and the grouting has been sealed to make cleaning easy. (Tile Depot 2021)

Tiles which are handmade have patterns, carvings and often textured which is not suitable for backsplash as all these nooks and crannies can be hand to clean. Thanks to technology however, tiles can be made to look handmade without being handmade. The new Tribeca collection from Tile depot features handmade looking tiles which are smooth when you touch the surface which makes the, a great choice for backsplash.

4. Kitchen backsplash tiles with Patterns

Patterns are another way to incorporate an artistic touch to your kitchen design. Ruth says that the artisan tiles can also be used as accents to the walls instead of just a splashback or an entire feature wall. Adding accents or a horizontal like of artisan tiles on your kitchen wall will instantly elevate its overall style without costing you a lot.5. How you install the tiles Ruth says that there are two ways that you can dramatically change look of your kitchen. The first would be the tile and the second is the way you install the tiles. “you do not have to always install the tiles horizontally, the new trend has been to be creative in the way the tiles are installed” says Ruth.

Artisan patterned tiles from Tile depot were used as a splashback. The neutral and light colours used are versatile and can be used for most kitchen designs. The patterns on the tile give the kitchen an artistic look and elevates the overall design of the kitchen. (Tile Depot 2021)

5. How you install the tiles for your backsplash

Ruth says that there are two ways that you can dramatically change look of your kitchen. The first would be the tile and the second is the way you install the tiles. “you do not have to always install the tiles horizontally, the new trend has been to be creative in the way the tiles are installed” says Ruth.

This kitchen features simple white subway tiles but the way they are installed is what actually adds a design element to an otherwise simple kitchen design. (Tile Depot 2021)

5 kitchen flooring trends in Auckland by Ruth

1. High-end look with stone matte finishes

As most kitchens in Auckland have evolved into an open planned layout, there has been a greater emphasis on aesthetics within a kitchen design. Ruth explains that she has seen a rising trend in Aucklanders opting for a high end look by selecting tiles that look like stone and have a matte finish. Glazed porcelain tiles are great for most budgets to create this look as they are a cheaper option compared to natural stone tiles. To create continuity, install the same tiles in your dining and living areas if you have an open plan kitchen.

These glazed porcelain tiles give a high end natural stone look because of their grey matte finish. The appearance of grout lines is also minimal because the grout lines are very thin and almost match the colour of the tiles. (Porfido collection, Tile Depot 2021)

Another example of Glazed Porcelain tiles with a natural stone look. These matte tiles have been installed throughout the living area as well as the kitchen floors to give a unified look. (Tile Depot, 2021)

2. Shiny tiles are declining in popularity

Shiny tiles have been very popular in the last couple of decades and remain popular to a certain extent. However, more people are gravitating towards the matte finish because it exudes a certain kind of understated elegance. We still recommend people with small kitchens or bathrooms to install shiny tiles as they reflect natural light as well as any other light and make your spaces appear larger.

3. Large tiles 1200 by 900

Larger tiles have become increasingly popular as they have lesser grout lines and provide a cleaner look. Having lesser grout lines also means that you if you have a small room then it will make it look larger as there are ‘lesser breaks’ on the kitchen floor. The most popular size for large tiles is 600 by 900 and 1200 by 900.

4. No grout lines

As seen in the picture, this kitchen flooring features large slabs of square tiles where the grouting is matched with the colour of the tile. This give the floor a a sort of continuity as the grout lines are hardly visible. (Tile Depot 2021)

As mentioned above there is an emphasis on having lesser grout lines for kitchen flooring. You can also match the colour of your tiles with the grouting to give you an appearance of having no grout lines.

5. Woodgrain tiles have seen a decline in popularity

Woodgrain tiles have been quite popular in the last decade but have seen a decline in popularity. Woodgrain tiles look and feel like natural wood which is great for people who want wooden flooring but not the hassle of maintaining them. However, as more people are opting for contemporary styles for their homes, they prefer a natural stone look as compared to wood grain tiles.

6 ideas for feature walls for your open plan kitchen

1. Woodgrain tiles as feature walls have seen an increase in popularity

While woodgrain tiles might be declining in popularity as floors, they are seeing an increase in popularity as feature walls. There has been a growing trend of incorporating elements of nature in urban Auckland homes which makes woodgrain tiles a great option as a feature wall.

2. Designer tiles with designs of nature

A lot of people want a feature wall because they want to create a ‘wow’ factor. They often keep the rest of their colour scheme neutral and create a feature wall with floral prints. Ruth tells us a bit more about their range of glam tiles which come in 1200 by 900 size and has three different patterns which are put together to create a scene of nature.

These Glam tiles from Tile depot feature 3 large 1200 by 900 tiles that are installed together to create a pattern. These three tiles are repeated to make this feature wall. This Glam collection has various styles of flowers and leaves. (Tile Depot, 2021)

3. Textured tiles, mosaics, geometric patterns, and natural stone tiles

Textured tiles are great as feature walls because they do not need to be cleaned very often like the splashback or kitchen flooring. They also do not have to be very durable as they do not experience any wear in tear like foot traffic or spillages which makes any tile a great option for feature walls. Textured tiles create interest, depth and elevate the overall design of your kitchen.

Two different types of tiles are used to create this feature wall. The tiles are glazed ceramic with a satin finish which makes them look almost like a wall paper. This bold feature wall adds a sense of modern sophistication to the space and come from the Sospiri collection at Tile Depot (Tile Depot, 2021)

There are many options to choose from for textured tiles. You can use natural rugged stone or brick tiles around your fireplace or for a more rustic styled living area. You could also add a feature wall with geometric and 3d patterns for a more modern or contemporary look. Mosaics have always been a popular choice as they make your space look artistic and Moorish. Regardless of your budget, you will find plenty of options for feature walls.

4. Accents in feature walls

If you do not want an entire wall of tiles for your feature wall, then you can install wall accent tiles. You could install small beads or mosaics in a horizontal or vertical line on the wall of your kitchen. You could create patterns or designs on the wall without tiling your entire wall. If artistically done, this could add a certain elegance to your wall but we do recommend consulting a designer before go ahead full steam.

These tiles are a great example of mixing neutral coloured tiles with a more bold tile to create interest within a feature wall without covering the entire wall with a bold colour (Tile Depot, 2021)

5. Creating interest through installation

As mentioned earlier, the way you install your tiles can also make a huge difference on the final look of your feature wall.

As seen above, the method of installation and the combination of two different coloured tiles can create a beautiful look for your open planned kitchen. These tiles are glazed ceramic tiles from the Casablanca collection at Tile Depot (Tile Depot 2021)

The same tiles were used for the backsplash and the feature wall to create a continuous and dramatic look. The way the tiles were installed also makes a huge difference to the overall look of the kitchen. Tiles used were from the May tile collection (Tile Depot 2021).

6. Bright and Bold colours

If you have a neutral colour scheme then opt for bright or warm colours to create contrast. You could also add matte dark grey tiles as a feature wall to create a dark and stormy mood for your living space.

This splashback also acts as a feature wall with its cool aqua colour and brings a sort of serenity to the space when coupled with off white cabinet fronts. These glazed tiles have a smooth surface which are easy to clean. (Calx Aquamarina 100×300 tiles from Tile Depot, 2021)

“The biggest mistake people make when they choose tiles is that sometimes they choose tiles that clash with eachother or there are too many patterns that do not work well together. It is important that you create a story with the tiles that you choose for your kitchen flooring, Splashbacks and Feature walls” Says Ruth when asked what is the most important aspect of choosing tiles.

Already have all your own trades and you’re comfortable managing them for your kitchen renovation?

Although we don’t recommend if you haven’t renovated a kitchen before and/or you don’t have trades people you can trust, most renovations if not all comes with it’s own surprises because not all homes are the same – this is where experience/project management plays an important role in minimises risks to maintain costs/delays giving you higher certainty of outcome/quality backed by associated guarantees and warranties.

However, if you do intend to manage the kitchen renovation yourself, it does work out more cost effective to contact a kitchen cabinetry manufacturer directly to get the kitchen cabinets designed, manufactured and installed – leaving you to manage the other trades such as flooring, demolition, painting, plastering, splashback/tiling, electrician, plumber, and sometimes a carpenter/builder.

Try Little Giant Interiors cost calculator below to see what you can expect to pay for cabinetry.

• New Kitchen Cabinetry Cost Calculator
• New Laundry Cost Calculator

Further Resources

1. Featured projects and Client stories to see specifications on some of the projects.
2. Real client stories from Auckland

Need ideas? Check out our Kitchen Design Gallery or dive into our Bathroom Design Gallery for inspiration!

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