It may be the heart of the home, but kitchens are just like any other room in the house, subject to trend-led makeovers.
Recent years have delivered a slew of ways to style the space, from maximalist style to modern farmhouse. You can colour drench walls, ceilings, worktops, tiles and floors all in the same shade or pick out an opulent wallpaper and lighting to lean into your maximalist side.
Now it’s invisible kitchens that are taking their turn in the style spotlight.
Minimalism to the extreme, invisible kitchens is exactly like it sounds: zen, calming and so clutter-free, sometimes even of essential elements like a hob or taps, that you wouldn’t even be able to guess the function of the room.
We spoke to Emily Pickett, Design Consultant at Kitchens by Holloways for more on the curious trend stealthily making its way into British homes.
What exactly is an invisible kitchen?
“An invisible kitchen integrates seamlessly into the home – they are hidden and discreet with no appliances on show. It is just as described: invisible.
How does this work in practice? Through intelligent spatial planning and considered cabinetry choices. The kitchen may present itself more like pieces of furniture instead of through more ‘classic’ runs of cabinetry. This can be achieved by opting for a more freestanding feel, choosing an island with legs, or even having a table instead of an island, for example. Wall cabinetry is also often kept to a minimum in an invisible kitchen, to make the space feel a bit lighter and less recognisable as a kitchen.
Hiding and integrating appliances is key. Extractors, fridges and freezers can all be discreetly hidden or integrated to create a more seamless and uninterrupted view of the space. Another simple solution is to opt for a handleless kitchen to achieve a more furniture-like appearance.
If space and budget allow, the ultimate way to achieve a hidden kitchen scheme is with a hidden pantry or ‘back kitchen’. With discreet, integrated doorways built into the cabinetry, a walk-in pantry or back kitchen is the perfect place for countertop appliances and even the sink and dishwashers, as well as food storage. Visitors won’t know these spaces are there but they do a lot of the work, particularly when it comes to keeping clutter out of view.
Another solution for smaller kitchens is having a breakfast bar with pocket doors. This allows you to take the mess away and hide it. Storing all your essentials in the island for your morning coffee and breakfast, and then storing them away for the day means you can have everything to hand but be able to discreetly hide it away afterwards.
Why is the trend taking off now?
Homeowners are increasingly making kitchens a more lived-in part of the home; it’s no longer ‘just’ a kitchen where you go to cook and eat - it’s where you spend time entertaining and hosting as well as with family. As most are open-plan, they are used more as an everyday living space. The kitchen therefore becomes somewhere more discreet, ensuring it is a more cohesive room with the rest of the interior scheme.
Who is the typical invisible kitchen user?
For hosts, an invisible kitchen helps set the scene and transform a cooking area into an entertaining space, especially if a back kitchen or hidden walk-in pantry is present.
Those short on space would benefit from a more discreet kitchen. Smaller homes may be fully open plan, and therefore a more hidden and discreet kitchen would help keep clutter out of view and create a more cohesive design scheme.
What are the highlight features of an invisible kitchen?
Hidden walk-in pantries or back kitchens are highlight features, if space and budget allow. Other features include handleless cabinetry, pocket doors on breakfast bars and hidden or integrated appliances.
Integrated fridge/freezers are a must and a key feature that is increasingly popular is a hob with a downdraft, meaning there are no prominent extractor fans in view.
Instead of wall cabinetry, a simple detailed shelf, or a marble or tiled splashback will inject design flair without making the space appear too kitchen-like.
Are invisible kitchens expensive?
As with any kitchen redesign, cost will depend on your choices and the space. Generally, the more bespoke or customised you go, the more expensive it will be, particularly when it comes to cabinetry and appliance choices.
Hidden or integrated appliances are a prominent feature in an invisible kitchen and with that, it’s important to consider the additional installation cost that may accompany those choices. A hob with a downdraft instead of a classic extractor will be more expensive for example, and the more discreet and integrated your appliances are, the more costly they will be.”
Whether you’re dreaming of a total kitchen refit or just want nifty ideas to hide the bulk of your clutter out of sight, we’ve rounded up ingenious ideas to get your kitchen on its way to achieving invisibility.
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Samsung BRB26600FWW Integrated Fridge Freezer
Best for: Super slim cold storage
A real slim Jim yet surprisingly capacious at 261 litres overall, the Samsung achieves this by using what it terms ‘SpaceMax Technology’, which translates as the thinner walls of the fridge freezer allowing for more internal space, while keeping the footprint of your floor to a minimum.
Boasting ‘All-Around Cooling’, the BRB26600FWW constantly moves cold air around its interior to ensure all food stays evenly chilled no matter where in the fridge it can be found, while ‘No Frost’ means, well, I think you can surmise what ‘No Frost’ means.
Fridge-wise, the Samsung gives you 193 litres of storage space with four shelves and six door pockets (although, between us, the middle four could just have well have been two full-length pockets), alongside a fruit and veg bin and a fresh zone.
Shuffling south, here we find one shelf and two drawers, all blessed with the freezer’s ‘Power Freeze Function’, which serves to freeze food in a flash.
When it comes to the question of energy efficiency, the Samsung is but an ‘F’, however, it claws back eco-credentials by coming with an extended parts warranty period of 20 years on its Digital Inverter Compressor, thus reducing waste electrical and electronic equipment clogging up the world.
Finally, saving a favourite feature to last, ‘Power Cool’ and ‘Power Freeze’ can be unleashed at the push of a button to deliver a fast blast of cold air to get your comestibles cold quicker – great for all groceries, but a real time-saver when it comes to cooling drinks and making ice for those baking hot summer days ahead of us.
Buy now £700.00, Samsung
Miele G7191 SCVi 125 Integrated Dishwasher
Miele’s G7191 Integrated Dishwasher is one of the most advanced white goods on the market. Paired with the companion app, you have complete control over the schedule of your wash, meaning you can optimise it if you are on variable electricity tariffs to save on your bills.
The ability to operate, select programs and check the status of its health (e.g. the need for rinse aid or salt) from your phone gives the power to time it when you arrive home and a notification tells you when it’s done. I found this to be handy on a few occasions but more often than not, I control the dishwasher manually from the LED screen which details duration, tells you to refill the accoutrements and has buttons to switch between programs. Call me old fashioned but it’s far easier. The other thing I liked? The dishwasher is impressively quiet.
Innovative features like AutoOpen remove the faff of wiping down each cup as you unload as it helps dishes dry and cool are appreciated - but most of the techy features I don’t find need for, like 10 different washing programs.
Instead, I stick to the same few cycles. This includes AutoDos which adjusts the detergent to the contents, which is clever but also requires an extra investment into the pricey PowerDisks exclusive to Miele. For state-of-the-art washing, this is a state-of-the-art dishwashing machine. But for those who want to clean without the bells and whistles, you can find yourself a dumber model for a fraction of the cost.
Buy now £1569.00, John Lewis
Cookology 70cm Black Induction Hob with Downdraft Extractor
The flat glass on this induction hob keeps things nice and clean - spills and splashes are easily wiped down, making post-cooking cleaning less of a chore. There are four hobs (two large, two small) to use when you need them and - this is the best bit - no extraction hob.
Instead, the downdraft extractor is embedded in the centre of the hob, meaning overhead bulk is effectively zero. If you're trying to make your kitchen look more spacious or less like a kitchen, this is a great option to try.
Buy now £649.99, Cookology
Jehiatek Kitchen Cupboard
For most of the day, this white cabinet sits unassumingly on the side but come meal time it springs into action, revealing a pop-up larder behind its doors.
Swing them open to find an organised haven, filled with railed drawers and shelves to keep ingredients and any food items that don't require refrigeration. The central shelves are adjustable, so you can even chuck small appliances like toasters, kettles and air fryers in here too.
Buy now £99.99, Amazon
ZSQAW Hidden Black Kitchen Sink
Sick of the sight of your sink? Keep it under wraps when it's not in use with this slick minimal design. Made from high-quality metal, the large-capacity design works for busy homes and comes with a lid to level up the worktop when not in use.
Buy now £240.00, Amazon
Farrow Kitchen Larder Unit
- Dimensions: 185H x 95W x 50D cm
With traditional Cotswolds pantries costing upwards of £800, the Farrow Kitchen Larder Unit is a wallet-friendly steal for smaller homes. Available in a myriad of neutral tones, we love the built-in wine rack at the bottom of the unit, the ultra-spacious wooden drawers and the stylish spice racks which sit prettily on the inside doors. Word of warning, it may be slightly shorter than farmhouse-style options.
Buy now £589.95, Roseland
Lamia Kitchen Cart
- Dimensions: 82H X 110W X 45D cm
A moveable kitchen island with oodles of storage and ample surface area for food preparation, the Lamia Kitchen Cart would make a fine addition to an open-plan living room and kitchen by splitting up the space. The additional kitchen towel and spice racks ooze practicality and sophistication, doubling up as handles to move the trolley on its four, smooth universal wheels.
Buy now £209.99, Wayfair
IKEA ENHET Kitchen
Starting from scratch? As well as cupboards and bundles, IKEA sells kitchen flat-pack sets to help with ordering. One such option is the Enhet design, an ideal set-up for a kitchen running along one wall.
The white units include generous storage space as well as a cabinet that can house an integrated fridge-freezer so that you’ll have a polished, uniform look when all the doors are closed. The gleaming white makes it a good option for brightening up dark spaces.
The bundle includes wall and base cabinets as well as a space to insert a sink in-between laminated worktops. Lighting and waste solution options are also suggested for those who want to add as much convenience to their new kitchen as possible. It’s also easy to disassemble and take with you if you move. Comes with a 10-year guarantee.
Buy now £835.00, IKEA
Wickes Kitchens Madison White Pull Out Base Unit
As one of the UK’s top home improvement stores, Wickes has plenty of flat-pack kitchen designs on offer. If you don’t fancy white, the contemporary Madison collection comes in a choice of blue, green, light and dark grey, allowing you to add subdued colour to the space.
There are no bundles here; instead, it’s a pick-and-mix selection that can be filtered by unit type, measurements, weight and price. As well as regular and base corner units there are handless cupboards to pick up plus doors to hide large appliances from view.
The Madison White Pull Out Base Unit measures just 15cm across, making it perfect for adding storage in tight spaces.
Buy now £145.00, Wickes
