The kitchen. If you’re going to spend money on anything in your home, spend it here. Not only is it something that impresses buyers, but it’s also the hub of life in your home.

No, it’s not just a place where food is prepared. It’s where we gather, discuss our day, sometimes where we eat breakfast, other times where we drink wine with friends.

And if you ever thought the kitchen wasn’t a place for your personality to shine, you could be mistaken. You can add your style to your kitchen.

So how can you make some changes or serious renovations to your kitchen? Here are some ideas to think about.

Let there be light!

Once upon a time, the kitchen wasn’t the centre of social activity – it was a small room tucked out of the way, out of sight. Nowadays, we see kitchens at the centre of the home – part of the living areas.

Kitchens are far more open and integrated now. When designing a kitchen, it’s important to think about how it can accommodate family and friends – how will it function as an entertaining space?

Many modern kitchens are now designed with fluidity in mind. We need to think about how it can seamlessly connect with the dining and living areas to create a natural flow.

Kitchen islands are where it starts

The core to kitchen socialisation is the island bench. It allows food preparation to take place at the centre of the kitchen, instead of on the fringes.

Today’s island benches have stepped up their game – many wired with USB and extra power connections, some have hidden storage, and some even integrated wine fridges.

And they’ve evolved on top too – there’s seamless rangehood options, built-in stovetops and sinks, and of course, stylish material options, including marble and on-trend terrazzo.

Just don’t get too caught up in the bells and whistles – think about how space feels when it’s being used too.

Think about storage

Now that kitchens are out in the open, they must have secondary storage – something like a butler’s pantry. You don’t want all your mess on show, so make sure there’s room for organisation.

Perfect for entertainers, butler’s pantries, walk-in pantries, and galleries neatly hide away all the working elements that can detract from a beautiful-looking kitchen.

They can house a microwave, have coffee-making facilities, operate as a secondary cooking space, or simply work as an extra place for food and grocery storage.

What’s next?

Like every other design trend, the kitchen style doesn’t standstill. And it’s not just designed, kitchen tech is always changing.

Nowadays, you can get smart fridges that link to your phone, so you can see if you need an item while you’re at the supermarket. Amazing!

There are also tap sensors that glow red when it’s hot and blue when it’s cold and pyrolytic ovens which have evolved to help you cook the perfect meal.

Just be aware, the more expensive the fitting, the harder it can be to replace. But if you spend your money wisely, you’ll have a strong performing residential investment for the future.

A really good kitchen will always be a really important piece, both when you are buying but also for the resale value down the track.