If you're working with a contractor to design a new kitchen for your home, you want to ensure you include all the features needed for making it a space that works for you in particular, and that offers every convenience needed for your food prep, cooking, and entertaining needs. Note a few features you may have overlooked but which you should discuss with your contractor, so you know you wind up with a kitchen you'll love for years to come.
Wine cooler
If you love wine, or want to keep lots of bottled water and soft drinks in the kitchen, have a separate wine cooler installed under a benchtop. This is a great way to keep wine organized and chilled properly, or to store other drinks without taking up too much space in the refrigerator.
Warming drawer
If you love to cook big meals, you know the challenge of keeping one dish warm while putting the finishing touches on another. A warming drawer stays just warm enough to keep food hot without continuing the cooking process, so all your courses can be served at just the right temperature.
Garden windows
A garden window is like a bay window in that it juts out from the home; however, a garden window is smaller and usually installed over a kitchen sink. It will also have a glass shelf along the middle that you can use for potted herbs or for growing small vegetable plants in your own kitchen.
Outdoor area
If possible, consider adding direct access to an outdoor space with your new kitchen. A small door and a patio space off the kitchen can mean easily stepping outside for a weekend breakfast or for enjoying dessert after dinner, without having to walk through the dining area to reach the patio or deck. Your contractor can even build a small privacy wall around this space if needed, to keep you away from the prying eyes of the neighbours or to insulate it from sound. A bistro table and chairs is all that's needed to create a welcoming area that you're sure to love.
Steam oven
As the name implies, a steam oven cooks with steam and not dry heat. This keeps food moist as it cooks, so you won't wind up with dry pot roasts and cakes. Food may also retain more of its healthy vitamins and trace minerals when cooked with steam. Ask about having this feature installed along with a standard oven, for healthier and tastier cooking in your new kitchen.