Is your kitchen wish-list as long as your arm? If you want my advice, you’ll make sure that at least some of my top 5 kitchen must-haves are on it!

1 Underfloor heating

Underfloor mat heating system

If your kitchen project includes the floor then I’d really recommend underfloor heating. The electric mat variety isn’t difficult to lay and it makes a huge difference to a stone floor on a cold winter morning.

2 Hot water tap

Zip Hydro tap

Without a doubt the one thing I thought I could live without before I got one and know for sure I couldn’t now I have! Great for tea and coffee it’s also perfect for quickly cooking up a pot of pasta or veg and great for topping off the hot water bottle, too.

3 Pyrolitic oven

Another I’d never had before but couldn’t live without now function. I’m not the world’s most enthusiastic cleaner of anything let alone ovens and this setting has freed me to enjoy cooking dishes of all kinds without worrying about baked-on grease and grime. At the touch of a button the process is set in motion without me having to even think about rubber gloves. I love it so much I’ve it’s my Facebook friend!

DeDietrich pyrolitic double oven

4 Induction hob

DeDietrich induction hob

Brilliant in it’s own right, this technology teamed with the hot water tap mentioned above literally means meals in minutes. On the cleaning front – there’s a bit of a theme here – it’s also really easy to keep looking pristine, with no burners to scrub.

5 Handpainted units

Handpainted kitchen cabinetry

I know that when the currently on-trend blue-grey of my kitchen becomes hideously unfashionable I can change it pretty quickly. Some kitchen companies are happy to come back to repaint if asked (for a price) but you can also try out your painting skills yourself. Just make sure you have a steady hand and plenty of masking tape.

Ysanne