Modern, luxury kitchens: a choice based on customisation and high performance

Customisation, high quality materials and unique performance. These are the things that really make luxury kitchens stand out on today’s market. Exclusive and high-performance kitchens. Just like a tailor-made suit, luxury kitchens are made-to-measure based on the individual requirements of each client.

What does luxury mean today?

What exactly does the term ‘luxury kitchen’ mean? Before we look at luxury kitchens, we need to take a step back and try to explain what the word “luxury” means in a modern home. In fact, over recent years, the meaning of this word has changed significantly. Today, luxury is no longer a synonym for splendour and ostentation merely for the sake of it. “Some people think luxury is the opposite of poverty. It is not.” Coco Chanel once said, “It is the opposite of vulgarity”.

The concept of luxury is mainly based on two different aspects.

On the one hand, it has a very deep and individual value, linked to an ability to meet all our expectations to the full (or, even better, to exceed them). In reality, the idea of luxury changes depending on our system of values. For example, some people don’t see luxury as being something tangible, but rather something that is linked to our needs in terms of space or time. The possibility to take time out for yourself or walk to work without sitting in traffic or live in the countryside…all of these questions and more were asked at the “What is luxury?” exhibition, organised in 2015 by the V&A (the wonderful Victoria and Albert Museum in London).

Then again, luxury may also be seen to be linked to research, high performance and the ability to experiment. As Franca Sozzani, also known as the “grand dame of fashion”, pointed out in her 2011 Vogue editorial: “Luxury today implies exclusivity, almost uniqueness, and not because it is for the few, but because it is special. Luxury is research, the possibility of experimenting new ways, of finding new solutions that are not too obvious and already seen.” She was referring to the fashion industry, but her words are just as pertinent for the world of design and decor.

What do we mean by ‘luxury kitchens’ today?

On this basis, modern luxury kitchens can be defined as those that stand out for their endless customisation possibilities, as well as for their high levels of performance. The purpose?

On the one hand, ‘luxury in the kitchen’ means having a kitchen in your home that is not only beautiful to look at, but also offers the same performance as a kitchen in a Michelin-star restaurant. Kitchens able to perfectly adapt to their surroundings and, above all (and this is the second point) to all of our individual needs in the kitchen, to our habits and to our personal style of cooking. In short, luxury kitchens make your life easier, allow you to save time and effort and improve your performance, giving you the unique and priceless feeling of having chosen the best possible kitchen to meet your needs.

In fact, cooking can be just like sitting behind the wheel of a brand-new car. The personal pleasure we can get from cooking depends on the feelings created and the satisfaction of doing it well.

Choosing a luxury kitchen therefore goes beyond aesthetics or cost. It’s much more than that.

Here is a small guide to help you buy a “real” modern, luxury kitchen.

What are the typical features of a modern luxury kitchen?

1. Luxury kitchens offer unique performance

High performance: a key feature of any luxury kitchen. This means choosing an ergonomic kitchen that is designed to simplify your movements while cooking. A kitchen that guarantees a careful and efficient use of space, with every single detail being optimised to ensure you don’t waste any time. A kitchen with professional cooking and storage solutions, bringing the performance of a Michelin-star kitchen into your home, allowing you to prepare dishes just like a real chef, or even to invite a professional to your home to cook for you and your guests. If this isn’t luxury, what is?

2. Luxury kitchens are fitted with state-of-the-art appliances

If luxury is all about experimentation and innovation, then a luxury kitchen simply must come with state-of-the-art appliances and accessories. For example: cutting-edge induction hobs; smart ovens that can be controlled remotely and monitor the cooking process in real time, alerting you when your dish is ready or requires your attention; refrigerators that remind you to do the shopping and help to organise your cooking; extractor hoods that rise up as soon as you start cooking or that are built into the hob. These technological accessories are not installed just for the sake of it, but rather represent innovative solutions designed to simplify your life as much as possible, giving you the pleasure of cooking like a real chef in your own home – having fun and stress-free.

3. Luxury kitchens are made with high quality materials

Real luxury kitchens are not necessarily made with the most expensive materials, featuring pure gold leaf finishes, platinum details, set with precious stones or studded with Swarovski. The great Coco Chanel would be horrified!

First and foremost, the materials used for a luxury kitchen must be functional and high-performance, ensuring high levels of resistance to wear and tear, scratches, knocks and bumps. They must be beautiful to look at and pleasant to the touch. They must be long-lasting and preferably sustainable. Today, real luxury is also about being sustainable, with materials respecting the planet, its inhabitants and its resources.

This is why stainless steel is one of the most popular materials for luxury kitchen designs: it is a long-lasting metal alloy offering incredibly high levels of resistance; it is natural and 100% recyclable; it does not contain any glues, varnishes or chemical products. What’s more, stainless steel kitchens have a very strong and personal appearance able to add character to any room, whether traditional or contemporary.

4. Luxury kitchens can be fully customised

Luxury kitchens can be customised down to the last detail. From their shape to their size, from their materials to their finishes, from their colours right down to their accessories. A bespoke kitchen, tailored according to each client’s individual needs and tastes, must offer the utmost flexibility that can only be guaranteed by handmade solutions. Whether you prefer a minimalist or an eclectic style, a total look or a mix of different finishes and colours, all you need to do is ask. As we were saying, kitchens are just like cars: they should resemble their owners.

Abimis luxury kitchens

If luxury kitchens are all about customisation and unique performance, then it goes without saying that Abimis kitchens are the quintessence of luxury. In fact, they are based on professional kitchens and are designed to bring the performance of Michelin-star restaurant kitchens into your home. They are made from AISI 304 stainless steel, the best material for cooking and ensuring the highest levels of hygiene and cleanliness in the kitchen. They are also fully customisable in terms of their size, finishes, colours, accessories and appliances.