How to create a seamless, integrated kitchen design

Integrated kitchens feature appliances, cabinetry and other items seamlessly incorporated into the space’s design. They may feature stainless steel benchtops with built-in stainless sinks, or dishwashers that look like a cabinet until you open them. 

This look is all about timeless minimalism, and is easy to achieve these days thanks to countless integrated options. Here’s everything you need to know. 

Choose complementary colours

Integrated kitchens often feature complementary colours, or monotones that give the space the appearance of being one cohesive whole. So when choosing your fittings, fixtures, sinks, appliances, cabinetry, benchtop, tiling and wall colours go for colours that fit together – and avoid obvious contrasts. We’re talking dark and light blues, green and timber, or white and almost any colour. Make sure your appliances also match this colour scheme. 

Hide appliances with panels

If you’ve put together a kitchen design that’s fully integrated it can be hard to find appliances that fit seamlessly. The solution is simple – buy integrated appliances, then get your cabinet maker to fit panels to them. 

The end result is appliances that blend into the rest of your cabinetry. Instead of a contrasting stainless dishwasher you can instead have a consistent look throughout your cabinetry, whatever that may be.

Go for an undermount sink

When you’re aiming for integration, an undermount sink is the only option. These are installed from underneath the counter, so that there’s no lip on the benchtop. While you can still see the sink, it appears like one part of a whole, rather than a separate fitting, sitting apart from the bench. 

As well as looking seamless, undermount sinks tend to be easier to clean (since there’s no lip for stuff to get stuck under). 

Conceal electrical outlets

It’s the little details that can take a good kitchen design and make it great. So when creating a seamless, integrated look we think it’s a great idea to think about all the little details and use them to complement the design. One example is electrical outlets. 

Outlets that you need at all times can be the same colour as your tiles or walls, while ones that are needed every now and then for appliances that live in your cupboards can be integrated into your benchtop (and pulled out when necessary. This not only looks premium, it’ll impress your friends when you pull a power point directly out of your bench like it’s nothing.

Consider your fixtures and fittings

Your sink, mixers, taps, drawer handles and all other fixtures and fittings are a key part of any integrated kitchen design. If you’re trying to make your space appear seamless, it’s a good idea to match their design so that they’re all the same or similar – and to make sure the materials used blend into the rest of your kitchen’s colours. 

A finish like brushed stainless is a great choice, as this goes with almost anything. 

Take a look at your options in person

Need a little inspiration? Visit your nearest Abey showroom to see your options in person and get an expert opinion from our inhouse team.