10 Ideas to Inspire Your New Kitchen Design

A well-designed kitchen is more than just a place to cook—it’s the heart of the home.

It’s where families come together, where friends gather, and where everyday moments become lasting memories. That’s why at Dale Alcock Homes, we believe your kitchen should be as stylish as it is functional.

To help you bring your dream kitchen to life, we’ve spoken to the design experts at The Maker Designer Kitchens to explore the latest trends and ideas that will take your new home’s kitchen to the next level.

Whether you’re after a bold statement or a timeless classic, here are 10 inspiring ideas to consider when designing your new kitchen.

1. Statement Kitchen Islands.

A kitchen island isn’t just a workspace — it’s the heart of your kitchen and a striking architectural feature in your home. While size plays a role in its impact, the design details you choose can transform it into a true statement piece. Some of our favourite ways to elevate your island design include:

• Contrasting colour combinations for visual impact
• Split-level designs that add interest and functionality
• Curved elements for a softer, organic look
• Waterfall edges for a seamless, luxurious finish
• Textured panelling to introduce warmth and dimension

At our Estilo display home, we’ve embraced these trends with an angled stone waterfall fascia, paired with feature Polytec STECCAWOOD battens to the front of the island. This combination adds depth, texture, and a premium finish that enhances the kitchen’s overall aesthetic. If you love the look of textured cabinetry, profiles from the Polytec Calcutta range of thermolaminated panels offer another way to introduce this stylish effect.

For those drawn to curves, our kitchen on display at Home Collective Leederville showcases a stunning curved island fascia. Here, we’ve paired a light benchtop with Polytec Prime Oak cabinetry and Cove STECCAWOOD, creating a concave, textural design that feels both modern and inviting.

With feature fascia designs trending for 2025, your kitchen island is the perfect opportunity to showcase bold style and premium materials while enhancing the overall flow of your home. Your kitchen island design can also define the look and feel of your entire kitchen.

2. Colourful Cabinetry.

Adding colour to your kitchen cabinetry is a powerful way to create drama, personality, and visual interest. Whether you opt for a full-colour kitchen, a two-tone combination, or a statement section, the right hue can transform your space into a showstopping feature.

One of our favourite shades right now is Polytec Topiary (shown above), a rich mid-tone green that enhances both flat-panel and profiled cabinetry. With its matt, smooth, and VENETTE finishes to choose from, Topiary pairs beautifully with Polytec’s oak tones, creating a warm and sophisticated look.

Another colour combination The Maker Designer Kitchens predicts to trend this year is Polytec Topiary with Notaio Walnut, which blends deep greens with rich timber hues for a timeless and elegant aesthetic – something to consider if you are currently deciding on your kitchen design’s colour scheme.

Another standout colour right now is Polytec Habitat, a striking mid-tone teal blue featured in our Easton display home pictured below. Here, we’ve paired Habitat with Coastal Oak cabinetry, creating a dynamic contrast that feels both bold and inviting.

In the Easton, we’ve paired this colour combination with striking gold tapware, sconce lighting, and statement pendants to add an extra layer of luxury. For those in the South West, visit Home Collective Bunbury to see Polytec Habitat on display in their hero kitchen and discover how bold colour can elevate your kitchen design.

3. The Beauty of Curves.

Curves have been an ongoing trend in kitchen design for years—and for good reason. They introduce soft, organic lines, bringing a sense of balance and fluidity to your space. Whether through a curved island, cabinetry, or statement features, embracing curves can transform your kitchen into a modern yet timeless masterpiece.

A curved kitchen island is one of the most impactful ways to incorporate this trend. Not only does it act as a striking focal point, but it also helps to open up the space and create a seamless connection between the kitchen and living areas—especially in open-plan designs.

When designed as a multifunctional element of your kitchen, a curved island can even double as a casual dining space, making it both beautiful and practical. For an added layer of texture and dimension, we love using Polytec STECCAWOOD battens to accentuate curved islands. This material is designed to follow curved forms effortlessly, and its half-round and concave profiles can also be applied to straight cabinetry for a cohesive look.

At our Ferngrove display home shown below, we’ve embraced curves throughout the kitchen—featuring a curved island with soft, organic edges and overhead cabinetry that wraps around the corner for a seamless, sculptural effect.

Beyond cabinetry, curves can also be introduced in to your kitchen with rounded handles, furniture choices and arched feature lighting, to bring a softer, more inviting feel to your kitchen design. With curves continuing to dominate luxury kitchen trends, now is the perfect time to incorporate these flowing, elegant details into your new home.

4. Adding texture for depth and interest.

Texture is a key element in luxury kitchen design, bringing depth, warmth, and visual interest to your space. By mixing different materials and finishes, you can create a multi-dimensional aesthetic that feels both sophisticated and inviting. A perfect example of this trend can be seen in our Kimberley display home (pictured below), where a variety of textural elements have been combined to stunning, interesting effect. This kitchen features:

• Polytec Cove 50 profile on the peninsula, adding a striking concave curve
• Flat-panel Polytec Blossom White Smooth cabinetry, offering a sleek, modern finish
• Natural Oak Ravine cabinetry, introducing an embossed wood grain texture for warmth and contrast
• A textured tiled splashback, featuring contrasting horizontal lines for extra dimension
• Internal face brick, which extends from the kitchen into the living spaces, creating a cohesive and tactile design.’

Another way to incorporate texture is through Polytec STECCAWOOD profiles, which can be applied to cabinetry, feature walls, or even curved islands for added depth. When selecting benchtops, texture plays a vital role in defining the look and feel of your kitchen. Options like Caesarstone Rugged Concrete (rough finish) and Black Tempal (natural finish) bring a raw, organic appeal, while strongly veined marble surfaces like Arabetto or Statuario Maximus add a timeless, luxurious touch. By layering different materials, finishes, and surfaces, you can craft a kitchen that is rich in texture, full of character, and effortlessly stylish.

5. The STECCAWOOD Effect.

Polytec STECCAWOOD is making a bold statement in modern kitchen design, offering a warm, textural alternative to traditional flat laminate cabinetry. Its prefinished battens can be applied in either a vertical or horizontal setout, creating strong architectural lines and adding depth to your kitchen aesthetic.

One of the standout features of STECCAWOOD is its ability to follow curved cabinetry and islands, making it a perfect choice for those looking to embrace soft, organic shapes in their kitchen. Whether used solely on curved sections for contrast or applied seamlessly around the entire island for a striking, high-end look, STECCAWOOD brings a sense of luxury and craftsmanship to any space.

With five profile options—Half Round, Rectangle, Square, Cove (concave curve), and Peak (triangle shape)—there’s a style to suit any aesthetic.

For a sophisticated, high-end look, visit our Estilo display home, where a half-round STECCAWOOD profile has been used on the island. You can also see Peak STECCAWOOD in action at Home Collective Leederville (pictured below), which adds a stunning curved effect to the kitchen island.

6. Dark & Moody Cabinetry.

Dark cabinetry is a bold and sophisticated choice that brings drama, intimacy, and modern luxury to your kitchen. While some believe that dark colours are unsuitable for smaller spaces, a well-designed dark kitchen can feel cosy and inviting rather than confined. By balancing deep tones with ample lighting, high ceilings, and contrasting lighter elements like walls or flooring, you can achieve a space that feels both elegant and spacious.

For a seamless, low-maintenance finish for dark cabinetry, we recommend Polytec VENETTE, which offers superior fingerprint resistance, ensuring your dark cabinetry stays looking pristine. If all-black feels too intense, consider deep wooden or chocolate-toned cabinetry, which still provides richness and depth without the starkness of full black. There are many ways to embrace this trend without committing to an entirely dark kitchen. You can incorporate sections of dark cabinetry, mix deep hues with textural elements, or opt for dark greys and moody tones for a softer take on the look. The classic black-and-white combination remains a timeless favourite, creating a balanced, high-contrast aesthetic. For a more dramatic approach, black-on-black kitchens—with dark cabinetry, benchtops, and splashbacks—exude confidence and create a striking, seamless design.

In our Barden display home in Treeby pictured below, we’ve paired Polytec Cinder Woodmatt cabinetry with a Caesarstone Alpine Mist benchtop. The glass splashback window behind the cooktop brings in natural light, balancing the darker tones for a warm and sophisticated feel. For an even bolder look, matte black appliances, integrated fridges, and dark stone benchtops can complete the moody, modern aesthetic.

7. Feature Rangehoods.

Rangehoods are no longer just a practical necessity—they’ve become a standout design feature in modern kitchens. In 2025, we’re seeing a shift towards concealed, sculptural, and multi-functional designs that blend seamlessly with cabinetry or make a bold architectural statement. For those looking to make an impact, curved rangehood designs are on the rise. At Home Collective Leederville, a standalone curved rangehood wrapped in Cove STECCAWOOD is on display (shown below), creating a striking concave contrast that complements the rest of the kitchen.

For a sleek, minimalist alternative, downdraft extraction systems—like the one featured in the Hero kitchen at Home Collective Leederville—offer a hidden, space-saving solution by integrating directly into the benchtop. Whether you prefer a concealed, curved, or downdraft design, today’s rangehoods offer both functionality and visual appeal, elevating your kitchen with a refined, contemporary edge.

8. Metallic Accents.

Metallic finishes are one of the biggest trends for 2025, bringing a touch of glamour and refinement to modern kitchen designs. Whether used subtly or as a bold statement, gold, bronze, and brushed nickel are among the most popular choices, adding warmth and contrast to cabinetry, fixtures, and lighting.

In our Ferngrove display home, we’ve embraced this trend with a Reece Bathrooms Memo Zenna undermount gold sink and a Drift MK2 Gooseneck sink mixer, creating a striking focal point in the kitchen. Beyond tapware, metallics can be introduced through cabinetry handles, statement appliances, and feature lighting, adding depth and dimension to your space.

We’re also seeing a rise in mixed-metal combinations, such as gold and black or bronze and silver, which create a layered, sophisticated aesthetic. Whether you’re after a subtle sheen or a sparkling bold contrast, metallic accents are an effortless way to infuse luxury and elegance into your kitchen design.

9. The luxury of an oven stack.

When designing your kitchen, stacking your ovens is a smart and stylish choice that enhances both functionality and visual appeal. A wall oven stack not only creates a high-end, built-in look but also makes cooking more convenient by positioning appliances at an ergonomic height—eliminating the need to bend down when placing hot dishes in or out. See what we mean by this in our Estilo display home pictured below.

This arrangement offers flexibility, allowing you to position ovens side by side or stacked vertically, depending on your space and cooking needs. It also provides the perfect opportunity to integrate luxury appliances such as double ovens, a combi microwave, a built-in coffee machine, or even a warming drawer, creating a streamlined and sophisticated kitchen design. If you’re looking for a seamless, functional, and high-end kitchen layout, a stacked oven arrangement is a must-have feature in your new home.

10. Profiled & Share-Style Cabinetry.

Upgrading your kitchen with profiled or Shaker-style cabinetry adds depth, character, and a refined touch to your design. Whether you prefer a sleek modern look or a more classic Hamptons-inspired style, there’s a profile to suit your aesthetic.

For a contemporary finish, we love the Polytec Sussex Thermolaminated profile in Habitat Smooth, as showcased in our Home Collective Bunbury kitchen. Other sleek, modern profiles include Polytec Ascot, Chifley, and Malabar, offering a minimal yet sophisticated appeal. If you’re drawn to Shaker-style cabinetry, timeless options like Polytec Hamptons, Casino, and Stratford are perfect for achieving a classic Hamptons or Modern Shaker look. These profiles add a subtle heritage feel, making them ideal for those who love a mix of traditional and contemporary design.

To explore these cabinetry styles in person, visit Home Collective in Leederville or Bunbury to see the latest profiled cabinetry designs on display.

Visit our display homes and get inspired to design your own dream kitchen.

The best way to bring your dream kitchen to life is to see these ideas in action. Our Dale Alcock display homes in Perth and the South West feature a variety of stunning kitchen designs, showcasing the latest materials, colours, and trends. It is a brilliant starting point for you to gather inspiration for your own future kitchen design.

Display homes open:
Wednesdays: 2pm – 5pm
Saturdays & Sundays: 12pm – 5pm
(Opening hours may vary. Check individual display homes for more details.)

Home Collective showroom open:
Leederville & Bunbury
Monday – Friday: 8am – 5pm
Saturday 9am – 5pm

Plan your visit today to explore your options, speak with expert designers, and start bringing your dream kitchen to life!