Tap water extension hose makes it really easy to fill our coffee maker (but not strictly needed). Only really needed if need to fill a pot that can't fit under faucet.

"For a place for everything" i like my idea book http://www.houzz.com/ideabooks/20678749 Click on link below photo to see more ideas

There are many pull down faucets (great for several things) that are not the big industrial kind. Now they have magnets that connect them back - wouldn't live without mine.
A deep sink - mine is stainless and divided, some love farm sinks with the single bowl.
Great countertops you don't have to worry over scorching or scratching (quartz or granite), classic backsplash to lend character . . . no drainboard, keep the switches out of the water zone, a great insinkerator, a quiet dishwasher that really cleans, a gas stove if you can bring it over, a strong work triangle. ...voila - a terrific kitchen.

Electrical heat tape around the water pipes. I don't know how your house is heated. But here's one scenario : Your house is heated using kerosene or oil. You go on vacation in winter time. While you are away, the furnace for whatever reason doesn't come on. Without the thermostatically controlled electrical heating tape your water will turn into ice and burst the lines. Say hello to indoor flood and goodbye to flooring

thankyou Curt but I live in Australia so no furnace :) Other problems here but not those thankfully

Thanks libradesigneye great advice

Wood fired bread oven. It is the best thing we ever did. Very affordable too.

Some great additions to consider are: appliance garage, spice drawers, having your dishwasher meet your cutlery drawer for faster unloading and a stove faucet





You can see some of these features incorporated into one of our clients' kitchens: https://www.houzz.com/magazine/my-houzz-clean-swiss-style-in-a-new-jersey-suburb-stsetivw-vs~25064842

Best of luck with the design! Let us know if you have any questions.

I love my instant hot water dispenser. I use it several times a day.

Some fantastic ideas. Thank you. These are my current tiles (who as ever seen green flowers?). I hate them but love how they don't show anything. I would like glass tiles in a aqua/teal colour but do glass tiles need constant cleaning? Other alternative is white subway.

I have white subway tiles (with dark gray grout) from when the original developer did the place over 20 years ago. Still holding up very well and no issues with cleaning.

Okay, it took me a while to remember this one. Sorry. But, i would like a vent above stove that exhausts the cooking smells to the outside. I know, i know, it will also vent the heat to the outside also (not good in winter time), but....

To me, double sinks (or two sinks) tend to be awkward. One large, deep sink is more functional, especially for washing large pots, plates, roasting pans, etc. Also agree with raineycarole -- an instant hot water dispenser is a great feature to have in the kitchen.

Christi, on behalf of Thos. Baker

This Sink is a 50/50 split. Divider is removable so you get a full size sink. To me it's expensive, but nevertheless, a really good idea Click on link below photo to get more info

Thanks Curt. That is something else I have to consider. Do I put in an under the cupboard exhaust fan (recycling with filters) or a feature fan that is vented into the ceiling? Venting outside is not an option. Cooking smells don't worry me too much but cleaning and maintenance do

Our vent is mounted under the overhead cabs. It has a metal filter, and the so called vented air is recirculated back into the kitchen. I don't like it, but it beats better than nothing...i guess. After every cooking doing the week i do a quick wipe down. When the weekend arrives, i clean our range and stove top with 409. Be prepared to spend an hour or better

Have recently done exactly what you plan to do. Some of the most useful features I've found are...install as many underbench drawers as possible instead of cupbds. Ikea do a 60cm & 80cm drawer configuration for under the sink, this is great but must warn that you need to make sure you're plumbing is set as far to the back of the space as possible to enable drawers to fit. Where you have cupbds use the pullout drawers inside (these are especially good for deep cupbds like in the pantry). Have a drawer for bins, near the sink (Ikea do a bin with lid that fits into their 40cm wide lower cabinet). Prefer pullout rangehood with cupbd above, but must have recirculating/carbon filters that need to replaced every so often depending on amount of use. Also make sure the rangehood has decent lights. I went for an induction cooktop, so easy to clean and more energy efficient, fast to heat. Like a wall mounted oven - you can see inside without having to open the door and loose heat. Also microwave above the oven, rather than under bench so you don't have to bend down. Prefer normal depth 1&3/4 sinks, over a deep sink or butlers sink as they can cause back pain as you have to lean in, in an unnatural position. You can always soak larger pans/pots in laundry tub. I would have draining areas as part of the sinks on both sides, one side for dirty dishes, the other for the dish rack. You can also get stainless dish drainers that fit inside the sink, find this quite handy. If you go for undercounter sinks be aware that over time your counter top (if it's caesarstone, granite or marble) will become chipped from pots etc.
I like subway tile but I guess anything with grout is going to show grease etc around the cooking area, where it's wiped more often, so darker grout would be a good idea or maybe a stainless steel, or mirror backsplash in this area with subways in other areas.
Pullout corner unit/shelves in lower cabs allow the corner space to be used. Beware open shelves in a kitchen, need too much cleaning. I'm in Aus. too, depending on how good your drinking water is you may find a water filter useful.
Hope this is useful...good luck with your kitchen.

The best investment in any kitchen is in the kitchen designer. They've done thousands of ptojects, and have heard and done far more ''extras'' than you have. They will analyze your workflow patterns, and make approprite suggestions based on that.