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To say that the kitchen is the heart of the home is to put it lightly. The kitchen is the means by which we are able to appease that most basic of instincts: hunger. It is Food Headquarters, where we produce meals that range from basic to brilliant, from steaming bowls of fuel-giving porridge to culinary masterpieces designed to dazzle dinner party guests.

But the kitchen has also taken on numerous other functions and, accordingly, kitchen design has evolved to suit the needs of the modern home and the many demands that we now place on it.

Once tucked away in the bowels of the house, today’s ideal kitchen integrates into the living space, making it easy to entertain. At The Atlas Building, the kitchens flow seamlessly into the surrounding living space - cupboards and worktops complement the style and colour palette of the other rooms, whilst kitchen islands allow for fluid movement.  

Get the design of the kitchen wrong and the most central of rooms can become a stumbling block, so it’s important to the balance right. When it comes to kitchens that are both stylish and practical, Woods Bagot, the brains behind The Atlas Building’s interiors, have got it covered.

“The apartments are designed with a focus on functionality to ensure that they are practical to live in, while allowing occupiers to imbue them with a sense of their own personality.”

Jonathan Clarke, Woods Bagot

Here are our top tips for kitchen design:

Open-plan homes for city living

Cooking and entertaining have become a lot less formal, and kitchen design has shifted to reflect a more laid-back attitude to dining. An open-plan designed living space is the perfect place to entertain by day or night, meaning the host isn’t hidden away in the kitchen. The ‘lifestyle kitchen’ blends kitchen, living and dining areas into one harmonious space, with a focus on functional design.

The dining area

When it comes to your dining room, less is more. The design should be driven by comfort and functionality. Let the dining chairs be the statement piece, keeping the table simple and uncluttered.

Mixing materials

In 2015, copper was the metal of the moment. Now, brass and gold have taken the crown – these materials warm up the surrounding space, whilst gold tones reflect light.  Attention should also be paid to how materials interact with one another; for example, in kitchens at The Atlas Building, authentic materials with different tones and textures, such as wood and marble, sit together in juxtaposition to give an understated elegance.  

Top tech

The latest mod cons are a must have for any modern, luxury kitchen and nowhere more so than London’s Tech City. Technology has always been associated with kitchen design and should be thoughtfully integrated to help make cooking a pleasure, not a chore. The Atlas Building’s kitchens feature top-of-the-range Siemens appliances, including an integrated four-ring induction hob, multifunction single oven and integrated fridge-freezer. The three-bedroom apartments also include an integrated Siemens wine cooler, so there’s always something chilled for when guests come around.

It’s the small things

Quality finishes and tasteful accessorising give style and sophistication to a kitchen. For example, the beautiful ceramic tiles laid in a herringbone pattern on The Atlas Building kitchen splashbacks bring a modern twist to a classic design.  

A key trend this year is polished, reflective and high-shine pieces. We love this brass champagne bucket from Rockett St George.

Key kitchen trends to watch

• The deconstructed kitchen: a modular space, whereby each unit is free-standing, creating distinct areas of the kitchen.
• The kitchen as a furniture element: an understated and compact space that pulls away from the ceiling and acts as a piece of furniture itself.
• The hidden kitchen: one for the minimalists, your kitchen can be partially, or even fully, concealing into the walls, packed away when not in use for ultra-sleek living.