{"id":395449,"date":"2026-03-20T19:02:14","date_gmt":"2026-03-20T19:02:14","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/ie\/395449\/"},"modified":"2026-03-20T19:02:14","modified_gmt":"2026-03-20T19:02:14","slug":"interior-designer-sara-cosgroves-recipe-for-the-perfect-kitchen","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/ie\/395449\/","title":{"rendered":"Interior designer Sara Cosgrove’s recipe for the perfect kitchen"},"content":{"rendered":"

Open-plan living has transformed how Irish homes and families function, and kitchen design is evolving with it.<\/p>\n

Yet we are all guilty of helping ourselves to generous servings of scroll-happy visual inspiration. But rather than pawing our screens ready to pounce like crazed copycats on whatever\u2019s showing up on Instagram and Pinterest, let\u2019s stop and think about how the space actually works on an IRL or day-to-day basis.<\/p>\n

Handleless cabinetry, open shelving and oversized statement islands may look impressive in images, but they do not always suit everyday use, according to interior designer Sara Cosgrove. \u201cThe most common mistake I see is designing for how a kitchen looks rather than how it works,\u201d adds the former RT\u00c9 Home of the Year judge.<\/p>\n

Behaviour rather than aesthetics should be your starting point, Sara advises: \u201cAsk yourself who cooks in the home? How often? What does the space need to accommodate on a daily basis? By answering these questions first, homeowners can avoid costly redesigns and long-term frustration.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n

\"KubeKube Interiors open-plan kitchen\/living room.<\/p>\n

Having spent over two decades delivering high-end residential and hospitality projects, Sara believes the most common kitchen errors in renovations are not about budget, but about setting the right priorities from the beginning. \u201cThe biggest kitchen mistakes I see aren\u2019t about spend \u2014 they happen when homeowners design for a certain \u2018look\u2019 rather than designing for how they live and cook. A kitchen is a working environment. Above all else, it must function harmoniously,\u201d she says.<\/p>\n

Let there be light\u00a0<\/p>\n

Neglect lighting strategy at your peril, warn the pros. More and more innovative internal options are coming onstream, from lighting inside cabinets to between cabinets and from shelving to handle tracks \u2014 the options are endless. \u201cKitchen designers now prioritise task, mood and ambient lighting to differentiate working, dining and relaxation areas. This really enhances the spaces, providing the right look for each function and creating a lovely atmosphere for evenings and dark winter mornings,\u201d says Julie Wilshaw, Kube Interiors.<\/p>\n

\"ShelfShelf lighting, Kube Interiors. <\/p>\n

Lighting is an area frequently overlooked, agrees Sara Cosgrove. \u201cA row of pendants is not a lighting plan,\u201d she says. \u201cLayered task lighting, integrated cabinet lighting, ambient light and accent lighting all play a role in creating a kitchen that functions properly throughout the day and evening. Without this considered approach, even a high-end scheme can fall flat.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n

Photo finish\u00a0<\/p>\n

Texture and enhanced variety in stone options are coming to the fore for worktops, islands and backsplashes, according to Kube Interiors. Concrete-look finishes are paired with wood details to add softness and warmth. \u201cThere are more opportunities now to introduce texture and in the kitchen as this adds depth and creates atmosphere,\u201d says Julie Wilshaw of Kube Interiors.\u00a0<\/p>\n

\"TheThe latest oven and hob designs, such as those from Neff, allow us to rethink our kitchens.<\/p>\n

\u201cThere are additional choices available, and customers can mix and match a wider selection of finishes, which allows them to put their own stamp on the kitchen and introduce more of their personality.\u201d The finishes and surfaces that we interact with daily are vital, Sara stresses. \u201cThe details you touch and use every day matter more than people realise,\u201d she says.\u00a0<\/p>\n

\u201cEase of cleaning, durability and tactility all contribute to how a kitchen performs over time.\u00a0<\/p>\n

“The newly launched matte black vented hob from Neff, for example, is designed to blend seamlessly into contemporary schemes while minimising visible fingerprints and streaks, combining practical performance with subtle design.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n

Appliances are not afterthoughts<\/p>\n

One of the most frequent mistakes Sara encounters is homeowners specifying appliances too late in the renovation process. \u201cAppliance placement is where many renovations quietly unravel,\u201d says Sara, who recommends buyers experience appliances in person before finalising their kitchen renovation plans.<\/p>\n

\"TheThe latest ovens and hobs such as the Neff design, pictured, are helping reshape our kitchens, says Sara Cosgrove. <\/p>\n

Innovative appliances are transforming how we solve spatial challenges, according to the interior designer. \u201cWhen appliances are planned early, they positively shape the layout. You achieve safer circulation, tighter footprints and much cleaner visual lines,” she says.\u00a0<\/p>\n

The Neff Slide & Hide oven is a strong example of design thinking applied to real-world problems, adds Sara. The fully retractable door of the oven disappears beneath the cavity, eliminating the clearance issue traditional drop-down doors create \u2014 a seemingly small detail, but one that prevents doors from clashing with islands or blocking circulation in tighter spaces, reinforcing the idea that appliances should be considered as architectural components from the outset.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Extractors shouldn’t dominate a space<\/p>\n

In open-plan kitchens, traditional overhead extractor canopies can interrupt sightlines, complicate lighting plans and restrict island placement. \u201cIn today\u2019s homes, that compromise is no longer necessary,\u201d says Sara.\u00a0<\/p>\n

The designer points to the growing popularity of vented hobs, which combine induction cooking with integrated extraction in one streamlined unit. \u201cAnother innovation that meaningfully improves kitchen functionality is a vented hob, such as the Neff vented hob.\u00a0<\/p>\n

\"KubeKube Interiors Softline kitchen with lacquered-front cabinets in Coffee.<\/p>\n

“Traditional overhead extractors can dominate sightlines, interrupt lighting plans and limit design flexibility, particularly over islands. An integrated vented hob removes the need for a bulky canopy, extracting steam and odours directly at source. In practical terms, this reduces noise, improves air quality and frees up visual space. It also allows for cleaner ceiling design and uninterrupted views across open-plan kitchens.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n

Savvy storage<\/p>\n

Meanwhile, pantries, coffee and wine stations, look like they\u2019re staying fresh.<\/p>\n

Pantries will never go out of fashion and are now available in more sizes and finishes than ever before, according to Dave Fagan, director, Kube Interiors.\u00a0<\/p>\n

They can be as small as one cabinet in your kitchen or as large as a separate room concealed behind a hidden door, and they have increasingly sophisticated and clever storage systems.<\/p>\n

\"KubeKube Interiors concealed walk-in pantry ‘EasyTouch’.<\/p>\n

Coffee stations, keeping machines, crockery and ingredients in one convenient, tidy spot, are a growing requirement in most kitchens, and Kube is seeing a big demand for drinks cabinets and bars in kitchen areas. \u201cHome entertaining is more popular than ever, so expect to see more coffee and wine stations integrated into kitchens,” says Dave.\u00a0<\/p>\n

“A new option at Kube is a secret drinks cabinet concealed in the island, which can be swivelled open when your guests arrive \u2014 a super-fun addition to the range for 2026.”<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"Open-plan living has transformed how Irish homes and families function, and kitchen design is evolving with it. Yet…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":395450,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":"","_share_on_mastodon":"0"},"categories":[74],"tags":[56872,11587,180078,18,19,17,82],"class_list":["post-395449","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-technology","tag-home-improvements","tag-home-interiors","tag-property-advice","tag-eire","tag-ie","tag-ireland","tag-technology"],"share_on_mastodon":{"url":"https:\/\/pubeurope.com\/@ie\/116263055945279814","error":""},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/395449","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=395449"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/395449\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/395450"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=395449"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=395449"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=395449"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}