Team KBB

How to choose the right appliances to match your kitchen style

Posted on 11th November 2025

Whether you want a minimalist kitchen or a more industrial space, choosing the right appliances will ensure you get the perfect look.

The appliances you opt to have in your design are a crucial element of the cooking space but one thing you might not have considered is the style. Which gadgets look good in which kitchen? KBB journo Sally Smith helps you pick…

Scandi style kitchen with wood panelling, an integrated fridge and a central island with seating and a sink and tap. — Gaggenau’s 400 series Vario fridge-freezer combination with push-to-open function for integration into handleless furniture, front or pull-to-open function to facilitate opening the door using a handle. It features a flat, stainless-steel, separately controlled, inner cooling drawer close to 0°C. Price on application.

Industrial chic

A large, open-plan, industrial-style kitchen can accommodate high-end, professional-grade appliances with exposed hardware, which will make more of a focal point within the layout. This is where a statement solution, such as a stainless-steel, American-style fridge can truly stand out, beautifully contrasting the more pared-back scheme.

An industrial style kitchen with stainless steel range cooker, extractor and work surfaces. — La Cornue’s Château 150 range cooker with brushed stainless-steel handles and a polished stainless-steel handrail matches the walnut finish shown with stainless-steel trims. Priced from £45,600 depending on the choice of cooktop, it’s matched here with the Château cooker hood in stainless steel, priced around £25,000.

Whilst stainless steel is often a hallmark of pro-style kitchens or a warehouse look, consider range cookers and suspended ceiling extraction units with mixed metal trims and finishes such as copper, brass, or bronze to add warmth and character to the design. Built-in refrigeration appliances with flexi cooling drawers with reclaimed wood door panels are a great option, as well.

Industrial-style kitchen with handleless cabinetry, a copper sink and tap, and exposed brick. — 80cm Franke Mythos Masterpiece suspended ceiling extraction hood in matt black with copper decorative ring. It features a dimmable lighting panel and matches the trims on the induction hob. Hood, £2543, hob, £1849.

Minimalist kitchens

Minimalist kitchens call for sleek – handleless or integrated – appliances with matt finishes, to maintain clean lines and a clutter-free look. The latest integrated worktop hobs are the ultimate in pared-back design, with temperature sensors embedded in the surface indicating the centre of the cooking zone.

Minimalist kitchen with handleless cabinetry, pared-back appliances and a stone clad island. — Miele’s latest built-to-order VitroLine appliances, in Pearl Beige, boast a soft allure, ideal for a modern kitchen. Here are the H7440BM combination oven, £2869, DGC7440HC pro steam oven, £3149, ESW7010 warming drawer, £1399, and EVS7010 vacuum drawer, £2779.

A discreet residual heat indicator at the edge of the worktop will let you know when the surface can be used as normal for food preparation. Combined with a low-profile, integrated extraction unit within an overhead cabinet, there will be no sign of cooking gadgets.

For the perfect combination of streamlined models, opt for a bank of handleless, built-in ovens alongside a touch-to-open or voice-controlled, built-in fridge-freezer hidden from view behind flat panel-style cabinet doors.

L-shaped floor to ceiling cabinetry with matt black handles, a central island with seating and dining space, and neutral surfaces. — This monochrome kitchen by Piqu Kitchens is from their Ballerina collection, in Black Resopal, with Cosentino Dekton Rem and Spekva wood work surfaces. Prices start from £50,000. The Siemens ovens feel like a natural continuation of the scheme.

Fusion style

Thinking of combining a few different styles? A mid-century kitchen design with a hint of Scandi, perhaps? Then you’ll have to do your research on appliance styles to ensure you add depth to the scheme, without overwhelming the space. For example, the natural, earthy tones of a Scandi kitchen will pair well with understated, minimalist appliances.

“We always aim for design cohesion with a more contemporary kitchen style, and choose appliances that complement the materials, finishes, and lines of the cabinetry and architecture,” says Adrian Graves, lead designer at Piqu Kitchens. Choose appliances that blend with the design and colour of the cabinets as well as the symmetry of the space you have.

Retro style kitchen with staineless steel range cooker with a tiled extractor, a central island with seating, and a bar area. — The freestanding 1219mm Sub-Zero French-door 607 litre fridge and 213 litre pull-out freezer drawer includes an internal ice and water dispenser. Priced from £18,500, it does not overwhelm the kitchen, working well with the retro-style cabinets with bronze and gold hardware.

A minimalist scheme with oak-effect units, integrated cooking gadgets, a sink zone, and a central island with an induction hob. — A Scandinavian-style kitchen design by Kingswell Kitchens for Masterclass Kitchens features Oxwich in Farringdon Grey paired with Madoc in Henley Oak, with handles in Portland Oak. Kitchens start from £15,000. Slide & Hide oven, Neff.

Traditional kitchens

Traditional kitchens never go out of style, and typically feature detailed Shaker cabinets, in a mix of neutral or bold shades. Opt for appliances that suit the design style or can be hidden behind custom panels. When it comes to this look, Tom Howley, creative design director of the eponymous brand, suggests a couple of appliance options.

A classic scheme with grey cabinetry, patterned tiles, exposed wooden beams and integrated cooking gadgets. — This kitchen is from Tom Howley’s Hartford collection, painted in Thistle and Lithadora, with Ca’ Pietra Cement Encaustic Splash Pattern Tile in French Blue. The worktop is Silestone Snowy Ibiza by Cosentino. Similar Fisher & Paykel Series 7 ovens are priced at £1334.

“A range cooker serves as a beautiful focal point, particularly when framed with a bespoke mantel or decorative splashback. However, for a cleaner, more contemporary edge, I recommend built-in ovens – integrated into the cabinetry or stacked – to deliver all the functionality of modern cooking while keeping the aesthetic understated.”

In terms of cooling solutions, a built-in fridge-freezer or wine cabinet works well hidden behind Shaker-style cabinets.