5 perfect finishing touches for your new kitchen

Even though we use them every day, cupboard handles and doorknobs are an oft-forgotten aspect of kitchen design.

Handles and doorknobs can help to enhance your scheme by adding character and colour. There are countless options to suit everything from classic to ultra-modern kitchens.

Antique, bow-shaped handles will bring elegance, while brass bar handles have sharp, clean lines that suit a contemporary look. For a country-cottage kitchen, consider rustic oak knobs. Alternatively, polished nickel doorknobs add brightness to a dark-toned layout.

Browse our full range to find the best fit for your kitchen design or check out our guide on how to choose kitchen door handles for in-depth advice.

Kitchens are often thought of as having to be hardwearing, durable rooms, ready for manic mealtimes or experimental recipes. But there's no reason you shouldn't soften the overall look with a few choice textiles.

Having a rug in the kitchen can be risky if you're prone to spills or have busy feet passing back and forth. But if you think your lifestyle will suit one, adding an anti-slip rug in front of the sink or island is a great way to add a splash of colour or pattern to your kitchen while providing a comfortable place to stand when you're busy cooking.

If you have big windows in your kitchen, curtains or blinds can allow for privacy during the evenings while also allowing you to control the light that enters the room. Consider different colours, patterns and textures to bring something extra. Gingham curtains are pretty and traditional, great for a rustic farmhouse kitchen, while rich colours can add a layer of extravagance to an Italian-style kitchen.

If you don't want to commit to a rug or curtains, tea towels are a kitchen essential that come in an endless range of fun styles. Hang them around your kitchen to add a splash of personality.

Lighting can dictate the mood of any room, and your kitchen is no exception. A good lighting scheme includes layers that allow you to alter the illumination to suit different activities; so you can have a super-bright space for everyday food prep and tone it down for elegant dinner parties.

Spotlights and under-cabinet lights are great for adding functionality, but a pendant light can bring the wow factor to your kitchen. From large statement lights to delicate single-bulbs, there's a style that will fit perfectly.

Depending on your layout, you could hang a pendant light above a kitchen island to make it even more of a feature point or simply place one in the centre of the room to tie the whole scheme together.

For more advice on choosing the right pendant light for your kitchen, take a look at our in-depth guide.

Rinsing your cereal bowl, filling up the kettle, a midnight glass of water… Kitchen taps are busy all day long, so it's important not to neglect them when it comes to the aesthetics of your kitchen. A beautiful set of taps can become a focal point, so choose ones that are stylish and functional.

For a vintage look, consider cross-head taps in a bronze or copper finish to really throwback to kitchens from days-gone-by. Alternatively, embrace an updated design with matt, colour-block taps in a funky geometrical shape.

Having stylish kitchen taps can give you a little bit of a boost as you navigate your daily routine, so take the time to browse until you find a set that can add something extra to your kitchen. For more ideas about which taps might suit your design, view our taps buyer's guide.

The places we don't see when we stand back and look at our kitchen still matter, so don't forget to pay attention to the inside of your cupboards and drawers. While these types of areas may not be on show to your guests, you'll still notice them.

Choose a colour or pattern to style along the bottom of drawers and inside of cupboard doors, to give a burst of excitement to an otherwise uninteresting place. Alternatively, lining the back of your cupboards with a complementary colour or pattern will bring a whole new level of style to your kitchen.

It can be easy to overlook the finer points, but incorporating beautiful details can take your kitchen from looking good to feeling amazing. Take a look at our accessories guides for more ideas about finding the right finishing touches for your design.