Kitchen Renovation in Dubai: A Luxury Planning Guide
Updated
Plan a luxury kitchen in Dubai by settling how you cook and entertain first, then the layout and services, then joinery, worktops and appliances, in that order. The cost is shaped by the size of the room, how much of the joinery is bespoke, the grade of worktops and appliances, and whether plumbing, gas or extraction has to move, so those decisions come before any finishes are chosen.
Decide how the kitchen will be used
Many Dubai homes effectively have two kitchens: a show kitchen open to the living area, and a closed working kitchen where the heavy cooking happens, often used by household staff. Decide early whether you need both, because it changes almost every later decision, from appliance choice to extraction.
Then answer the practical questions. Who cooks, how often, and what kind of food? How many people eat together on a normal day, and how many when you entertain? Do you want to see guests while you cook, or keep cooking out of sight? Where do groceries and deliveries come in?
Layout options and what they suit
- Island kitchens suit open-plan villas and large apartments. An island adds worktop, storage and seating, but needs generous clearance on every side and power, and possibly plumbing, brought up through the floor.
- L-shaped layouts work well in open living areas, using a corner while keeping the room open.
- Galley or parallel kitchens are efficient for serious cooking and common in apartments and working kitchens.
- U-shaped kitchens give the most storage in a closed kitchen but can feel enclosed.
Whatever the shape, keep a sensible working relationship between sink, hob and fridge, and keep through traffic out of the main cooking zone. Our space planning work tests these options on plan before anything is ordered.
Bespoke joinery and storage
Joinery is usually the largest single element of a luxury kitchen, and it is where bespoke work earns its place. Made-to-measure cabinetry uses every centimetre, with ceiling-height units, proper corner solutions and appliance housings built around the exact models you choose.
What to specify
- Carcass material: moisture-resistant boards around the sink and dishwasher, with sealed edges.
- Door finish: lacquer, veneer, high-pressure laminate or solid timber, each with different durability and repair options.
- Hardware: soft-close hinges and full-extension drawer runners from reputable manufacturers. This is the part you touch every day.
- Internal organisation: deep pan drawers, larder units, inserts for cutlery and spices, and a planned home for small appliances so worktops stay clear.
Bespoke joinery is a core part of what we design and build, alongside wardrobes, vanities and wall panelling, so the kitchen can share materials and details with the rest of the home.
Worktops, splashbacks and floors
Worktops take the most punishment in any kitchen. The main options:
- Marble: striking, but etches with lemon, vinegar and wine. Best where you accept a patina, or on an island that sees less preparation work.
- Granite and quartzite: harder and more resistant, though quartzite varies from slab to slab and is worth testing.
- Engineered quartz: consistent and low maintenance, but can be marked by very hot pans and may discolour in strong direct sun.
- Sintered stone and porcelain slabs: resistant to heat, stains and UV, and available in large, thin slabs; edges and cut-outs need careful detailing.
- Stainless steel: hygienic and practical for working kitchens.
Running the worktop material up the wall as a splashback gives a clean, joint-free surface behind the hob. Floors should be durable, easy to clean and not slippery when wet.
Appliances, extraction and lighting
Appliances
Choose appliances before the joinery is detailed, because integrated models need exact housing sizes and ventilation gaps. Be honest about what you use: steam ovens, warming drawers, wine storage and separate fridge and freezer columns all take cabinet space. Check that the brands you choose have reliable local service support.
Extraction
Extraction is where many open kitchens fail. A hood or downdraft extractor should be matched to the hob and ducted to the outside wherever possible; recirculating units filter grease but do not remove heat and moisture. In apartments, the duct route and whether external venting is allowed depend on the building, so check this early. Gas hobs, where the building has a gas supply, bring their own safety and approval requirements.
Lighting
Plan task lighting under wall units and over the island, general ceiling light, and softer accent light for evenings when the kitchen is part of the living space. Our lighting design guide covers layering and colour temperature, and the smart home guide explains scenes and app control.
How the Dubai context affects a kitchen
- Heat and humidity. Closed kitchens get hot quickly; good extraction and proper AC coverage matter, and joinery near the sink and dishwasher must resist moisture.
- Sun. Kitchens with large windows need worktops and finishes that will not fade or discolour.
- Building rules. Towers and communities control working hours, noisy works, deliveries and changes to services. Depending on the scope, approval from building management, the master developer or the relevant authority may be needed, and we handle those submissions as part of the programme.
- Household staff. Where staff do the cooking, their working kitchen deserves the same planning as the show kitchen.
How to plan the budget
The main cost drivers for a kitchen renovation are:
- Size of the kitchen and the amount of cabinetry.
- Extent of bespoke joinery and the door finish.
- Material grade of worktops, splashbacks and flooring.
- MEP works: moving the sink, gas, electrical circuits and extraction ducts.
- Appliance specification, and whether there is a second kitchen.
Moving services is often where kitchen budgets grow, so decide early whether the layout will change. If your budget is fixed, we can tailor the design and material selection to it.
How a kitchen renovation is sequenced
- Brief, survey and measurements.
- Layout and design, with 3D renders so you can see the kitchen before it is built.
- Appliance selection, followed by detailed joinery drawings.
- Approvals from building management or the community where required.
- Strip-out and first fix: plumbing, electrical, gas and ductwork.
- Walls, ceilings and flooring.
- Joinery installation, then templating and fitting of worktops.
- Splashbacks, appliances, lighting and second fix.
- Snagging, testing and handover.
Stone worktops are templated only once the base units are fixed in place, which is why they are among the last items to go in.
Mistakes to avoid
- Choosing worktops and finishes before the layout and appliances are fixed.
- Undersized or recirculating extraction in an open kitchen.
- Too few sockets, or sockets in the wrong places.
- Standard carcasses next to the sink and dishwasher.
- Leaving the working kitchen as an afterthought.
Xena Design & Build delivers kitchens as part of villa and apartment projects, from design through fit-out, with a 12-month defects liability period set out in your contract and manufacturers' appliance warranties passed on to you. See our villa interior design service, or send us your details for an indicative estimate and proposed timeline within one working day.
