3 Never site an extractor fan between wall cabinets: it looks clumsy. Instead replace adjacent cabinets with open shelves. If the thought of all that dust brings out your OCD, conceal a canopy hood inside an adapted wall cabinet that has no bottom, rendering the appliance virtually invisible. By the way, the cheaper extractor fans are often made in the same factories as those that are more expensive, so it may not be worth spending a great deal of money on one.  4 When selecting your appliances, choose carefully. Forget about expensive brands, just buy basic white goods with an A+++ energy efficiency rating. These can be concealed behind cabinet fronts to match the rest of your kitchen.  5 When it comes to slick modern kitchens, the key word is concealment. Undermounting a cheaper stainless-steel sink into your worktop will make it look more stylish and more expensive.  6 One design trick is to fit the plinth (the ‘skirting board’ that floor units sit on) as far back as is possible. This will make your joinery appear cantilevered and ‘high-design’.  7 Spend your money where it counts most. Buy inexpensive carcasses from big DIY stores, Ikea or kitchen specialists such as Howdens and then have them fitted with bespoke doors and drawer fronts.  8 A worktop is one of the most visible features so it is well worth spending money here. Honed granite (which has a flat low sheen without reflection) is both chic and durable, making it cost-effective too. To keep your top relatively lightweight order a slab that is about 20mm thick but ask for a mitred downstand (edging) of 70mm. This will make it look luxuriously thick. Consider using the same material for a splashback or choose painted glass.  9 Kitchen taps need to be good quality, but don’t go mad. Hansgrohe is ideal.  10 Sleek, modern kitchens are often ironmongery-free zones which makes them budget-friendly (beautiful handles and knobs are frequently a ‘hidden’ cost). The company Hafele (hafele.com) makes good-quality fitted closers and push catches. You can also have cupboard doors and drawer fronts constructed with integrated handles.
Limited funds are no barrier to having a dream kitchen. What counts most is   having a good eye and a good fit, the interior designer Naomi Cleaver says.