Mansion Kitchens: How You Can Spend $1 Million Without Trying
Multi-million dollar mansions have multi-million dollar kitchens – that’s partly how they get the price tag, after all. So what are the things that go into the highest of high-end kitchens? We cover the main areas that you could spend exorbitant amounts of money on if you were so inclined and able.
Rare and Expensive Countertops For Kitchens
When designing a kitchen worth millions of dollars, marble or granite countertops are the obvious luxurious choices. The cost of new countertops depends on the beauty and rarity of the marble and granite. Some of the most stunning, rare and expensive options include:
- White Statuario Carrara marble (Italy)
- Calacatta Carrara marble (Italy)
- Sicilian Diaspro marble (Italy)
- Brèche du Bénou marble (France)
- White Thassos Extra marble (Greece)
- Belgian Black marble (Germany)
- Portoro marble (Italy)
- Amazzonite granite (Brazil)
To-The-Ceiling Backsplashes
The typical backsplash height is 3 – 5 inches from the countertop, or from the base up to the bottom of the cabinets. Million-dollar kitchens take the splendor and the beauty of natural stone, like marble or granite, and turn it up to 11 by extending the backsplash to the ceiling. High-end kitchen designers use backsplashes as a continuous extension of the countertops or as a contrast to them. Regardless of their design purpose, the added expense of using more materials can add to the total cost of the kitchen.
Advanced Plumbing and Fixtures
Sinks and faucets are parts of the kitchen that you’ll use the most. Million-dollar kitchens try to make this experience as functional and easy as possible while adding to the aesthetics of the room. Factors that impact the cost of sinks include:
- Size – the larger the better and more expensive
- Raw material – high-end sinks use prime raw materials such as copper and stone
- Manufacturing method– anything shaped by hand is pricier than items that are mass-manufactured
- Feature-rich faucets – options that contribute to cost include touchless controls, detachable hoses, size
Highest-End Kitchen Appliances
You can spend a lot of money in a very short time when buying big-ticket items such as refrigerators and ovens. The Meneghini La Cambusa Refrigerator can cost more than $50,000 when configured to your specifications and La Cornue ovens that are built custom can cost $500,000. On top of the fridge and stove, you can spend $2,000 on a blender and get a $10,000 microwave that can do everything but walk your dog.
Lighting A Million-dollar Kitchen
Luxury kitchen lighting is a chance to choose visually stunning yet practical lighting fixtures. A nice kitchen chandelier or lighting fixture can cost tens of thousands of dollars. Recessed lighting is more expensive than typical fixtures, and dimmers and configurations for lighting also cost more.
More is More Better
One sink is nice, but if your kitchen is big enough, two is even nicer. Some other additions in high-end kitchens include:
- Specialized additional fridges
- Warming drawers
- Larger dishwashers (and multiple dishwashers)
- Multiple kitchen islands
- Multiple sinks
- Built-in cutting boards
