Meet the studio, understand our process and discover how we move from first conversation to finished space.
Plan the Kitchen Before You Choose the Finish
A kitchen can look immaculate and still be frustrating every day. If two people cannot pass behind the island, the dishwasher blocks the main route, the refrigerator is far from the prep zone, or the pantry stores plenty but hides everything, the problem is not the cabinet colour—it is the plan. Bella designs the kitchen around how you cook, store, clean, entertain and move before we resolve doors, stone, lighting and hardware.
We design open-plan kitchens, island kitchens, L-shaped kitchens, galley kitchens, U-shaped kitchens and compact apartment kitchens for new homes and renovations. The scope can include layout, cabinetry, appliance integration, pantry storage, worktops, backsplash, lighting, electrical coordination, FF&E, technical drawings and fit-out support.
Start With the Friction You Notice Every Day
Tell us what makes the existing kitchen difficult. Perhaps the worktop disappears under appliances, the island is too close to the cabinets, two people collide at dinner time, the pantry is too deep, the cooking zone is isolated from the family, or an open-plan kitchen shows every small appliance from the living room. Those observations are more useful than starting with a cabinet style.
We zone storage by task rather than filling every wall with shelves. Daily plates belong near the dishwasher, cooking tools near the hob, breakfast items together, and tall pantry storage should let you see and reach what is actually inside.
We test the island against work-aisle width, appliance doors, seating, circulation and the way more than one person uses the room. If the footprint cannot support an island properly, a peninsula, smaller prep table or open floor may work better.
In an open plan, cabinetry, flooring, lighting and material tone need to speak to dining and living without making the entire space look like a kitchen. We decide what should visually disappear and what deserves to become a focal element.
What Makes a Kitchen Work
The traditional work triangle is still a useful sense-check for sink, refrigerator and cooking relationships, but it is not the only planning method. Current NKBA guidance has moved toward clearly defined activity centres—recognising that modern kitchens may have multiple cooks, islands, coffee zones, baking zones and separate pantry functions.
We map food storage, washing, preparation, cooking, serving, coffee and waste so the tools and ingredients for each task are close to where they are used. That reduces unnecessary movement and prevents beautiful cabinetry from hiding an inefficient workflow.
An island only works if doors, drawers and people can move around it. NKBA's published planning guidance recommends at least 42 in / 1067 mm for a one-cook work aisle and 48 in / 1219 mm for multiple cooks; we use those as design references, then adapt for the actual appliances, users and local requirements.
The kitchen needs general light, but worktops, sink, hob, pantry and island need their own useful illumination. We coordinate ceiling lights, under-cabinet lighting, pendants and joinery lighting so decorative fixtures do not leave the actual prep surface in shadow.
Choose the Layout That Fits the Room
There is no universally 'best' kitchen layout. The right one depends on room width, doors, windows, service positions, number of cooks, dining relationship and how much storage the household genuinely needs.
An L-shape uses two perpendicular walls and works well where the kitchen needs to remain visually open. We pay particular attention to corner storage, appliance grouping and keeping one leg from becoming an unnecessarily long run.
An island can support preparation, breakfast seating, a sink, storage or serving, but trying to make it do everything can create conflict. We choose its job first, then size it around the surrounding work aisles and appliance doors.
A galley can be extremely efficient because everything is close, but it becomes frustrating when the central route doubles as household traffic. We control appliance-door conflicts, tall storage, light and the location of frequently used items so the kitchen does not feel like a tunnel.
Three-sided kitchens can provide generous worktop and storage, but too many tall units or a narrow centre can feel restrictive. We balance base, wall and tall cabinetry and decide where the room needs visual relief.
What Kitchen Interior Design Can Include
Cabinet fronts are only the visible layer. A complete kitchen brief also considers appliances, plumbing, electrical load, ventilation, lighting, internal hardware, stone, backsplash, pantry storage, waste and installation tolerances.
We understand how the household uses the kitchen before choosing a cabinet system.
Every cabinet is assigned a job rather than added simply because wall space exists.
Appliance selection and placement are coordinated with how the kitchen is actually used.
The hardest-working surfaces are detailed for use, maintenance and fabrication.
The technical plan needs to be settled before cabinets arrive.
Where appointed, we take the kitchen beyond concept into fabrication and execution coordination.
The exact deliverables are confirmed in the proposal. Structural engineering, specialist MEP design, gas-system alterations, authority submissions, appliance supply, contractor execution, building-management fees and specialist ventilation calculations are included only when expressly stated.
From Kitchen Brief to Installation
Kitchen mistakes become expensive once stone is templated or joinery enters production. Our sequence resolves layout, appliance data and technical interfaces before fabrication.
We discuss household size, cooking frequency, cuisine, appliance preferences, shopping habits, entertaining, pantry needs, cleaning routines and whether the kitchen is social, concealed or both.
Output: functional brief and appliance strategyL-shape, U-shape, galley, island, peninsula or one-wall options are tested against the room, doors, windows and main circulation.
Output: preferred kitchen planFood, preparation, cooking, cleaning, coffee, baking and waste are assigned deliberate locations so drawers and cabinets support the workflow.
Output: storage and internal-use planDoor style, finish, timber, colour, worktop, backsplash, hardware and island character are developed as one palette tied to the adjoining interior.
Output: material and cabinetry conceptManufacturer data, power, water, drainage, extraction, lighting, sockets and any approved service changes are checked against the final cabinet geometry.
Output: coordinated technical informationWhere included, shop drawings, samples, hardware, appliances, stone and joinery are approved in the required order so one supplier does not force changes onto another.
Output: fabrication / procurement readinessCabinetry, stone, appliances, lighting and final fittings are installed in sequence, followed by alignment checks, door adjustments, sealant review and snagging within the agreed scope.
Output: completed kitchen ready for useThe Kitchen Technical Layer
We use recognised planning guidance as a reference, then coordinate it with the actual property, users, appliances and UAE requirements. The figures below are design benchmarks—not substitutes for manufacturer instructions, local codes or project-specific accessibility requirements.
NKBA's published planning guideline recommends at least 42 in / 1067 mm for a one-cook work aisle and 48 in / 1219 mm for multiple cooks, measured between counter fronts, tall cabinets and appliances. We test the real appliance doors and household movement rather than treating the number as an automatic island entitlement.
The same NKBA guidance recommends a general kitchen walkway of at least 36 in / 914 mm. A walkway is not the same thing as a working aisle, so circulation behind an island or through an open-plan kitchen is checked separately from the cook's work zone.
NKBA's published guideline recommends at least 12 in / 305 mm of landing on one side of a cooking surface and 15 in / 381 mm on the other. Manufacturer instructions and the actual hob / cooker type still govern required safety clearances.
Sockets, pendants, sinks or appliances on an island can affect electrical routes, floor boxes, ceiling points and stone cut-outs. These items are coordinated before joinery and worktop fabrication.
Hob position, hood type, duct route, ceiling depth, make-up air and manufacturer requirements can influence the entire elevation. A decorative hood is not selected independently from the ventilation strategy.
Integrated refrigerators, ovens, coffee machines and other built-ins need manufacturer-specific ventilation, service access and door clearances. Cabinet dimensions are developed around confirmed appliance data rather than generic catalogue widths.
Before You Move Walls or Services
If the kitchen keeps the existing layout and the work is limited to cabinets, finishes, worktops and like-for-like fixtures, the project may be relatively straightforward. Moving walls, drainage, major electrical loads, ventilation routes or gas services changes the technical and approval requirements.
Abu Dhabi's Department of Municipalities and Transport identifies non-structural interior or exterior modifications, general maintenance and interior finishes among the categories covered by its simplified minor-works framework. The exact route still depends on the property and the proposed work.
In managed apartment buildings and communities, building owners or management may also control contractor registration, working hours, wet-service work, extraction, gas, service access, protection and deposits. Those requirements are confirmed before demolition or service relocation is scheduled.
Choose Surfaces for the Way You Cook
Worktops, cabinet fronts and backsplashes are touched, cleaned and exposed to heat, moisture, oils and impact every day. We therefore discuss maintenance before specifying a surface simply because it photographs well.
Natural stone can create exceptional character but different stones have different porosity, hardness and maintenance needs. Engineered surfaces, porcelain and compact-surface products can offer more predictable performance in some applications. The right choice depends on appearance, edge detail, heat exposure, staining risk, fabrication and how much maintenance you accept.
For cabinet fronts, laminate, veneer, lacquer, painted MDF, timber and other systems all create different cost, repairability and wear profiles. Hardware quality also matters because hinges, runners, lifts and pull-outs are used far more often than a decorative feature wall.
Budget & Programme
The UAE cost ranges supplied online mix cosmetic refacing, modular kitchens, custom joinery, appliances, construction, imported systems and project management into different packages. We do not present those figures as a universal Bella rate. A useful budget starts by defining the kitchen you actually need.
For a meaningful quotation, share the kitchen plan or dimensions, current photographs, property type, whether you are keeping the existing services, preferred appliance list and whether you need design only, kitchen supply or complete renovation / fit-out.
Kitchen Decisions in Real Spaces
These temporary images were selected specifically for kitchen conditions: island planning, L-shaped cabinetry, open-plan integration, pantry organisation, lighting and material detailing. They can be replaced with Bella project photography later without changing the template.
Questions Kitchen Clients Usually Ask
These answers focus on the decisions that change how a kitchen performs: layout, aisles, storage, islands, lighting, appliances, worktops, small spaces, cost and renovation.
Depending on the appointment, kitchen interior design can include briefing, layout planning, cabinetry, internal storage, appliance integration, pantry design, worktops, backsplash, sink and tap selection, lighting, electrical coordination, ventilation, technical drawings, supplier coordination and fit-out support. The proposal should state exactly which responsibilities are included.
There is no single best layout. L-shaped kitchens work well in many open plans, galley layouts can be efficient in narrow rooms, U-shaped layouts offer generous storage and worktop, and islands can add prep or social space when the room has enough clearance. We choose the layout from the room, circulation and how you cook—not from the trend.
It is still a useful way to sense-check the relationship between sink, refrigerator and cooking, but modern kitchens often have more than three important activities. Current NKBA guidance formally recognises activity centres, so we also plan preparation, clean-up, pantry, coffee, baking and multiple-cook zones where relevant.
NKBA's published planning guideline recommends a work aisle of at least 42 in / 1067 mm for one cook and 48 in / 1219 mm for multiple cooks. That is a professional planning reference, not a universal UAE code. Appliance doors, seating, accessibility, room geometry and local requirements can justify more space.
NKBA's published planning guideline recommends at least 36 in / 914 mm for a walkway. A traffic walkway and a cook's working aisle are different, so an open-plan route behind island seating may need to be evaluated separately.
Prioritise uninterrupted worktop, tall storage, drawers that reveal their contents, good task light and a clear aisle. Avoid squeezing in an island simply because islands are desirable. In many compact kitchens, a well-planned galley, one-wall or L-shape performs better and feels more open.
They can add useful storage and create a cleaner elevation, especially for pantry and integrated appliances. The uppermost storage should be reserved for infrequently used items, and the overall wall still needs visual relief so the room does not become an uninterrupted block of cabinetry.
The best material depends on heat, staining, impact, maintenance, edge detail and the appearance you want. Natural stone, engineered surfaces, porcelain and other products all have different strengths and limitations. We review the manufacturer's technical data and your maintenance tolerance rather than assuming the most expensive slab is automatically the best.
NKBA's published guideline recommends at least 12 in / 305 mm of landing on one side of the cooking surface and 15 in / 381 mm on the other. Manufacturer instructions and the actual cooker, hob or surrounding enclosure may require different safety clearances.
Use layers: general ambient lighting, direct task light to worktops, useful light inside selected storage and decorative lighting where it adds atmosphere. Pendant lights over an island should complement—not replace—the light needed on the preparation surface.
Integrated appliances create a cleaner elevation and can be especially effective in open-plan kitchens, but they require precise cabinet dimensions, ventilation and service access. Freestanding appliances can be easier and less expensive to replace. The right choice depends on design priority, appliance type and long-term maintenance.
Give small appliances a planned home, use tall pantry storage, control open shelving, integrate waste and cleaning items, and keep the material palette connected to the adjoining living space. The goal is not to hide everything—it is to prevent the kitchen from presenting every functional object to the living room.
A cosmetic cabinet refresh, a new modular kitchen and a fully bespoke renovation with new services and appliances are not comparable projects. The main cost drivers are cabinetry quantity, hardware, worktops, appliances, island complexity, electrical / plumbing / ventilation changes and fit-out scope. We price after those responsibilities are defined.
The programme depends on design approval, appliance confirmation, shop drawings, cabinetry fabrication, stone templating, MEP changes and building or authority requirements. Joinery cannot responsibly be released before the critical appliance and service information is coordinated, so we set the programme from the actual scope rather than a fixed generic week count.
Some non-structural interior work and finishes fall within Abu Dhabi's minor-works framework, but moving walls, plumbing, ventilation, gas or major electrical services can change the approval requirement. Managed buildings and communities may also impose their own contractor and technical rules, so these are checked before demolition or service relocation.
Your Kitchen, Properly Briefed
Share the property type, kitchen dimensions or floor plan, current photos and the problems you want to solve—layout, storage, island clearance, appliances, lighting, pantry space or a complete renovation.
If you already know which appliances you want, send the model numbers. Appliance dimensions, door swings, ventilation and service requirements can change the cabinet design, so confirmed information helps us plan accurately.
