The perfect kitchen all starts with the planning, and there are lots of considerations to make when designing your new kitchen, such as layout, colour and appliances. For a stress free guide to planning your new kitchen, follow these simple steps before ordering your new kitchen to make sure that it not only looks good, but caters to all your needs.
First, you should identify your kitchen requirements by listing the things you need your new kitchen to have, against the things that you would like. Make sure this is realistic depending on the size of your kitchen and your budget. Things you should consider should be how much storage space you’ll need, whether you want some of your larger appliances built into the kitchen units, such as fridge, freezer, washing machine and dishwasher – these can be a great help if you have a small kitchen which can’t accommodate a large fridge freezer; however, they do reduce the amount of storage space under your worktop, and whether you want small appliances permanently out in your kitchen, easily storable, or built in.
Next you need to decide on the layout of your kitchen, however, depending on the shape of your kitchen, you may not have much of a choice. There are a lot of different variations of layouts when choosing your new kitchen, deciding on which one will be most beneficial for your home will depend on your kitchen size, shape, as well as what you need to include in your kitchen. A few options for your perfect layout include:-
The Galley option is one of the most common styles of kitchens, where your kitchen units run parallel down both sides of the kitchen. This is a great layout for long thinner kitchens, making the most of the space you have. This style is a great option if you want to incorporate built-in units into your kitchen, as you’ll have lots of storage space.
The Kitchen Island is common for a larger, square kitchen where the kitchen is built around a central island. This can create more worktop and storage areas which is useful if your kitchen hasn’t got a lot of wall space, and can even include a breakfast bar for an additional dining area.
The L Shaped Layout is ideal for square shaped kitchens which also need to include a dining table, which houses your worktops into an L shape. To make the most of this layout it is best to have the workspace against a bare wall without windows to maximise your storage space.
The G Shaped Layout is a great way to encompass a breakfast bar into your kitchen, especially if you would like to include a breakfast bar into a small kitchen. The G shaped layout is commonly used in smaller square kitchens, where the worktops follow the wall round in an almost full square, with one of the sides coming out into the middle of the room to become a breakfast bar.
The U Shaped Layout can be used in lots of different situations, from small square kitchens to large open plan kitchens and can be a great option if you need a lot of storage space, and is a stylish option if you’re interested in built-in appliances.
Once you have decided on what layout is best for your kitchen, you need to plan where you are going to place your kitchen appliances in order to make your kitchen productive and convenient while in use. For example, you might want to consider placing the dishwasher close to the sink, the oven next to the stove, and the fridge in the middle. This is commonly known as the triangle approach which will optimise the use of your kitchen and reduce wasted trips around your kitchen.
Lastly, once this is all planned, all you need to do is decide on the colour and style for your new kitchen. Whether you want a traditional wooden country style kitchen, or a modern light kitchen, there are few factors to consider. First, is your kitchen naturally light, or do you rely on lighting? Dark colours in a dark kitchen can make a room feel much smaller, however, white, modern kitchens are popular for small spaces as it reflects light and makes the space look bigger.
However, this may not be a functional colour as it is a very difficult colour to keep clean. Choosing the martial and colour of your worktop surface to compliment your cupboards is also important, as a dark worktop can complement a light kitchen design. When deciding on a colour and style for your kitchen is it often beneficial to go look at the options in a kitchen showroom, so you can get a feel of what you like, as well as giving you the opportunity to discuss your ideas and confirm your designs with the experts.
