Planning a new kitchen can be extremely challenging, but it can also be very rewarding. The question is: if you have never done this before, where do you start?
Before you do anything, sit down and work out exactly what you need from your kitchen. For example, some people only use a kitchen for cooking, while others need it to double as a laundry. If this is the case, ask yourself whether you can configure the kitchen so that a separate, smaller area leads from it, where you can accommodate a washing machine, other laundry appliances, and items like an ironing board. If you are one of those people—or families—who spend a lot of time in the kitchen, eating or even socializing there, your approach will be quite different. You will need space for a freestanding table or, at the very least, a built-in counter with bar stools where you can eat.
Once you have decided on the function, you can move on to the approach you are going to take. This involves fundamental issues ranging from the basic layout of the kitchen to any style you may want to follow. From here, you can start costing items and deciding whether you are going to employ a professional kitchen company to do the work for you or whether you will tackle the hard work yourself. A compromise would be to get a professional company (or manufacturing outlet) to make custom units and for you to install them yourself. This can work well, provided you have the necessary skills. If you are going to employ the services of a company or individual specializing in kitchen installations, it is still a good idea to know what you want before you get quotations.
Exploring Ideas and Establishing Your Budget
If you’re stuck for ideas and really don’t know where to start, have a look at websites (like this one) that show photographs of different kitchens. You can also look for magazines and books that are well-illustrated, with up-to-date ideas. You’ll probably find that you instinctively like some ideas and not others. Another good option is to visit show houses and showrooms where you can see and touch what’s available. Try to gauge prices so you know what to expect and whether you can realistically afford what you think you want. It is essential to have a clear idea of your budget from the start, so you can ensure your new kitchen fits within it. If it doesn’t, you’ll need to decide whether you can increase your budget or find ways to cut costs.
Once you have established your personal priorities and have a fairly clear picture of what you want, it’s time to work out the costs. This is a vital part of planning a new kitchen. To do this, you’ll need to decide which appliances you need to buy and how you are going to fit out the kitchen. This means establishing the type of fittings—such as cupboards, cabinets, or open shelves—and their finish, as well as how many of each you’ll need.
At this point, it’s back to the drawing board. If you’re using a professional company for the kitchen—or even just getting quotations—they should give you a preliminary plan of what the kitchen will look like based on your requirements. If you’re fitting the kitchen yourself, either from scratch or with knock-down units, you’ll have to draw your own plan. If you use common sense and follow basic design principles, you shouldn’t find this difficult.
The size of the kitchen and its shape will determine, to a large degree, how you will lay it out. Typical configurations include galley kitchens (long and narrow with units on opposite walls), U-shaped kitchens (using three walls), and L-shaped kitchens (with units along two walls that meet at right angles). The open-plan approach, where the kitchen becomes part of the general living space, can work with both U-shaped and L-shaped kitchens. Or, the entire kitchen can become a living room of sorts.
Most efficiently designed kitchens incorporate a work triangle, which involves a logical interrelationship between the cook’s three main aids:
- stove,
- refrigerator, and
- sink.
All this really means is that whoever is working in the kitchen needs to be able to move between these three “aids” easily. They won’t always form a perfect triangle, however. For example, a sink and refrigerator may be positioned along the same wall with the stove on the other. In the case of a kitchen along a single wall, all three would be in a line, but not right next to each other. If your kitchen includes an island unit, it might be best to incorporate either the sink or a hob into the triangle for it to be effective.
Just remember that the stove and refrigerator should never be positioned right next to each other. This is because one is made for heating and the other for cooling, and placing them together will prevent them from operating at maximum efficiency. Also, it’s best to have some working surface on either side of both the stove and the sink.
Corners can be a particular challenge, especially when two cabinets meet at a corner, making it difficult to reach the space. Investigate what space-saving fittings are available, such as those that rotate.
Other factors to consider when planning a new kitchen include:
- making sure there is enough space for people to walk through the kitchen easily (even with a central island),
- positioning tall units at the ends of ordinary counters,
- checking the direction in which cupboard and cabinet doors open so they don’t get in the way of one another and open easily,
- making use of all possible wall space, either by hanging cupboards, using open shelving, or incorporating taller units or freestanding furniture like dressers,
- planning your work surfaces carefully so you have sufficient space for every task, and
- ensuring that essential services related to plumbing, electrics, and gas are correctly installed and in the right place.
