Fixer Upper New Home Renovation
Designing a kitchen is something of an ever-evolving learning process, simply because how we use our kitchens is changing constantly.
Where once, one member of the household confined themselves to cook, kitchens are now family spaces used for cooking, obviously, but entertaining, dining, work, and even lounging.
So, planning a kitchen in great detail from the outset is a must - and we have asked top kitchen designers for their help in defining the process.
Below we take you through the design process step by step so that you can take all your creative kitchen ideas and marry them with practicalities to create a perfectly balanced room using inspiration from the best kitchen designers in the world.
Designing A Kitchen - The Basic Elements Of Kitchen Design
Designing a kitchen is best done by experienced professionals - but only hand-in-hand with you. That is because how you use your kitchen will affect the design choices you will make deeply.
Our step-by-step will help you discover how to design a kitchen like a professional would - but you should always question whether each step suits exactly what you want from the finished room in terms of layout and practicality.
That way, you can marry your final list with all the pictures of kitchens and kitchen styling ideas you have gathered to create the perfect space.
You need to establish how much you can realistically spend on the project.
Alongside the kitchen itself, be sure to include allowances for plumbing, wiring, lighting, appliances, flooring, decorating, labor and any finishing design touches.
You should also add a further 10% as a contingency for any unforeseen costs.
Today’s kitchens are the central hub of the house, so we approach the design by thinking of the layout in terms of moments, with places to cook, to eat, to entertain and sometimes a spot to sit and work.
With the kitchen coming under increasing pressure to perform a variety of crucial roles such as family dining, relaxing, working and entertaining, a good kitchen layout and adequate storage are more important than ever in planning a kitchen, but ensuring you can fit in everything you want depends on accurate measuring - something you will need to do before you visit a design professional, though if they come to you, you can hand this responsibility over to them.
Ensure you precisely measure your floor so that an island will fit comfortably within your space.
When placed in the center it should leave enough floor space for you to maneuver around and access the rest of the kitchen.
Effectively planning an ergonomic kitchen layout, and maximizing the space, can make time spent in the kitchen all the more enjoyable.
In your layout try to configure your sink, refrigerator, hob and oven within easy reach of each other and then consider what storage to put in this area.
Painted kitchens work particularly well for their timeless appeal and because they are so useful to repaint every now and then to create a different look and feel. I’ve seen 20-year-old classic Shaker kitchens be repainted and look amazing.
With a contemporary flush (flat-fronted) kitchen, think about whether you see yourself liking it in the future.
Given the level of investment, cabinetry is probably the one thing you don’t want to change, but you can always repaint the walls and replace the backsplash in the future if you wish.
Designing a kitchen is a fine balance of practicality and aesthetics - with the impact of the bulk of the cabinetry an important element to consider.
Alongside the style of cabinetry, do consider its proportions and aim to create some sense of symmetry by placing key features, such as a chimney breast framing a range cooker, as a central piece.
The specifics are going to be determined by the size and height of your room.
A ‘standard’ kitchen cabinet is usually 600mm wide (although there are plenty of other options and of course bespoke allows for anything you want); we often start by plotting the room in terms of 600mm-wide sections simply to get some sense of scale.
Kitchens are rife with color opportunities, from appliances and flooring, to window treatments and cabinets. Start by deciding how much of a permanent commitment you are willing to make. One of the easiest and least expensive options is to paint a wall that can be easily updated should you tire of it.
The amount of countertop space depends on individual requirements, but when you are designing a kitchen it is always important to have countertop space of at least 600mm either side of the sink and hob to wash and prepare food. It is also essential to include a space close to the oven for hot dishes.
If there is enough space, kitchen island ideas can be an ideal addition to any kitchen. They have so many uses, from additional prep surface, a place for the sink, a spot for the hob, somewhere for drinks and a place to cook in front of guests.