Kitchen Planning Tips

Kitchen planning can be a bit of a headache but with some helpful tips it should actually be quite fun.

The first thing that will constrict your kitchen planning is the actual size and shape of your room. A large kitchen will obviously allow you to have more choice in where to put things as there is more space available.

The other limiting factor is where your existing plumbing and electrical sockets are. Whilst these can be changed they are expensive and not a simple DIY option. You can however have new points put in so don’t let this stop you having a more practical or dream kitchen. If you are having new points fitted, get them done at an early stage.

Depending on how many people your kitchen is going to have to regularly accommodate and what sort of life you lead will also influence the design. Also work out where your crockery, pots and pans are going to go to see how much space needs to be set aside for this.

If you are laying flooring, whether laminate or ceramic floor tiles, you will be better off getting this done when all of your old units are cleared out of the room so that all of the floor space is accessible. You won’t save much by having to cut tiles to fit around your existing appliances so make sure that you move everything out. By properly laying wall to wall flooring, you won’t run into problems if you change your kitchen layout at a later date.

Ventilation will also have to be considered as a lot of condensation and cooking smells can build up in the kitchen. Extractor fans can be fitted or you can use windows.

Whatever you decide to, you should make sure your kitchen layout applies the principle of the ‘kitchen triangle’ – the positioning of the cooker, fridge and sink in a triangle, not too far from each other, with worktop space in between.

Do you want to take items with you if you move? If so, a fitted kitchen is not the answer. Buy wheels to go under your freestanding appliances to make them easier to move.

Test units before you buy them in showrooms. Look for wear in hinges, edges and runners and check for ease of use. Buy the best quality you can afford. Door knobs and handles and can easily be changed so don’t worry if the units you choose don’t have the nicest of handles. You can also adjust the direction doors open at a later date so don’t worry too much about that either.

Choose easy to clean appliances and make sure that your paints, tiles and grout are suitable for kitchen use and make sure that your kitchen has adequate lighting, whether from windows, up-lights, spots or a central light. Also, make sure that you will be able to easily access and change the light bulbs!

The kitchen can be a make or break point when selling a house so make sure that your design will be suitable for others but that it suits your needs too. Most of all, have fun and enjoy the new kitchen that you create.