The Kitchen Of Your Dreams

As the one room that really can be described as being the heart of the home, there is more to the modern kitchen than it’s very basic function of meal preparation. The days of the kitchen simply being home to the sink and cooker are far behind us. Most designs from larger manufacturers now include home entertainment systems and wall-mounted drop-down televisions. 

A good and detailed kitchen plan is essential before you begin to think about installing a new kitchen. Initially you’ll need to think about the things in your existing kitchen which you would like to change. Is it bright and spacious enough for your needs, or is it cluttered and too dark? Think about the use of space and light – you could possibly change the windows or even increase your floor space with an extension or by knocking through into another room. This is particularly good when the kitchen is situated at the rear of the house, as you can bring together aspects of home and garden. 

Kitchen planning need not be a hugely complicated affair. Sketch some ideas onto graph paper, or use one of the readily available programs which you can find to use on your PC. Consider consulting a professional kitchen planner, though, if this is your first time. If you are purchasing your kitchen from a major manufacturer, you should get free kitchen planning advice included. Paying a visit to several different suppliers and checking out their displays is a good idea. You could find that there are things you may not have considered which you would like to incorporate into your kitchen plan. 

Do consider the needs and requirements of the principal cook in the family when planning your new kitchen. It can be really annoying – not to mention a waste of time and effort – if one has to constantly be moving to and fro across the kitchen when preparing meals. It makes sense to group the cooker, worktop and fridge within reach of each other. You can use what is often called the “work triangle” when mapping your kitchen design. Store small appliances and utensils which don’t get used that often somewhere out of the way to give yourself more room. 

Wall units can be attractive in their own right, but remember that you will have to allow space for the doors to open. An alternative is to use open shelving, but remember that unless you have a good extractor, items on the shelves can quickly become covered in a film of grease. 

Fitted kitchens are the norm these days, but an alternative is to have free-standing cupboards or dressers. You can pick up old furniture from second hand shops which can be restored to give your kitchen it’s own character. For a really authentic rustic feel, you could even replace the cabinet doors with some curtains in a good quality, brightly coloured fabric. 

The larger kitchen suppliers will always have special deals and offers. If you would like your dream kitchen delivered and fitted, you may find it is easier than you think to negotiate with them over price. However, there are many smaller companies locally who may be able to beat their price. Local kitchen companies and their specialist tradesmen will usually be able to supply you with a much more bespoke and personalised kitchen that one bought from a large store. their job is too keep you happy as a customer, and so will want to make your dream bespoke kitchen a reality. Keeping customers happy obviously elicits recommendations to others who may be thinking of a kitchen renovation project.