Designing your kitchen is a very exciting time, but with so many decisions to make, it can be easy to become overwhelmed and accidentally make small errors. Below, we have listed our designers’ top tips for designing your dream kitchen.
Practicality
When it comes to designing your dream kitchen, an essential aspect of decision making should be devoted to examining your current lifestyle and thinking about how you want to function in the space. For example, families with younger children may benefit more from a breakfast bar as a part of an island bench. In other cases, a generous butler’s pantry might be more of a necessity for those who love to entertain. Make sure to also consider bench top selections. Laminate bench top’s scratch and dent relatively easily, whereas a stone or marble bench tops can be more resilient towards accidental damage.
Kitchen Traffic
Make sure to also consider how your kitchen will be travelled through. It’s important to consider the popular walkways, and what they may be impacting. For example, a refrigerator situated more towards the entry can give easy access to beverages, rather than having to walk through potentially hot stoves and food preparation areas. Or even keeping in mind where the dishwasher will open, or how the fridge door will swing out. It’s all about what would work best for you. Our designers love to ask what your intentions are for the kitchen space.
Food Preparation
Keep in mind the functional areas of a kitchen in terms of food prep and serving. Would you like all the preparation to be hidden in a butler’s pantry, away from guests, or out in the open? If you are after an island bench, would it be best for you to have the stove top along the wall or on the island? If you are a compulsory entertainer, consider adding luxury inclusions that will accommodate to this lifestyle. For example, a generous sink for easy clean-up or even, a larger refrigerator space for all your delicious creations.
Smart Storage Solutions
When putting together your kitchen design, consider how to optimise storage for your chosen layout. It’s important to identify the different workstations in your kitchen, to begin to understand what types of storage is necessary for around these areas. Depending on what you will be storing in your kitchen, and where, think about whether you would like drawers or cupboards. For extra storage, consider the layout, size and materials for over-head cupboards. It’s an essential conversation to have with your builder, as it can prohibit the space from being fully functional.
Easy Clean
Even though you might not want to be thinking about maintaining your kitchen yet, it is important to consider whether the space will be easy to clean. Inclusions such as open shelving are a luxurious and aesthetic addition, however, make sure to contemplate the possible dust build up for items you won’t use every day. Opting for integrated appliances, also helps in this way, as it conceals the impossible gaps between the cabinetry and appliances (things like the dishwasher, microwave and fridge), that never seem to fit a vacuum or mop. Another helpful cleaning tip is to have a storage space for everything, that can be cleared from the bench top. It’s much easier to clean when you don’t have to duck and weave around appliances like toasters, kettles, blenders, etc.
Lighting and Power Sources
Make sure there is adequate lighting for your kitchen. This is a crucial aspect of the design, that can sometimes be overlooked. Ensure you aren’t relying on daylight only to provide light to your workstations. Additions such as pendant lights and LED strips under cabinetry, are great for making the areas well-lit, and adding luxurious aspects to the completed kitchen. Don’t forget to also verify with your builder, the location of all power outlets. It’s important to consider the location of appliances, like your refrigerator, microwave and dishwasher. If you are considering an island bench, make sure to reflect on where the power points might be, on the island.
We hope these tips have been helpful for choosing the kitchen design for your home. For more information, visit the rest of our website and get in touch. Let’s create your dream kitchen together!
