Improving your kitchen and taking it to the next level with a complete or partial refurbishment can be a great way to add some joy to your life, value to your home and verve to your cooking.
Whether you are going to replace your kitchen units doors alone or get the help of expert kitchen fitters to do so, there is plenty of ways to change up your kitchen for the better. Planning is central in importance when changing or renewing a kitchen and here at the Kitchen Warehouse we have compiled a list of things you need to think of before doing so.
Kitchen Design and Movement
The shape of a kitchen does not necessarily matter, however, the way you move around it does. Being close to the kitchen sink, fridge and cooktop at all times is important and you should ideally be within 6 feet of either at any one time when cooking. This allows for good movement when cooking and ensures you are close to all the vital parts of the kitchen to ensure cooking a meal is without issue.
Quality Kitchen Storage
One of the things that we see so often is people overlooking or underestimating the amount of storage that they need in a kitchen. Being honest, there tends to be never enough storage in the kitchen and the more you can fit in the better. Using every nook and cranny is pivotal and ensuring that you utilise all space, including the gap between the top of the cabinets and the ceiling is very important. Deep drawers for access to pots and storage for appliances is also very important and needs to be considered to avoid work-surfaces being cluttered. When looking at a new kitchen or new replacement kitchen doors – think storage, storage, storage!
Lighting
Lighting in the kitchen is not just about ensuring a room is illuminated, it is also about ensuring you have enough light for kitchen tasks. Overhead lighting in kitchens is very important, however task lighting is too. Ensuring the lighting in your kitchen is positioned to fall on the areas you are working on is truly necessary as it allows you to see with the utmost care and detail what you are doing and ensures the light shines directly on the countertops. We tend to place lighting under kitchen units and behind kitchen unit doors to ensure this area is well light.
Appliances Need Planning
Planning where appliances will feature and ensuring the correct electricity, water and gas lines are there to power them is important. Checking and double checking that the appliances fit as you wish them to and allocating space for them and the utility lines that go to them is very important, albeit often overlooked. Ensure there is plenty of space for appliances and that the hoses going to them are not forgotten or cramped as this can cause all sorts of issues down the line.
Surface Space
Surface space or counter space makes and breaks kitchens and if you ensure there is enough you are onto a winner. From cooking to everyday tasks, kitchen space can make the house a better and more valuable one. Just ensure that the material you choose as a counter is suitable and will last the test of time. There are numerous great value and high quality, attractive options out there nowadays and it is well worth taking time to decide on what is right for you and what will look attractive with your new kitchen units or new kitchen unit doors. Also, consider what will suit your lifestyle.
Be Smart
There are all sorts of appliances, gadgets, kitchen accessories and aesthetic extras you can choose to add to your kitchen. However, unless you have deep pockets, you must be able to take the time to decide on what is worth investing in and what is not. There are needs and wants when looking at a kitchen refurb and you have to decide on what works for you.
Safety Matters
Ensuring that countertops and other areas are safe for children if you have them, is a necessity for a family kitchen. This means having countertops with rounded corners, slip-resistant style flooring and ovens located higher up to prevent burns. These should be considered during the design stage and take all members of the family into account.
Range Hood
If you do have a little extra to spend, then it might be worth considering a range hood. These hoods tend to look great, ventilate the kitchen area and ensure that the space in your kitchen is clear of smells and smoke, should there ever be some.
Recycling
In the 21st century, recycling is a necessity, so having an area that is laid out for recycling is important and it can make a notable difference to your home. Planning your recycling can be a good way to ensure you do it and do not end up throwing out items that could be recycled.
Laying out a kitchen to consider all aspects is important and we hope that the aforementioned will ensure you do just that and make the most of your kitchen redesign, whether it just includes kitchen unit doors or is a complete overhaul. To discuss the matter further you can contact us via email at contact@kitchenwarehouseltd.com or call us on 01765 640 000.
