Design Blog

16/02/2011 - Planning your dream kitchen - the first steps.

The kitchen has evolved beyond recognition from the small functional workspace of yesterday to the social hub of the home it has become today. Yes, the essentials remain the same - a sink/wet area, cooking zone and refrigeration. But added to this is the increasing use of the kitchen as the fulcrum of the home.

New home builds have seen a trend for open plan living where kitchen, dining room and family room are opened up to create one large living space where all of the family can come together and share the same space. Older homes are seeing extensions added, and internal walls removed to create this highly sought after open plan living. This has resulted in kitchens being designed to not only be a highly functional space but a beautiful adornment to the home.

The first step in planning your new kitchen is to consider how you live with and use your kitchen. Or maybe more importantly how you would like to live with and use your dream kitchen. Think of how many people will be using the kitchen, from young children who will grow and develop in the kitchen (and regularly check the quality of construction!), to teenagers raiding the fridge at all hours of the day, and to adults who will use the kitchen as a work zone to create meals and run the home and then as a sanctuary at days end with a glass of wine to talk about the day just gone and ready themselves for another day.

What are their and your needs from the kitchen? Do you see yourself as a frustrated chef, and just need the right environment to create gastronomic delights? Or will the reheat function on your microwave be the extent of your cooking? Obviously your budget will determine the type and quality of appliances you purchase but it is without a doubt that the higher the quality of appliance the better and easier they will be to use.

Try to make a list of the appliance types you wish to have. Not necessarily the makes or models but whether you would like a range cooker or built in cooker and separate hob. Would you like an American style fridge/freezer or separate larder fridge and freezer? Will you require a dishwasher, microwave oven, steam oven, coffee maker and /or wine cooler? Are there any other appliances on your wish list?

Armed with this knowledge you can now begin to think about the style of kitchen you would like and as to whether construction works will have to be carried out. This is where things can get interesting, and the fun really begins! And all of this before you have set foot inside a kitchen showroom.