What to keep in mind when renovating your kitchen? How can you maximize the life of the new space? Here we have listed five key concepts to keep in mind when planning your kitchen.
1. A smart flow in the kitchen makes everyday life so much easier
Take some time to think about how many people are usually in the kitchen. If it’s typically one person, you may want to arrange the space so that you can access most tools and dishes without having to go back and forth across the whole room; the most common utensils should be stored in one place that you can reach without a stool.
If you find out it’s usually two or more in the kitchen, you should consider a design where you can open multiple drawers at the same time — especially when someone is standing at the stove or sink! Start with what works well in your current kitchen and what could stand for improvement; that way you have a clear picture about what kinds of usage your new kitchen should facilitate.
2. How much storage do you need?
An airy and minimalist kitchen with just a single row of cabinets looks great but it might not fit everything you need. If you have a truly extensive collection of cookware and other utensils, you may want to consider how much storage you need as you design your space.
Take an inventory of your current cabinets; how much do you want to keep? Do you think you will need more cookware in the near future? This information will serve as a good starting point for your kitchen designer to ensure you have the right amount of storage space in your new kitchen to suit your needs without getting in the way.
3. How do you use your kitchen?
Think about how you use your kitchen today. What do you do in it and how often? What are your daily kitchen tasks? By thinking about how we use our kitchens, we can better calculate some core components.
The number of sockets, the size of your sink and refrigerator, additional lighting by the cabinets — all these aspects are determined by how you intend to use your kitchen.
4. What will the kitchen cost? Develop a budget for your renovation
It becomes much easier to plan and delimit your new kitchen if you keep a budget that you aiming for towards the renovation. Do you envision a large kitchen with many cabinets?
Or are you imagining a more minimalist design with open shelves and only base cabinets? To get an indication of what your kitchen will cost, take a look at our pricing guide. You’ll also find prices for kitchens in different styles. See our prices.
5. Consider the surrounding architecture.
Look around your home. What stylistic architectural elements stand out? What colors and materials? What style persists throughout your home? When you design a kitchen that suits both your home and your personal tastes, you can really customize it completely.
By matching the trends to your current architectural and interior design, however, you’re likely to increase the lifespan of your kitchen considerably as you will be less inclined to replace it as trends change.
Here we have also collected kitchen inspiration, kitchen furnishings, worktops, appliances, tips for kitchen renovation and guides on how to think when planning the kitchen.