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Kitchen Design

By Jaclyn Fitzgerald

Whether you are renovating your home or building new, the kitchen is the heart of the home. Taking the time to plan a great kitchen will not only make your life easier but also affect the resale value of your home. Talking to professionals and working out what you need will ensure that your kitchen remains functional and stylish for years to come.

What Are Your Needs?

The very first thing to do is to work out what you will be using your kitchen for. Will you be entertaining a lot, or will you be cooking for your family? Is cooking a pleasant experience or are you an “in and out” cook? How many people will be using the kitchen? Do you need a breakfast bar, a space for the TV, or a space for the phone and to pay bills or answer correspondence? Answering these types of questions will determine everything from how much storage space you need to what kind of appliances to install.

Also work out what appeals to you personally in terms of design. Do you enjoy wood or are you a minimalistic steel kind of person? Because there is such a wide variety of finishes – everything from tiles to wood to glass – visiting kitchen showrooms is a fantastic way to see the latest in design and materials. It will also give you a chance to see how different looks work together and help you work out what is right for you.

Trends and Design

Don’t be seduced by the latest trends as what’s in fashion now may not be in fashion in a few years time. A classic, neutral look will stand the test of time and can be updated from season to season through the use of accessories such as small appliances and soft furnishings. Another low cost way of updating your kitchen is through adding new cupboard and drawer handles, or even replacing the cupboard doors altogether. It’s amazing how much of a difference such small changes can make! However, the upcoming seasons feature lots of wood, brushed or matte steel and man made stone. Colour schemes feature blues and greens, honey tones (such as those found in wood) and the classic neutrals. Retro 50’s style appliances are also very fashionable. Red and stainless steel have been huge in recent years but are on the way out, partly because stainless steel is so hard to keep pristinely clean.

When considering your design, keep in mind that while glossy or dark surfaces look great, they can be near impossible to keep clean, especially if you have small children! Choosing a patterned or a textured surface will show up much less dirt while still looking good. Rounded bench tops are in vogue at the moment and safer than bench tops with the traditional squared off edges. Laminates now come in a massive variety of colours and textures, allowing you to recreate even the most expensive looking granite for a fraction of the cost. If you choose stone for your bench tops, it is durable and will last for years.

Lighting

Lighting is also a vital component of your kitchen design. Wherever possible, you should make use of natural lighting. Try to use task lighting on top of your general lighting where possible in order to light benches, cooktops, sinks etc and try to eliminate shadows. There is a wide range of light fixtures available to suit any design. Common kitchen lighting includes downlights, fluorescent lighting, and spotlights that can be maneuvered to light up certain areas. It is a good idea to get a professional to draw up a lighting plan so that you are working in the best light possible.

Storage

Also consider the wide range of storage options out there – and there are too many to mention here. A few examples would be revolving storage in cupboards that makes reaching into the corner a thing of the past to sophisticated rubbish systems. A kitchen design professional will be able to tell you more.

Think about what you use in your kitchen – pots, crockery, food items and so on – and where it will be stored. Large drawers or pull out units are great for crockery, pots and dry foods, allowing you to easily access what you need. Pantries should be at least 900mm wide and have adjustable shelving. Consider having pull out shelves in your cupboards to eliminate you having to reach for the things that are stored at the back. Rubbish bins and systems should be placed near the sinks. Remember to allow for recycling and composting, if you have it. Utilise the backs of your cupboard doors – these can be great places to put items such as paper towels, cling wrap, alfoil and tea towels.

Appliances

Kitchens are getting more and more sophisticated. You can now choose between electric, gas and induction cooktops, with some cooktops having extras such as wok burners – perfect if you love Asian cuisine! Ovens can be under bench or wall mounted and can be single or double, depending on how much room you need. Refrigerators now come with all sorts of extras such as automatic icemakers and the Internet. Dishwashers can be set into the cabinetry and pulled out like a drawer – no more bending over to load the dinner dishes!

Layout

The best kitchen is a well-placed kitchen so carefully consider where your sink, oven, cooktop, refrigerator and dishwasher will be. The sink should have plenty of natural light, be placed close to the cooktop and be near your main food preparation area. Ovens and cooktops should have an area nearby for hot dishes to be placed, and wall mounted ovens should ideally be at a height where the middle shelf is equal to the cook’s elbow. Make sure that the rangehood servicing your cooktop will discharge hot air to the outside of the home rather than into the roof cavity. As the refrigerator is the most-used appliance in the home, it should be placed in an area that is easily accessible both to the cook and to the other members of the family without interrupting the flow of traffic in the kitchen. The dishwasher should be near the sink for ease of loading.

The cooktop, refrigerator and sink should be in the shape of a triangle and the distance between each of the points should ideally be seven metres but no more than ten or less than five. Also, if you are renovating, do not worry too much about where existing services such as power and plumbing are located. If the benefits of moving the services are significant then it should definitely be done, and the cost to do so will be worth it in the long run. The kitchen needs to suit you.

Professionals Can Help!

The thought of designing a kitchen yourself can be very overwhelming so getting a professional to help you is a great way to ensure that nothing inadvertently gets left out! There are several professionals that can help, depending on your needs, from architects to interior designers and specialist kitchen design firms. Whoever you choose to help you, they should share your vision and you should be comfortable with them and the services that they provide.

By taking the time to plan your kitchen carefully, you will end up with a functional, stylish kitchen that will last for years and that you and your household will enjoy.

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