Designing a kitchen is a big task for any home owner because of the work involved and potential costs. With that in mind, you will want to make sure that you get it right the first time.
Bespoke kitchen designs vary in several ways, from layout and style to purpose and function. Over time, kitchens have served a variety of different purposes in households, making the design of a kitchen very different throughout history.
For many in the modern world, the kitchen has become almost a central hub within the home, acting as a family space similar to a living room. Although the area has grown into a gathering space suitable for entertainment and lounging, the kitchen’s core function has (naturally) remained unchanged: cooking food.
Designing a Kitchen Professionally
To ensure that you get the kitchen done right, it’s advised that you call on professional help. These professionals will often work directly with you to help you bring your dream kitchen to life whilst advising you on any potential challenges.
But how exactly do the professionals design a kitchen? Our guide will go through some of the key steps and considerations that a professional kitchen design company, such as Cheverell, will go through when designing a kitchen.
1. Setting a Budget
Before beginning any kitchen design project, it is absolutely crucial to set a budget that both you and the designers can work with. This will help set expectations early and help the designers with their initial design projections.
More often than not, the cost will safely remain within budget, however, it is advised that you set aside an additional 5%-10% for any unforeseeable costs.
2. Understand What You Want From Your Kitchen
As previously mentioned, some kitchens offer more than just a cooking facility. Understand exactly what you require from your kitchen and how you envision using the space.
As central hubs within a household, you may want to incorporate a dining area and/or a lounge area that will truly help bring your kitchen area to life. If your sole focus is on your cooking experience, you may consider larger worktops and more room for appliances.
The benefit of working alongside a professional kitchen designer is that they have the expertise to help maximise the space.
If you’re still unsure about what design and style you’re hoping to achieve, check out a designer showroom or gallery to take inspiration from existing projects.
3. Choosing Your Style & Theme
Once all special and budget considerations are done, it’s time for the more exciting part of the kitchen design process: choosing how your kitchen is going to look.
The world is your oyster when designing your kitchen, giving you almost unlimited range to customise everything in the design.
Colours
Arguably the first and most important decision when designing a kitchen is choosing a colour. This will determine a whole host of other elements within the design.
When it comes to colour, there are a few things to think about:
● If you are designing this kitchen for your long-term home, are you going to like this design choice in 10, 20 or even 30 years later?
● If you’re going to rent out this property as a short term holiday let, is the colour of paint easily accessible to help repaint?
● If you’re intending to sell the property in a few years, will the design attract buyers or will it put people off the sale?
All of these factors need to be considered before you choose the colour you’re looking to design your kitchen with.
Cabinetry
Your cabinetry will play an extremely large part in how you intend to shape your kitchen design. Choosing the right cabinetry will determine whether your kitchen has a modern style, shaker style or even a traditional style kitchen.
On top of choosing your cabinetry, you will need to choose your handle features that complement the style you’re looking to achieve. Discuss this with your professional designer to ensure you get the best results.
Flooring
Often overlooked, the flooring you choose can make or break your total kitchen design. By taking up such a large amount of visual space, the flooring in your kitchen needs to be carefully chosen to complement your cabinets’ style and colour.
Some kitchen designers choose to match their flooring with certain features within the kitchen such as countertops, appliances or cabinet handles.
Flooring for your kitchen can come in a variety of different materials including:
● Laminate
● Wood
● Stone
● Wood effect tiles
● Stone effect tiles
● Porcelain tiles
● Vinyl or vinyl tiles
Discuss your flooring options with your chosen kitchen design professional to decide which flooring type works best with your budget.
Lighting
The lighting used in a kitchen often feels like a finishing touch, but it can impact the design of the room in a couple of different ways.
Firstly, the most obvious impact on the design of a kitchen comes from the design of the fitting itself. The colour and style of the fitting must align with the rest of the kitchen. Some choose to keep their light fittings simple whereas others choose to make it a centrepiece. Lighting over an island can be an example of this.
The other impact lighting can have is through the bulbs themselves and the light they emit. Warmer bulb colours will help to create a cosy and more homely vibe. White bulbs may be sharper, but they will help to make the space feel modern and clean. Unlike most other aspects of the kitchen, lighting can be changed a lot more easily.
You can even take your lighting a step further and go for smart lighting. Bulbs such as Philips Hue and Govee Smart Bulbs can help give your kitchen a more modern approach.
4. Choosing Appliances
When designing a kitchen, traditionally designers would work around the sink. With bespoke cabinets made specifically for your kitchen, you can work around all of your kitchen appliances, helping them to blend in seamlessly with the rest of your kitchen.
It’s important to budget well for your appliances to increase longevity and lifespan without
At Cheverell, we utilise a variety of different branded and premium appliances such as Quooker, Miele, Neff and more!
5. Personal Decoration
Once you’ve had your kitchen designed by the professionals, now is time to personalise your space even more.
By adding pictures and centrepiece displays, you can make your new kitchen look even more personal to you and your family. But you can go that one step further by getting cutlery, dining sets, pans and cooking utensils that suit the colour scheme of your kitchen.
Need Help Designing Your Kitchen?
Having a professional kitchen design service will take the weight off your shoulders whilst ensuring you achieve the results you are looking for.
With over 30 years of experience designing and fitting kitchens across the UK, we have the ability to bring your dream kitchen to life. Simply contact us online or book to meet with one of our designers when visiting our inspiration showrooms.