Kitchen plans: are you prepared?

Take the heat out of kitchen plans by asking yourself a few simple questions, because there’s a lot to consider when it comes to a brand-new kitchen. Here are some tips to help you cook up a great space.

It pays to differentiate between what you can’t live without – your needs – and which kitchen features are simply ‘wants’. Making that list will help you set some priorities, which will help not only in terms of space considerations, but also with bringing your project in on budget.

Decide what sort of cook you are

Why does that matter? Because someone who entertains a lot will have different needs from someone who rarely eats at home. Likewise, if you like to cook meals from scratch, your kitchen requirements will differ from those of someone who’s more of a ‘heat and serve’ cook.

Think about storage

One common kitchen complaint is not enough storage, so it pays to get this right. Make a list of what you’d like to store where, thinking about things like if drawers would be better than cupboards, if you need an oversized pantry and how you can fit clever storage into otherwise unusable spaces.

Settle on a style

There are a lot of kitchen styles to choose from and making the decision about which style best suits you and your home early in the project can save lots of confusion about finishes, appliances and features. How to choose? Flick though magazines and visit showrooms to see which style appeals.

Think about the kitchen layout

Kitchen layout is an important decision to make. There are lots of things to consider, and it pays to consult an expert, but one of the most important considerations is that your sink, fridge and cooktop should form a triangle that spans no more than seven metres in total.

Don’t be afraid to move things around

So you don’t like where the permanent services, like gas and plumbing, are situated in your existing kitchen? Don’t be afraid to move them around. The benefits of moving things like your sink, oven and dishwasher to a more user-friendly spot in the room will outweigh the cost in the long run. 

Contact a kitchen designer in your area today to find out more about preparing kitchen plans: