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KITCHEN PLANNING Five steps to create the perfect layout for you
Five steps to the PERFECT KITCHEN
Our step-by-step guide will help you make the most of your kitchen to create a space that’s super stylish and up to the task
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Smaller seating tucks away neatly under the breakfast bar
The more prepared you are at the start of a kitchen renovation, the more likely it is to succeed as a space that’s both practical and beautiful. From choosing a layout and including plenty of storage to selecting fixtures and fittings, careful planning will prevent costly mistakes further down the line.
Getting the right layout for your space is key to getting your kitchen right. It may look fantastic but if it fails to function as a workspace, it’ll be a huge disappointment. If you’re using a kitchen designer they will be able to advise on a design that looks good and works perfectly. Before thinking about a design, it helps to have an idea of room formations. Every space is different but most suit one of five basic layouts…
1. Plan the layout Start with a scale plan of the space. Measure and include features such as windows, chimney breasts, doors and boilers. Cut out to-scale shapes of every fitting you’d like to include, and rearrange them until you find a layout that works. Alternatively, look online for free kitchen design apps. Incorporate plenty of space between the individual elements and consider how the room will work with more than one person in there at the same time.
KITCHEN PLANNING
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Galley Usually a long, narrow room where units sit along one or both walls in a line AVOID WALL UNITS IN A NARROW SPACE to prevent the room feeling too cluttered. Go for open shelving instead. GO MODERN, using handleless units and fitting semi-or fully-integrated appliances. LAY YOUR FLOORING WIDTHWAYS – it will help to make the space appear wider. ARRANGE THE WORKING TRIANGLE so your hob and fridge aren’t opposite each other – that way people won’t end up back to back when cooking together. BANISH CLUTTER by investing in internal storage solutions such as multi-layer drawers, pull-out racks and pan dividers to keep things organised.
L shaped This layout offers lots of flexibility without feeling too enclosed KEEP AN OPEN FEEL by placing wall units along only one side of the room. ENSURE THERE’S PLENTY OF WORKSURFACE AREA on either side of the sink and the cooker, too, for the most efficient use of space. PLAN A PLACE TO EAT IF SPACE ALLOWS. A table or raised breakfast bar at the end of the longest run of units creates a spot for informal dining. UTILISE THE CORNERS with special pull-out kidney-shaped units or carousels. FIT TASK LIGHTING over the prep areas and supplement natural light from any windows with spots and downlighters.
U shaped Allowing for units on three walls, this shape offers plenty of workspace USE TWO SIDES OF THE ROOM for your working triangle to keep it compact in a large space. Or, consider placing one element, such as the sink, on an island. ALLOW FOR LOTS OF WORKTOP between your cooker and sink if they are on the same run of units. At least 80cm is preferable. MAXIMISE YOUR STORAGE by adding clever solutions in both corner cupboards. GO FOR INFORMAL DINING in larger rooms by placing a peninsula at one end of a long run of cabinets.
Island Great for roomier designs, an island provides extra workspace while helping to create a tighter working triangle ALLOW ENOUGH SPACE around an island to open cabinets and dishwasher or oven doors. A workable minimum is 90cm, but 120cm is preferable. INSTALL A HARD-WORKING ISLAND . Consider a prep sink and possibly a dishwasher or wine fridge, too. Extra drawers for storing pots and pans are a good idea if your hob is on the island. THINK SAFETY FIRST and choose curved corners, which will do less harm to toddler heads and adult hips.
Open plan Great for kitchen-diners, this layout has plenty of room for dining and seating ZONE IT by separating the functional areas –for cooking, eating and relaxing –using different but cohesive materials and textures to create distinct spaces. INVEST IN QUIET APPLIANCES so you don’t end up trying to talk over a noisy extractor or washing machine. However, make sure your extractor is powerful enough to banish lingering cooking smells. HEAT THE SPACE EFFICIENTLY –a large room with a stone or porcelain tiled floor might be best suited to underfloor heating for an even spread of warmth.
2. Identify improvements Walk through your current kitchen and make a comprehensive list of what you love and, more importantly, the things you don’t, about your existing space. This will help you to focus on your priorities for the room, and concentrate on your must-haves and your don’t-wants.
COLOUR CLASH Dilute block colour in a kitchen by separating bold shades with patterned tiles
WHAT IS THE WORKING TRIANGLE?
The working triangle dictates where the three key elements of hob, fridge freezer and sink sit in your kitchen and is an important consideration to reduce the distance you have to walk when cooking. You move between these three features all the time when preparing meals, so they need to be in a practical arrangement and within easy reach of each other. Ideally, the sides of the triangle created by these three points should be no more than 2.7m and no less than 1.2m long.
RULE OF THREE Create chic symmetry by echoing a row of three pendant shades over a breakfast bar with three bar stools beneath
3. Make the space work for you Think about how you live as a family and how you intend to use the space. For instance, do you cook from scratch and entertain guests a lot? Will the room be used for tasks other than cooking –homework, for example? Finally, think to the future to ensure you’re prepared for how your needs might change as your family grows.
KITCHEN PLANNING
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4. Consider your storage needs Now’s the time to make sure you plan a place for everything. Measure your tallest mixers and biggest plates and take a good look at your kitchen appliances and accessories, thinking about what you want to place, and where. Arranging everything according to its function will mean you’re not having to walk too far around the room when cooking. Visit storage specialists Blum.com for tips on how to best organise your space.
5. Put safety first
Essential if you have small children in the house, the most efficient and safest layout will route traffic away from your oven and hob to ensure kids aren’t likely to get themselves under your feet and into danger when you’re moving hot pans around the room. Make the fridge accessible but don’t put it at the very heart of the room. Try placing it to one side, nearest the entrance to the room, so children can help themselves to drinks without venturing into the cooking space.
Try using lighting fixtures to add an unexpected pop of colour to your kitchen
SPACE SAVER Not only will benches save on valuable floor space in a kitchendiner, but you can also squeeze more people on to them!
FLUSH STASH .
Narrow wall cabinets don’t take up too much room, yet will provide a small kitchen with plenty of storage space
SURVIVE THE WORK
FEATURE TI-MEDIACONTENT.COM Plan a way to cook and keep food and drinks chilled when your kitchen is out of action. Look into buying an inexpensive mini fridge for essentials like milk, while a microwave and kettle can be plugged in anywhere for paredback food prep while your kitchen is out of bounds. If a new floor is being fitted or the waste pipe is being relocated and you don’t have another one, it might be best to decamp to a friend’s house. Minimise the inevitable mess. Cover hallway floors with old sheets to protect them while products are being taken through the house. Ask for any cutting of tiles and plasterboard to be done outside to minimise dust, and seal off the doors to other rooms.
