Kitchen advice

Designing A Kitchen

When it comes to designing a kitchen, there are lots of things to consider from layouts and your lifestyle to cabinetry and colours. Within our step-by-step guide, we explain how to design your own kitchen, covering all the elements that make up a new design and layout.

1. Establish your needs

Look at your lifestyle

Before you design a kitchen, you must reflect on how the room will be used, by considering your daily routine as a starting point. If cooking is your passion, creating an area that meets your culinary adventures is a priority. Or, if you entertain regularly, a space that caters for guests will be a key feature. It is also important to think ahead, evaluating how your family or lifestyle will change over the years.

Review your space

One of the main reasons that homeowners learn how to design a new kitchen is because their layout no longer works for them. So, if daily chores are difficult, it is time to rethink your space. L- shaped schemes have more surfaces for food prep, whilst U-shaped styles maximise corners for stowing items. For connecting rooms, galley setups are a great option, while bigger spaces lend well to open-plan designs.

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2. Start with your cupboards

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Colour

A new kitchen is an investment, so the colour you choose needs to work within a home for years to come. It should be easily adapted to change with the trends, and it should complement the decor of surrounding areas to create a cohesive look. We recommend a paler tone for creating a spacious feel - great for compact areas or rooms with little light. Dark shades work best in larger spaces or homes that want to make a big impact with their interior.

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Finish

The texture of your cupboards plays a crucial role in dialling up or down a design. Glossy finishes reflect the light creating a brighter feel, which is great for adding drama to a space. Matt surfaces reduce glare and hide imperfections like fingerprints, creating a serene environment that is also easy to keep clean. Woodgrain detail, often found with framed styles, will introduce character and charm, lending well to period, industrial, or rustic settings.

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Door style

To create a signature look, you need to understand the different cupboard styles, so you choose a design that resonates with your personal taste and complements your property. Slab styles are good for simple interiors, offering a smooth surface to build upon. Shaker has classic appeal that can be used for homespun, stately, or engineered looks. For the ultimate in modern aesthetics, go for an integrated handle design, which has a built-in handgrip.

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3. Plan in the essentials

Appliances

To make a kitchen functional, cooking, cleaning, and cooling equipment need to be considered early. A common question we get asked is integrated or freestanding. Integrated models can be concealed behind cupboard doors, reducing visual distractions and creating a cohesive look. Freestanding devices are easy to take with you when you move. They also work well in heritage or retro schemes.

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Kitchen lighting

Lights are often overlooked when designing a kitchen, however, they are essential in ensuring counters are well lit and dark areas are illuminated. They can also be used to enhance the mood of a room and can be strategically placed to highlight statement pieces. Areas to target include kickboards, inside wall cabinets, and above islands. We also recommend using strip lights to accentuate linear features.

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Sinks

Like cleaning equipment, sinks are a core functional feature that require careful planning to ensure they complement your space and lifestyle. Undermount designs create an uninterrupted counter space, as they sit beneath the surface – great for minimal looks. Inset designs are good for homes that like to wash up by hand, as they provide a draining area. These are often found in homes with rustic charm.

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Taps

No sink is complete without a tap, so ensuring these two items marry up together is central to achieving a cohesive look. From angular designs that suit modern settings to Victorian-style bridge taps for period looks, there are styles to suit all interiors. Functionality is also a key consideration, for example, spray nozzles are great for rinsing veggies, while 4-in-1 taps offer near-boiling water in an instant.

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4. Make room for storing

Cabinetry

Providing the foundation for a human-centred design, the correct cabinets can provide household devices and everyday items a dedicated space –making the room enjoyable to use. They can also be tailored to suit your chosen interior. For example, towers and drawers lend well to linear looks, creating horizontal and vertical lines. Whereas, glass-fronted styles can be used for a faux dresser effect in a rustic home.

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Kitchen storage

In addition to providing a dedicated area, it is also important to make storage easy to access. From larders to corner carousels, cutlery trays and pull-down shelves – storage can be customised to suit your design as well as how you wish to use it. For instance, in engineered looks, it is common to see pans hanging from exposed framework, whereas in modern designs, these will be neatly stowed in a pan drawer.

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5. Add finishing features

Kitchen surfaces

Available in a variety colours, materials, and textures, surfaces are one of the most creative elements when designing your own kitchen. Consider using your counters to create a statement look or layering materials for a refined or industrial style. There are other places you can customise with surfaces too, such as walls, a breakfast area or behind a cooktop. Many come in matching patterns and finishes for a co-ordinated and premium effect.

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Flooring

As the largest surface in a room, a floor is often overlooked when designing a kitchen yet it has the biggest impact on the overall look. Thanks to advances in technology, there are more patterns and finishes than ever before, giving homeowners plenty of styles to play with. Wood-effects are commonly found in Scandinavian -inspired homes or those packed full of heritage charm, whereas stone-effects best suit contemporary or refined designs.

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Cabinet handles

Great for making cupboard doors easy to access, handles are also a simple addition that can vastly change a room's aesthetic. There are a wide variety of styles, colours, and finishes to choose from. We recommend d-shaped and bar handles for modern settings, while knob and cup options offer a classic accent in a space. Mixing styles is also a popular trend offering an eclectic effect, whereas handle-less offers the ultimate in minimal design.

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