PART ONE

Our Guide to Planning a Kitchen Project

embarking on kitchen design

Welcome to our ‘New Kitchen Project Guide’. I hope you find it a useful starting point as you begin to plan your dream kitchen.

A common topic of conversation in many homes after the New Year is interior renovation. Whether simply a change of colour and style, a new layout for an existing room in the house or a larger project, like an extension.

For those of you looking for a new kitchen, we have put together a simple guide to what you might want to consider when planning your new space. It is always exciting to embark on, what I believe should be, an enjoyable and life-changing (for the better), experience.

Where to Begin?

There is an incredible amount of information and inspiration readily available to anyone looking to change their home. From TV shows and magazines to thousands of websites and lots of beautiful showrooms. Before you begin poring over the latest styles and schemes, I would recommend you ask yourself the following questions.

1. What do you like about your current kitchen?

Examples – The layout works well, lots of natural light, and the position in the house is perfect for views out into the garden.

2. What do you dislike about your current kitchen?

Examples – The furniture looks tired, small appliances clutter the work surfaces, and when you are cooking, nothing is within easy reach.

3. What do wish to spend, in total, on your project?

Bear in mind that you may be thinking about more than just kitchen furniture and appliances. Flooring, lighting, heating and decoration all need to play a part in your plan.

4. What do you want your finished space to be?

Examples – Is it a social cooking/dining room, will it become an open-plan area, or have you always wanted to cook a certain type of food but haven’t had the right appliances?

5. How do you want your new space to feel?

A number of elements fall into this question, from your taste in colour and style through to the functions you wish the room to achieve. Examples – Warm, textured, light and airy, glossy, matte, social, sleek, rustic.

These questions, and many more they are sure to spark, will help you form a basis for the kitchen you wish to achieve.

For inspiration, look in the following areas:

MAGAZINES

Kitchens, Bedrooms and Bathrooms
Elle Decoration
Living etc
25 Beautiful Homes
Ideal Home
House and Garden

WEBSITES

When you are collating your ideas and inspiration, Pinterest, ‘mood boards’ or ‘scrapbooks’ are very useful for reference. Carefully organised, they can support discussions later in the process. These are the sections I would use to organise my thoughts; you can obviously choose whatever you like.

Colours and Textures – walls, kitchen furniture, worktops, wall panelling
Kitchen Style – modern (flat panel, shaker, framed door, classic (decorative)
Room Layout – kitchen/dining, open plan, kitchen
Appliances – ovens, steam oven/microwave, hobs, extractors, fridge/freezer, wine cooler, hot water tap, dishwasher
Flooring – tiles, wood, concrete
Lighting – hidden, ceiling, dining, cooking
Heating – radiators, underfloor

However you explore the wealth of imagery, advice and styles available to consider, I hope you enjoy it. Always remember it is your home and your kitchen, so make it perfect for you. Armed with all this knowledge and brimming with ideas, it is now time to venture out and experience some kitchen showrooms that meet your criteria.

But, before you jump in the car, please read the next part of our guide. Part Two has some useful pointers on what to look for, talk about, and take with you to make the most of your showroom visit.

Happy Researching

Richard Carter
Managing Director

Part Two

Our guide to planning a kitchen project – Part two