What to consider when installing a new kitchen – with Christmas not so far away (scary I know!) now can be the perfect time to have a new kitchen fitted. This way it will be in and ready for use to have the family round for a huge Christmas dinner and to christen the kitchen in the best way possible. For many the kitchen is the heart of the home so having one that meets all your needs is essential. It can be a very exciting time especially if it is the most used room in the house. For this reason it is critical that a lot of planning goes into it as you need to decide what is essential, what will be a luxury and how you will be using the room. We have listed some of the most important things to consider when planning your new kitchen.
Layout
A few years ago, the kitchen was just used for functional reasons. To prepare food for the family but now it seems the kitchen has become more of a social area and a space where a lot of entertaining takes place. For this reason many spend a lot of money on their kitchens, however, if you haven’t chosen the best layout for your kitchen then it could be a waste of money. Are you just going to be using the kitchen for preparing the meals or will you be eating there too? Will be be holding dinner parties and if so do you need a more informal area for the guests to be before you sit down for dinner?
Design
When kitchens are designed they usually fall into two categories, stylish or functional. Once you have decided the purpose of the kitchen you will be able to find a kitchen that fits with this use. Depending on which you choose this is sure to have an impact on any further decisions that need to be made. This isn’t to say a functional kitchen can’t be stylish and vice versa but there will be a difference. The modern, stylish kitchen tends to have clean lines and as much built in as possible. Whereas functional kitchens have easy access to anything and everything that is used regularly and it tends to look more lived in.
Quality
When you think of having a new kitchen fitted one of the first things that come to mind is that they tend to be expensive. However, this expense needs to be looked at as an investment which will last a very long time.
Dine or Not to Dine
One of the main things you need to decide on is whether you will be eating in the kitchen or not. This is because it will greatly affect the layout and design of the kitchen. If you have a dining room then it won’t be necessary to eat in the kitchen although you may want to have a breakfast bar.
Extra’s
Of course if you are redoing your kitchen the chances of having another one in the near future are unlikely. With this in mind you should invest in the little things that are going to make the space individual to you. If you are a wine connoisseur then what about a built in wine rack or if you are lover of coffee then you can opt for a built in coffee machine. Decide what is going to make life a little more enjoyable and go for it. It is not every year you get a new kitchen.
Overall, decide how you want to use the space, how much time you will be spending there and you should be able to find and plan your dream kitchen. The key is not to rush, the more time you spend planning the more use of the space you will get and you may even be able to add some quirky extra’s that personalise the area just for you. A new kitchen is an investment as it adds more value onto your property so in the long run it is better to do it right the first time around.
Do ensure that you have an up to date landlord insurance policy before starting any work. Accidents do happen and although the tradesmen who will be fitting the kitchen should have insurance to cover themselves it is always best to be safe. Otherwise you could end up paying out for other costs you weren’t expecting to incur on top of your brand new kitchen.
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