Editorial 1: What will you change?
My kitchen planner, step 2: What do you love?
Now let's see how you feel about your current kitchen, and what ideas you've been gathering. Take another piece of paper and a pen, and divide the paper into three columns. Head the first column "loves", the second column "hates", and the third "wants". If you wish, download and print our form (it's in PDF format again). Now gather the other kitchen users and find out what they love and hate about the current kitchen and add them to the respective columns. As you talk, ideas will arise, eg. "did you see John's granite worktop, I'd love that", or "when we walked into Jenny's house the way the kitchen was lit was so welcoming". Add these to the 'wants' column. Consider some broad concepts such as style, ergonomics, the kitchen appliances you want, layout, and lighting. At the end, ask everyone specifically what they'd like in their new kitchen.
'Hates' we often hear include:
- I need more storage space
- I need room for the plates when I'm dishing up dinner
- I'm trying to recycle glass and tins and paper, but there's no room
- I keep tripping over the dogs bowl
- I hate the lighting, I'm working in my own shadow
- those three-way adapter plugs have got to go
- I know I'm wasting money on this old fridge freezer, I want new, energy efficient kitchen appliances
- I'd love a dishwasher/tumble dryer/breadmaker/cappuccino maker (whatever kitchen appliance) but there's simply no room
- when we have friends around, I have to keep nipping off to the kitchen and I miss the conversation
- I can't watch the kids and cook at the same time
- I'd love for us to talk about the day while we cook together
- I don't want to have to look at the cats bowls
- I hate having to bend down to the oven, I'd like one at surface height
Some 'wants' might include:
- it has to be easy to clean, no intricate surfaces
- corner carousels are nice
- it has to fit with our house, so something modern
- we need room for a breadmaker (or any kitchen appliance)
- I've seen a granite worktop with an undermounted sink and it looks fabulous
- I'd love great lighting that reflects the mood
- we both need study space
- a telephone point would be really useful
- a double sink would be great
- an ergonomic design so everything feels 'to hand' and easy
- it's got to look fantastic
- I've seen pegboard drawer storage and rather like that
- I want a double oven
- I want fitted units, not free standing
- I need more storage space for wine
- I saw a magazine where the doors were lights, that looked so good
