Editorial 1: What will you change?
The first of five editorial articles, this will help turn you into a professional kitchen planner. It guides you through discovering how you use your kitchen and your design likes and dislikes. If you follow these suggestions you'll finish with a list of kitchen design requirements that form the basis of your new kitchen plan.
If you're here, you must be looking for a new kitchen. So what was it that made you start looking for a new kitchen? Considering the reasons you're here can quickly tell you more about what you want, and can uncover some opportunities to make the very best decisions.
One thing usually triggers the search for a new kitchen. Perhaps a drawer stuck one final time, a kitchen appliance failed, some friends came to visit and you felt embarrassed at how shabby your kitchen's become, or you decided to buy a new kitchen appliance, for instance a breadmaker, and there's simply no space. Behind that single reason there might be many more reasons for change that have been simmering for a while.
My kitchen planner, step 1: What do you do?
Try this. Put a pen and paper in the kitchen and ask everyone to write down what they do when they're in there. If you wish, download and print our form (it's in PDF format, try the link, and if it doesn't work you probably need to download and install Adobe Reader to view it). You'll probably be surprised at the length of the list, from washing gardening boots to doing homework, from talking on the phone to brushing the dog, and from watching television to chatting over wine with friends .. kitchens are not simply used for cooking.
What about things you'd like to be able to do in the kitchen, but can't? Can the kids play while you cook? Can friends talk while you cook? Is there somewhere you can sit quietly to do the finances? Add these to the list if you want them.
As you see, the kitchen is probably the most multi-functional room in the house. If you like, now's a good time to prioritise your list, considering the frequency and the amount of time spent on each task. Maybe welly washing only happens once a month or so, while cooking happens three times a day. Prioritise your list according to your own needs. Kitchen design is all about making your kitchen fit your lifestyle.
The top fifth of your list contains the key tasks and should probably have their own areas, their own dedicated kitchen zones. If eating, cooking and laundry are the key tasks, you should plan your kitchen primarily for those tasks.
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
My kitchen planner, step 3: Time to get serious
Now's the time to get serious with your kitchen planner. Perhaps some wants on your list are incompatible. Maybe the budget doesn't quite stretch as far as you like. It's time to scrub out those items. Now would be a good time to think about budget, and about timing too .. when would you like your kitchen to be complete? Before Christmas? Remember that kitchen installers are very busy around October and November, but quiet in July and August. If you aim for a quiet period you might be rewarded with a discount or faster delivery.
While we're on the subject of finance, it's worth remembering that your new kitchen is an investment, not a cost. Unless you put a hugely expensive fitted kitchen in a budget home, you will very probably raise the value of your home by as much as you invest, but most probably, your house will gain by one and a half, or even two times your investment.
By now you should have some very good kitchen design ideas. You know what you will use your new kitchen for, what you want to keep in your old kitchen and what you hate and want to change. You've got some ideas of features you'd like in your new kitchen plan. So let's move on to consider some of your kitchen design options.
