If you are looking to remodel or redesign your kitchen, then you may be looking for inspiration and ideas to create your ideal space. Here at Bathrooms Direct & Kitchens, we have decades of experience in the industry and so we have put together a list of things you need to consider when looking to design a new kitchen.
As kitchens tend to be the heart of the home, they need to be functional as well as beautiful, so they should be carefully planned out to maximise the potential you have in the space and for you and your household to enjoy for years to come!
Maximise storage space
Maximising your storage space is a key element of creating any new kitchen design, especially for more compact kitchens. Making use of any available space and the units and cabinets you want can help keep your kitchen tidy and make your kitchen feel bigger.
You don’t have to create big design changes in order to create more storage, extra drawers, magnetic wall strips for utensils and corner shelving are all excellent ideas for added storage space. Overhead cabinets can really make a difference for items you don’t use as often, as well as sliding spice racks, storage baskets and utensil organisers to keep tidy your more used items and products.
We would always recommend making sure your key items are accessible when designing a kitchen and although good storage space ideas are worth their weight in gold, you need to make sure that anything you add works for you from a practical viewpoint.
Make the most of your lighting
Lighting design can make or break a kitchen. You want illumination without it being stark and you should aim to create a comfortable, relaxing atmosphere. This means adding ambient lighting as well as your overhead light. Under cupboard strip or spot lighting can lighten the darker areas and you should choose finishing touches such as pendant lighting that match with your overall style. This will help tie everything together and make sure you can see when you are cooking or entertaining, as well as adding a wow factor!
Practical worktops
Worktops are vital when designing a kitchen. Not just from a style perspective but from a practical one too. They are what you are likely to use most in a kitchen, so you need to ensure that you have enough space to cook!
If you have a larger household, then you will need your worktops to be made from a durable material, this could include sealed hard or soft granite, which is still one of the most popular materials today, or ceramics, which are growing in popularity and are remarkably heat and stain resistant. Ceramic worktops can work for either a contemporary or traditional design, so are worth considering when designing a kitchen.
Wood surfaces are still well liked for interior design as it can soften the overall aesthetic of a kitchen and rustic and farmhouse trends are still on point. If you have chosen wood cabinets or doors, then we would recommend a slightly different wooden shade or texture to break up the solid visual.
Choose your kitchen flooring wisely
Kitchen floors tend to be a high traffic area, so they need to withstand spillages, stains, scratches, and changes in temperature. This means that kitchen flooring needs to be durable, waterproof, and well-insulated. You have several options when looking at a new kitchen floor:
Laminate flooring – Modern laminate flooring is a highly durable, synthetic product that uses layers to create high levels of water resistance along with realistic wood or stone effects without the price tag of the real material. The detail layer of wood, stone or marble surfaces is printed on top of a solid, hardwearing core. This is then covered with a transparent wear layer, for additional protection of your kitchen floor.
Vinyl flooring – Vinyl flooring has benefited from advances in technology and is now available as Luxury Vinyl Tile or Luxury Vinyl Planks as well as in rolls. Budget options are possible with all types, and all are durable and waterproof. Modern vinyl flooring also delivers highly realistic wood and stone effects, enabling the installation of beautifully detailed flooring without having to fork out for the real thing. If you swing to more contemporary tastes, vinyl floors also come in a huge variety of patterns and colours to create a stunning focal point and a modern edge.
Wooden flooring – Available in solid wood or engineered wood, the latter being better suited to a kitchen, you cannot go wrong with wood flooring! It is beautiful, available in a range of finishes and can be expected to last a lifetime. However, it is very expensive and doesn’t have great water resistance, so you should factor that in when designing your kitchen.
Kitchen Design from Bathrooms Direct & Kitchens
If you aren’t keen on designing your own kitchen, or need some visual ideas or inspiration, why not visit our showroom? Not only can you see some fabulous kitchen designs, but our amazing team are on hand to answer any questions you may have or to discuss your own design.
We also offer a free design service for kitchens, so we can take the stress out of a new kitchen and design and manage the entire project for you. Plus, our recommended installers come with decades of experience within the construction industry from plumbing, building, electrics, joinery, and plastering, so we can be sure everything is taken care of. As part of our service all workmanship is guaranteed for one year from the date of completion. Additionally, all our tradespeople have public liability insurance in the unlikely event of an accident. If you need any help or advice on kitchen design, please do not hesitate to contact us. We can talk you through our process and discuss your individual needs and requirements. Visit our showroom or call us on 01677 425788.