Our top tips and tricks when designing your new kitchen
For many of us, our kitchen really is the heart of our home, and a hard-working space that needs to be functional as well as beautiful. Probably the area where we will spend the most money in our home, the kitchen needs to be carefully considered to ensure we are getting the best bang for our buck.
The first thing to consider is the location of the kitchen. Is it an open plan living space that incorporates the kitchen? What shape of kitchen will work best – L shape, U shape, Galley?
Ideally we like our clients to have chosen all of their appliances before we get started on the design. Once we have decided on this the next thing to consider is the ‘Work Triangle’. This is made up of the oven (and hob if they are separate), the sink and the fridge. These items should all be near each other to avoid unnecessary steps and create effective circulation. When it comes to clean-up, the sink, rubbish bin and dishwasher are best placed in close proximity to each other as most households clear, rinse and place dishes into the dishwasher in that order. Fridges are used frequently, so we like to place these so that they are easily accessible without needing to walk through the kitchen.
Once this is all taken care of, we like to get clients to consider all the things they need to accommodate, such as pots and pans, plasticware, glasses, crockery, cutlery, cutting boards, appliances odds and ends such as gladwrap and tea towels, and last but not least food! Ideally the food should all be housed in one space and not spread throughout different parts of the kitchen.
Another thing to consider is if you want the appliances be hidden away in cupboards or is there space to leave them out in the scullery? Pull-out pantries are great but not all are created equal. We like to customise them with a mix of drawers and open shelves.
Once we have all of this nailed down we get onto the fun stuff – finishes!
Pinterest boards or scrapbooks are a great way to get an idea of the style our client likes, and what is going to work well with the design of the rest of the home.
Benchtops, splashbacks, handles and door profiles are up next. This is where it gets exciting and you can start to see your vision coming together. We create realistic renders at this stage so that clients can see their kitchen really come to life. The sky is really the limit to what you can achieve.
The kitchen is the heart of the home and a space that people naturally gravitate to. It is often where you spend a lot of time when entertaining guests, yet also where the kids might sit after school to do their homework. Ideally there should be space for people to sit and watch the chef without getting in the way of the cooking.
Hopefully these tips and tricks assist you when designing your dream kitchen. One of the advantages of working with Byrne Homes is we have one designer working across your entire home, from the very early concept stage to the positioning of the kitchen sink, every last detail is carefully considered and you will be reassured that your kitchen is not only extremely functional, but also a beautiful space for you to enjoy for years to come.
If you would like to talk to us about building your very own ‘Byrne Home’, please get in touch today. Give us a call – we are a friendly bunch! Call 022 320 1954 or flick us an email at michelle@byrnehomes.co.nz