You want your new designer kitchen to be perfect and in doing so you need to ensure that the choices you’re making are the right ones. When you meet with one of our design team they’ll ask you all sorts of questions to really dig down to what it is that you want from a kitchen, but it helps if you’ve already thought about them. We’ve put together a list of questions to ask yourself to get you thinking about what it is that you want from a kitchen.
What Do You Like Or Dislike About Your Current Kitchen?
Take an A4 sheet divide it in two and create a like and a dislike column. Now start thinking about every gripe, niggle or issue you have with your current kitchen, then write down everything that you love about your kitchen. Think about things like: storage, practicality, layout, flow, equipment, design, appliances, feel and work surfaces.
What Is Your Budget?
It’s important to consider how much you’re looking to spend on your dream kitchen. When you have a figure in mind you can make design decisions to match your budget. For example, going for standard shelving rather than a Le Mans pullout unit, or going for a laminate rather than a granite worktop. We’ll work with you to get your dream kitchen within a budget that you can afford.
What Is On Your Design Wish List?
It’s important to balance the nice design features of your kitchen with practical aspects. However, there will undoubtedly be some design features that you really want in your kitchen, make a list of these ‘must have’ features for us to work around.
Who actually uses your kitchen?
Are you a large family? Are you a single bachelor? Thinking about this will help you decide on what are the most important aspects of your kitchen.
What Is Your Preferred Kitchen Style?
This will dictate a lot of your design decisions because traditional design features are different from modern minimalist design features. If you can’t decide between the different styles perhaps try combining them; so you could have a traditional/contemporary design, taking the best features from each.
How Much Seating Do You Need?
Do you need space for a family to eat? A single seat to grab a quick cuppa? Or perhaps you’ve always wanted a breakfast bar? It’s important to think about these things because they’ll dictate how much space you have for everything else in your kitchen.
What Are Your Storage Needs?
We don’t just mean food storage, but also storage for your cookware. It’s important to think about how much storage you need in your kitchen as well as where you need that storage to be. Do you need your saucepans to be within easy reach? Or do you need to have an integrated spice rack next to the cooker? Perhaps you might need a wine cooler next to the fridge? Whatever your storage needs, we’ll find a solution for you.
What Is Your Colour Choice?
What is your favourite colour? Are there any colours which you hate? – It’s worth thinking about how your colour will look in the type of kitchen you have. For example, smaller kitchens generally look better with light colours to make them look bigger, whereas larger kitchens can get away with darker colours.
What Appliances Do You Need?
Think about what appliances you want to have and how your cooking will work with those appliances. For example, if you cook big roasts you may need a large oven, but if you mostly cook stir fries then you can get away with a small oven. Plus, think about other appliances that aren’t integrated such as coffee machine or cake mixer; do you have enough counter space for them? There are so many products out there it can be bewildering, so if you’re feeling overwhelmed then just write down how you use the kitchen, our designers can then work with you to find the right appliances.
What About Worktops?
Firstly, do you have a favourite type of worktop surface? All of the worktops have different advantages and disadvantages, and the price can vary massively depending on which one you choose. There is too much information on the differences to list here so it’s best to speak to a designer about which one will suit your budget and needs.
Secondly, how much workspace do you need? If you’re someone who likes to cook using lots of ingredients and spread themselves out a lot then you’re going to need a lot of work space. You may even decide that you need to have a kitchen island.
Summary
All of the questions listed above are what our design team will ask you in the first meeting, so if you’ve had a chance to think things through and you’re more prepared then the design process will go smoother. The more information you give us, the better kitchen we can provide you with.
If you’d like to arrange an appointment with one of our designers please get in touch with your local showroom. We have showrooms in Cambridge, St Neots, Bishop’s Stortford and Newmarket. Call us on 01223 213266 or visit our showroom page and book an appointment.
