How Do I Plan A New Kitchen Design
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- 24-11-2022
Have you been asking: How do I plan a new kitchen design? This article looks at where to start when planning a kitchen layout. Find out about the main types of kitchen layouts.
How to plan a kitchen
Curating and perfecting the design of your dream kitchen is a huge but exciting task, allowing you to release your creativity by developing mood boards and paint samples, flicking through interior design magazines for design inspirations, visiting many kitchen companies with showrooms and completing plenty of research.
However, the design process can become stressful and overwhelming, especially if you've never done it or facing an unfamiliar home improvement project extending its original features, such as a side return extension or other kitchen extensions.
Our article will take you through the process step-by-step, from kitchen planning to discovering the perfect layout and style and choosing the most suitable features, such as flooring, underfloor heating and unit storage for your brand-new kitchen.
For example, you may struggle to pick between real stone or laminate or not know where to place new electric sockets or kitchen appliances. Feel free to read on to improve the quality of your plans and good kitchen designs.
Where do I start when planning a kitchen layout?
The layout is crooks of a solidly designed kitchen; all aspects cater to how you prefer to cook and ensure there isn't any wasted space. For example, if you and your guests like to spend most of the time in the kitchen close to the food, we recommend opting for a larger kitchen layout.
One of the first things you may wonder when planning the kitchen layout is where exactly should your starting point be, and the first thing to do is assess how you wish to use the space and what your room must include to complete such tasks.
Is it for cooking only, or will you also provide entertainment? Will you have to plan space for dining tables, TVs, expensive coffee machines, a vintage jukebox or space for a pool table?
If your room has enough space, of course. Will it be a structural work-from-home base or a place for your children to complete homework? Meaning its design would have to be more family-friendly.
Look closely at the property or room features as they exist; for example, sometimes cabinet doors, windows, or thoroughfares can help narrow down your options and limit specific possibilities.
Many people and property owners want to situate their kitchen in a way that helps enhance the view outdoors, ensuring it takes centre stage in more open-plan spaces or U or L-shaped kitchens where large windows can stand out with natural light instead of oversaturated wall lights. You also want to account for architectural quirks, such as eaves or sloping ceilings, that may make specific layouts difficult or more straightforward to install into your kitchen space
Note the height and width measurements of the tallest and shortest areas and how far the slope extends throughout the room. Ensure you know the style you're searching for, whether a contemporary space with sleek decor and prep space or something more rustic and traditional. Your desired kitchen's look and overall appearance can also help inform the layout and proportions.
It can help with kitchen lighting and worktop placements and help find the most suitable kitchen flooring materials and design patterns for the space. Some extensions or existing structural aspects of your household or property may mean you require planning permission to complete the improvement changes, so it's best to do some research beforehand.
What are the main types of kitchen layouts?
Numerous kitchen layouts are available to have installed, all of which have pros and cons. However, it is up to you to decide on the style and layout of your space. Here are the kitchen layouts most prevalent across the UK and more familiar to kitchen designers and managing directors.
L-shaped kitchen
L-shaped kitchen layouts are often found in more traditional homes. They base the design around a corner, and all counters and cupboards run seamlessly along two perpendicular walls to create an 'L'. It is best for current kitchens that want to use the little space they may acquire.
U-Shaped Kitchen
U-shaped kitchens are those with a continuous counter running across three walls to create a 'U' layout for extensive meal preparation. All layouts have advantages and disadvantages; however, u-shaped kitchens allow for much more work surface space and more space to walk about freely, which is useful when cooking and washing up.
These work best in broken-plan and open-plan room structures and are even suitable for those that wish to implement a kitchen island or breakfast bar to increase the value or add more aesthetic appeal.
Open plan kitchens
The open-plan kitchen is one of the most popular design layouts, offering numerous benefits. A kitchen is a place for cooking and eating; for many UK families, it can be a room for gathering; thus, open-plan living is a great option.
Modern kitchens extend past formal dining areas. They can be the perfect place for impromptu dinner parties with close friends or accommodating a large family during buffet-style get-togethers.
Open planning helps transform your kitchen and emphasises its versatility; it can also be a homework base station for those without sufficient office space in their property and a home bar. They are a design that also informed the popularity of the broken plan.
The broken plan is a perfect kitchen design providing house owners with plenty more privacy and a separate place to cook, complete work and entertain guests.
Galley kitchen
Galley kitchens tend to be implemented in more narrow or long rooms, as counter space runs across parallel walls. Galley designs don't have to have a layout with a narrow corridor, as they still work excellently in more expansive spaces.
They allow for intimacy, comfort, nostalgia and often-needed privacy, which is perfect for those that like to cook or eat alone.
Peninsula kitchen
The peninsula kitchen is much like an island kitchen; however, it is more susceptible to structural changes and adaptations across its layout. The peninsula design encompasses one counter extending from one wall out into the kitchen space, as you can select its position accordingly.
Island kitchen
Island kitchens are incredibly popular design layouts, predominantly curated using features from other main layouts, as long as the structure has the space for it.
The main difference is the kitchen island's position, as it is detached from all the walls. You want to ensure you consider the walkway space you implement into your room; the space must be at least a metre at whichever side of your worktop counter.
It's an aesthetically pleasing and practical dimension to consider, especially for carrying food and ensuring your cupboard doors aren't in the way. An island can implement numerous freestanding kitchen design ideas into the room.
Kitchen planning checklist
For those that wish to add much more detail to their online kitchen planner, website or measurement plans, when doing so, you want to ensure you consider these factors:
- The work triangle distance is essential, which consists of the space between the fridge, cooker and sinks, all of which should be within seven metres or less. Doing so makes cooking far easier to complete, as there are fewer distances to travel when handling hot dishes, pans or trays.
- There must be at least 40cm of clearance between the nearest opposite unit from the open kitchen door.
- With parallel kitchen units, you want to aim for a space as wide as 120cm, allowing at least two people to move around the space at once.
- Most unit doors in the UK open to a maximum of around 60cm, much like dishwasher doors and oven doors that open to around 50cm. The general worktop height is around 90cm, yet this is only suitable for some, and you may have to tailor its measurement to you.
- Standard deep units of around 60cm are typically a tight squeeze, especially for fitted kitchens of sizes less than 180cm wide between each wall. We recommend searching for slimmer kitchen cabinets or units at least 50cm deep.
- There should be approximately 40cm clearance from the wall-mounted cupboards and the worktops.
- Ensure there is plenty of space, where necessary, for end panels when considering and calculating the unit's dimensions.
- You should check the heights of wall units to ensure that you can successfully fit the real wooden cornice that will provide a finished room with a sleek appearance.
- You also need to take note of the number of cornices, plinths, and door handles you may require.
- Ordering extra can help save time, money and hassle in case those you or professional kitchen fitters handle are damaged during delivery or installation services.
Designing Your New Kitchen
If you immediately know what you want from your kitchen, its overall budget and the type you wish to opt for, the next step is to begin designing and getting your plan in order.
Feel free to use up all your creativity and put your budgeting tactics and plenty of research to good use during this stage, as once you are aware of your boundaries, you can have fun with endless, unique designs.
We'd encourage you to start by measuring the room's entirety and attempt to sketch it out; this doesn't have to be perfect or artistic; you need to get across the general layout.
Measure each of the kitchen walls, doors, ceilings and windows for their height and width, ensuring you complete all critical areas where owners may store things in the space, for example, fuse boxes, boilers, radiators or other built-in appliances.
Once you have the dimensions in order, you can move to a digital platform that will aid you in harnessing your designs and creativity.
There are numerous free online websites and software, like the Ikea website, that you can use for kitchen design and home improvement planning. Alternatively, you can stick to the traditional route of drawing all the new elements, furnishings, colours and chosen patterns onto scale or graph paper.
On the other hand, if you find you are struggling, we recommend the help of a skilled professional to assist you in the design process. DIY design plans and ordering a kitchen installation yourself are acceptable, it can be incredibly cost-effective and a method to save money; however, if you find it challenging, you can opt to visit a kitchen showroom. Doing so will help you select large or small appliances or garner an idea of what you want your kitchen to look like.
Design showrooms will help you find professionals who can draw more accurate depictions of your dream kitchen. Professional digital editors have access to better-quality software and the skills to utilise its tools to the fullest extent. They do it for a living and have years of experience doing so. It will also allow for expert project advice at all times.
Hull Interior Designer Services
Do you require interior design services for Hull and East Yorkshire? Contact us today to start the journey to your perfect interior designed by us.