Each month, we will consider the steps that need to be taken before major renovation work in the home on a room-by-room approach. This month, we look at the kitchen and what you need to consider before you make any major changes to it.
Renovating the kitchen is an exciting opportunity to bring your kitchen up to date with the latest gadgets and styling, as well as improving it so it flows better for you and your family. But it is not just choosing new cupboard doors and fancy gizmos…
Heating
If you are performing major renovations in the kitchen, spare a moment to consider whether this will include the heating system. Radiators are all well and good but for any kitchen, underfloor heating is worth a second look. As well as no radiator taking up space, it is a gentler heat for the space.
Does it flow?
Before you start styling your kitchen, think about whether it flows in its current format or whether it links with other elements in the area. For example, does it work the garden, connecting with nature and summer, al fresco dining?
Half walls
If you are blessed with a large kitchen diner, it can be tempting to assume that it will connect and flow. Putting in half walls is not about adding a barrier, but using the space wisely. Kitchen islands work well as do bar table and stools, especially if you don’t make it a fixed feature.
Storage solutions
Kitchen cupboards are staples of the space, but fixed ones don’t have to be. For a modern, clean look a bank of floor to wall cupboards is a great move, especially if they are bespoke and make the best use of awkward space or walls.
For some, this too clinical and devoid of character. If you prefer the rustic kitchen or even the farmhouse style, then open storage shelves are a worthwhile consideration. As well as fixed options, consider freestanding kitchen shelving solutions. As well as open ladder shelving, you may want to consider a sideboard, either half height or with a display unit on top.
Your touch
It is, after all, your kitchen and so you want it to tell your story, so to speak. This comes through in the styling choices from whether you have fixed cupboards, floor and wall mounted, or whether you opt for a less prescribed approach.
It is the small stylistic touches that make it yours: the choice of tiles, shape and colour, the worktops, the lighting, the materials used.
But there is one piece that we think should never be compromised on – the kitchen table. It is the place where people gather, in joy and sorrow, and it never to be underestimated. From the satisfying brawn of the farmhouse kitchen table to the utilitarian industrial kitchen table, the table is the piece that pulls the finished kitchen together.
Your Project
Are you renovating your kitchen? If so, why not take some before and after photos to share with us. We would love to see the results, especially if our products feature in it!