RENO HELP Five Top T hings You Need To Nail For Your Dream Kitchen
Let s do this Kitchens, kitchens, kitchens. Aussies love kitchens and moreover, we love to renovate them. So what should people consider when renovating their kitchen? Most people have heard about the Kitchen Triangle, which is what experts refer to as the ideal location of the cooktop, sink and fridge, but what else is there to think about? WRITE DOWN WHAT YOUR DREAM KITCHEN LOOKS LIKE
One -Your Lifestyle The lifestyle you lead now, and in the foreseeable future, should be at the forefront of any kitchen design. Thinking about your lifestyle will help you work out what is on your must have s so aside from just cooking, what do you want from your kitchen? Do you want to entertain in your kitchen? What would that look like? 6 people sitting around a kitchen bench? Are they watching you cook? Does your cooktop and oven sit within the bench? Or do you picture double wall ovens? Where s the mess when I entertain? Is it shut away in a butlers pantry? When you do the grocery shop, how easy is it to access the kitchen from the car? Do you want the kids to have a place to do homework? Do you want to watch TV while I cook? Two - The Layout By understanding your lifestyle, you ll start to get a feel for the type of layout you might want for your new kitchen. Once you have an understanding of rough layout, it s time to get researching. Go check out showrooms, your friend s houses and talk to your local kitchen designer. A well thought through plan is the only sure fire way to getting a kitchen which works well for you. It s always good to ensure the following golden rules are adhered to + Put the fridge in a spot which can be easily accessed without having to go deep into the kitchen. + Keep the dishwasher and the sink close to each other so you can easily reach both. + Aim for 1200 between the island and the bench for easy thoroughfare. + Think about your lighting early on. We love downlights under the overhead cabinets and in the pantry and statement pendants over the island.
Three - Benchtops Engineered stone (our fav is Caesarstone) has come a long way and it s now almost impossible to tell the difference between faux-marble and the real thing. The latest products on the market like Statuario Maximus and White Attica bring the luxury-look of marble to any kitchen at a fraction of the price. Choosing your stone is just the start, you also need to consider the thickness of it standard is 20mm although 40mm is popular too. We ve often used 20mm like in our House 4 kitchen. We ve also used 60mm thick stone which will certainly make a statement like the stone in House 5. And remember, you can run your stone up the splashback wall (and even into a shelf) too which gives a real sense of luxury. We hear the latest trends coming out of Milan, thin is the new thick with some stone now available in around 10mm. Four - Colour According to boutique kitchen company, Carrera by Design, white kitchens still make up the majority of their customer orders, however colour is making a comeback. It s understandable that most of us opt for the safety of white cabinetry but if you can nail a good colour choice, it can truly make your kitchen the hero of the home. Tip: cabinetry can be made to match almost any paint colour under the sun. The grey kitchen from our fourth reno was manufactured to match the colour called Script Writer, and our latest kitchen at our Baulkham Hills reno was made in a pastel green called Misty Lake. Five - Appliances Your kitchen cabinetry and benchtops will be cut to accommodate your appliances, so don t leave it them as an afterthought and with so many cool new appliances on the market, you definitely need to check them all out before locking down a kitchen design. Did you know you can buy a microwave which is also a steamer? Have you seen those warming drawers that keep your plates warm? And what about those Fisher & Paykel fridge drawers that totally re-define the common bar fridge? Don t forget to consider integrating your appliances which means hiding them behind cabinetry to give your kitchen a seamless look.
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