Create your own space

With property prices continuing to rise and the considerable cost and stress of moving, it’s little wonder that homeowners choose to modify their existing homes to create the extra space they seek. But how to create a space that is unqiue and individual to your needs?

What should people think about before modifying their home?

If your home is in a neighbourhood that you like, convenient for schools, amenities and work commute, then the thought of moving can be overwhelming. Especially if the only thing that your current home lacks is the extra space that your family needs.

Extra space can be created by physically extending your home (ideal if you’re able to sacrifice a bit of your garden) or by rethinking the internal layout of your home.

If you are extending, it’s advisable for your kitchen design company to liaise with your architect or builder as early in the process as possible to ensure that the design of your home and your kitchen work together from the ground up. This can save inconsistencies in wall or window positioning as well as accommodate utilities such as water pipework, lighting and electrics.

It might be that you don’t need to knock down interior walls to make more space in your kitchen; effective design can utilise your existing space in more efficient ways to maximise storage, seating and worktop areas.

What do people most commonly ask for?

Homeowners are increasingly asking for multi function, open plan spaces. The kitchen has always been said to be the heart of the home and this is truer now than ever with modern kitchens providing a place to cook and eat as well as work, relax and entertain too.

Whether a home has a separate dining room or the kitchen is the primary eating space in the home, clients often ask us to create versatile dining areas. Kitchen islands and high stools are perfect for a cup of coffee or a snack, but when you’re eating a meal isn’t it more comfortable to be seated at a table? End of island tables work particularly well for this as they’re designed to nestle into the island for everyday use to seat two or three people comfortably, and then be pulled out into the room for additional seating when entertaining. People who love to cook often favour this kind of seating arrangement as it keeps guests and host together rather than the cook hidden away by themselves and it’s great for entertaining kitchen theatre!

What are current kitchen design trends?

Current trends are for simple elegant designs without fuss or excessive detail. Painted shaker style kitchens are very popular in muted greys and soft blues. As blues and greys can vary from cold tones through to warm hues, it’s a good idea to test samples in your kitchen before making a final decision as colours can look very different in natural or artificial light depending on the time of day. Accents of rich woods such as oak and walnut can also bring warmth to a kitchen and make interesting features.

Plus of course cream and white kitchens continue to be a popular as they can accented with small appliances, soft furnishings and accessories which can easily be changed to update the look and feel of a space.

What is different about designing a kitchen as part of an open plan space?

One of the most important factors when designing an open plan kitchen is extraction to keep those busy cooking odours away from your soft furnishings and living areas. There are new and exciting extraction technologies available and we’ll plan effective extraction from the very outset of your open plan kitchen design. Also think about the different ‘zones’ in your open plan space such as the preparation zone, cooking zone, wet zone, entertaining zone and relaxation zone, as this will enable a cohesive design to your rooms.

How can you future proof a home?

When designing any kitchen it’s important to think about how it will be used and how those needs are likely to change over time. For example, consider how many people get involved in the cooking as you’ll want to design enough work space for cooks to work safely and socially together. What functions does your kitchen need to perform such as work space, homework ,specific storage or display requirements. How will your needs changes as your family grows or your personal circumstances change? Is your kitchen design versatile to accommodate these changes?

But above all, we always encourage our clients to choose what they love rather than choosing what they think they should based on trends. Your personal preferences are far less likely to change over time and we want you feel ‘wowed’ by your kitchen for years to come.