Kitchen ranges in shades of black, white, charcoal and even midnight are still proving to stand the test of time. Monochromatic kitchen colour schemes offer a sleek and elegant design that will complement a modern apartment or can be incorporated into a traditional kitchen for the perfect family home.

Creating your dream kitchen is the most exciting yet stressful project you’ll probably ever undertake. To help you along your journey, we’ve put together these top tips…

 

Assess your current kitchen

Focus on retaining or improving particular areas of your kitchen by firstly having a good clear-out. It may sound simple, but it helps you pay attention to the areas that matter most. Now make a list of everything you like and dislike about your kitchen. Whether it’s your sizeable American fridge freezer, ample worktop space or a dark and dingey area that you never make use of. To create your dream kitchen can you make use of your current space or does it need opening up? To create a modern, open plan space most people knock the wall down between the kitchen and dining room. Significant structural work will obviously increase your budget so bear this in mind.

Think about the functionality of what you want to achieve with your new kitchen. Is it a space where you want your little ones to play in whilst you’re cooking, an area for friends and family to relax in whilst you host a dinner party or simply a place to prepare meals for the two of you? Whatever it may be, think of who will use the space and how you envisage using it.

 

Plan your appliances early

Making use of existing plumbing, gas or electrical supplies is an easier and more affordable option. However, if you’re having a complete transformation with extra appliances or an island installed, pin-point on a rough plan where you need your new utilities. Plug points are also a key feature, and they need to have enough power to be able to supply certain appliances such as an induction hob. Think about it logically as to where you want your appliances. A common industry term is the kitchen triangle, where you maximise the use of your space between the cooker, sink and fridge.

 

Layout your lighting

Most people forget about the importance of lighting when designing their kitchen. Don’t let it be an afterthought, make it a key feature and integrate it into your design such as lights above your cooker. You’d be surprised how much it makes a difference to the ambience and practicality of your design, especially to a north facing kitchen. To assess your lighting needs, think about how you use your kitchen in the first place. If you’re a keen cook you’ll need plenty of practical lighting for your worktops and if you’re integrating a breakfast bar, low-level pendant lighting will illuminate the space perfectly.

 

Gather inspirational pieces

This is your chance to showcase your style and personality, however where to start with the look of your kitchen can be one of the most difficult yet exciting parts of your journey. Creating a mood board is a great starting point by taking inspiration from other designs, as well as colour palettes, accessories, lighting and appliances. Even something simple like a retro patterned plate, a sample of wallpaper or a pretty tile is a perfect starting point for choosing a theme or colour scheme.

 

Manage your budget

It’s all too easy to get giddy and carried away with extra gadgets and gizmos. Look at your list that you made right at the beginning about the positives and negatives of your current space and how you want to use it. This will help you determine what you really need. 

 

Choose the right fitter

You’re very nearly there… you’re armed with your dream design, layout and style and you’ve paid for your deposit. However, this is one of the most important decisions you need to make. By choosing the right fitter it can make all the difference. A good fitter can make an inexpensive kitchen look amazing and a bad fitter can make any kitchen look terrible, no matter how much money you’ve spent on it! Rest assured, Smart Kitchens has a highly skilled team of fitters which have been extensively assessed to ensure they’re to the highest possible standards.