The ‘Kitchen’ is often considered the heart of any home.
It’s where families spend most of their time, children finish their homework at the kitchen table, we prepare evening meals, guests gather around drinks and finger foods. Adequate space is a must have for modern living. If you proposal is developed right, it will improve traffic flow, light-levels and the overall comfort of the space. It will make cooking a pleasure and not feel like a chore.
There are two man ways you can create the best from your kitchen space… A small renovation or extension to the existing kitchen space
If you have a cramped kitchen, there are a number of ways to achieve more functional space. To achieve this, you could consider combining your existing kitchen space with an adjacent room through a small renovation project.
Alternatively, an extension might be the easiest way to achieve additional space without affecting the whole house. It is quite possible that the size of extension that you require might be planning exempt. Ideally, it would need to be to the rear of the house and there is other criteria to consider too. (Always check with your local planning office or architectural design professional). If the extension is considered planning exempt, it could be constructed within a matter of weeks. If you were to utilise a modern construction method, the works on site would be shorter again as a good bit of the structure would be constructed off site.
An extension should not take up too much of your garden space. This is a valuable amenity especially in summer time which you don’t really want to sacrifice. Depending on your extension design, the inside can be brought out and the outdoors brought in.
Depending on the style of your extension (traditional / contemporary), this will influence your decoration. Also if you have opted for high ceilings, the scale of the furniture can nicely reflect the surroundings.
Here’s some tips for getting the best from your Kitchen space:
In a neutral colour kitchen, pick a stand out shade for a feature. This works well in small spaces. It keeps things simple.
By using a peninsula or breakfast bar, this will help define your space.
Careful thought should be given to your storage requirements.
High ceilings are common practice in modern extensions. This allows for large glazed elements, which gives the added bonus of more natural light. If you also provide low-hanging light fittings, this will help to emphasise the height. Similarly if you were to introduce tall storage units.
The larger the extension, the more multi-functional it will be, in that different zone can be created that will allow for cooking, dining and relaxing. This space might be a bit noisier, therefore give careful thought to your appliances. Add soft furnishings and zone the lighting.
The layout of your kitchen is extremely important. The basics of every kitchen are a work triangle (fridge, oven/hob and sink). Pantry’s / larders are becoming more common. An island is a perfect break between spaces and can double as both a work and dining space. Always leave enough room to circulate around and between the units.
Consider a lot more drawers than cupboards. A drawer can be pulled out and everything is on view, while at the back of the cupboard, items get hidden.