Kitchen Planner

If you take the time to get to know your kitchen, designing a new kitchen can be simple and stress free. It's tempting to follow the existing layout but you will probably end up with a far better result if you approach the project with a clean-sheet. Sit back, relax and enjoy exploring your options.

It's a good idea to download some of the utilities like the printable design grid from the downloads section before you start.

Designed around you
It a good idea to have an understanding of what you want from your kitchen and how it fits in with your life. Is it simply somewhere to cook and have a quick bite to eat, a place to relax, entertain guests or a welcoming focal point for family gatherings. At this stage you don't have to come up with solutions, as long as you can draw up a list of your basic requirements.
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Budget
Set a budget and be realistic. You may, for example, focus on top quality solid timber doors and worktops, whilst keeping most of your existing appliances with a view to upgrading these later. And don't forget, you don't have to have a vast budget to completely change the look of an existing kitchen. Replacement doors, tiles and new handles may be all you need.
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Layout
Kitchen designs tend to follow a simple formula, with food storage, preparation and cooking areas forming a triangle. There is a very good reason for this. Known as the 'Work Triangle' this layout is designed to maximise efficiency and minimise effort. Therefore, to create a functional and practical kitchen, it's a good idea to place your fridge, sink and oven in a working triangle. The other aspect to consider when designing your kitchen is safety. The examples below are highly popular, hardworking and safe layouts. Simply choose the layout that fits your kitchen shape and requirements and modify it to meet your exact requirements.[back to top]

Storage
Most of us need plenty of storage space so it's important to take into account the size of your family and how much equipment you have. You'll want to hide most of your groceries, pans and kitchen equipment away so choose plenty of base units, but you could also think about free-standing shelves. Glazed cupboards are also an option but remember that all items inside will be visible. If you like the idea just opt for a few to display your best crockery and glassware! If you don't have the space for as many cupboards as you need, make the most of other areas by considering shelving in alcoves or hanging pan racks from high ceilings. Also, make use of corner cupboards by incorporating carousel or specialised systems like Turnmotion (from Blum).
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Plan your layout
Start by measuring all the walls, window(s), door(s) and appliances in your kitchen. You'll need a tape measure and the design grid supplied. Mark the location of all power and plumbing points.
1. Measure the total width of each wall
2. For each window:
a) Measure the distance from the left edge of the window frame to the left corner of the wall. Repeat for the right side of the window.
b) Measure width of the window including the frame.
3. For each door:
a) Measure the distance from the left edge of the door frame to the left corner of the wall. Repeat for the right side of the door.
b) Measure width of the door including the frame.

Now you have the outline of your kitchen showing the dimensions and fixtures (e.g. doors/windows) that you will have to design around. It's a good idea to make some copies of your grid at this stage incase you want to do multiple designs to compare. A good tip is to cut out paper shapes that represent your elements, e.g. some base units, a sink, wall units etc, then move these around the page to explore the possibilities. Also, if you have some tracing paper you can put this over the grid to try out multiple ideas. Whatever you do, take your time. measure everything twice and enjoy the freedom of designing your kitchen exactly as you want it.
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Example kitchen layout.

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If you are unsure about anything please contact us for assistance.