3Kitchens

When you are designing a new kitchen, you always have to keep in mind the kitchen triangle. This refers to the importance of keeping the sink, cooker and fridge fairly close together as these are the three components you use most in the kitchen.

Start your kitchen design by deciding on where your sink should go; a lot of people prefer it below the window. You should then place your dishwasher next to your sink as this is the best place to have it for drainage purposes.

There are no strict rules when it comes to designing your kitchen layout, but practicality must always be kept in mind.

Your kitchen worktops will have to put up with a lot of wear and tear over the years, so it’s important that you choose a material that will be able to stand this.

Here are some of the materials that you can choose from:

• Laminate – this is a cost effective material to choose but it is not as durable as some materials.

• Tiles – these are really durable but make sure you consider the cleaning process when choosing grout.

• Wood – gives character and will not damage your chopping knives.

• Stainless steel – extremely durable and adaptable depending on the shape of your kitchen.

• Granite – this is expensive but durable and it also gives character to your kitchen.

When asked where you keep your washing machine, you may begin to wonder why there’s even any question. Surely everyone keeps their washing machine in the kitchen?

Well that’s not true actually. In fact, a survey has discovered that 39 per cent of Europeans keep their washing machine in their bathroom rather than their kitchen. And why not?

If you are designing a new kitchen, then maybe you should consider moving your washing machine to your bathroom. This will leave a lot more room free in your kitchen for you to make the most of. Perhaps you’ve even got space for that breakfast bar now!?

The kitchen is the heart of the home and for that reason, you need to ensure that you plan it carefully when it comes to a redesign.

You can actually find kitchen planning services online and these can really help you picture how your dream kitchen will look.

Simply choose the style you are interested in, along with the doors and appliances and then enter information in for the windows, doors and wall sizes. You will be able to see how your kitchen will look. It’s a great way of getting an idea of what you do and don’t like and it can be fun too!

When you decide to re-design your kitchen, it’s not all about pretty cabinets and durable worktops. There are practical things to consider before you even decide on a colour scheme.

The main thing to worry about is the draining. It is the available drains as well as the outside walls which will determine the layout of your kitchen. And that is because appliances such as your dishwasher and washing machine need to be able to be connected directly to your outside drainage system.

So before you start flicking through those kitchen magazines, take a moment to consider your drainage as this acts as the perfect starting point when it comes to designing your kitchen.

If you are planning to build a new kitchen, then you constantly need to keep costs in mind. You will want to invest in quality products but you won’t want to be paying over the odds for them. So the best thing to do is to try and get used to recognising good quality when you see it.

Kitchens are made up of cabinets, appliances and worktops so start to research these components thoroughly before you part with any money. And then when you finally spot the kitchen design of your dreams, you will know that you are getting a good deal.