The kitchen – it’s the heart and soul of every household. It’s the room where food is prepared and cooked, yes, but it can be the place where you catch up with your other half on their working day, where your children first tell you they earned top marks in that test you helped them revise for, or where you first teach your grandchildren how to make those special biscuits they love.
Whether you’re a master chef or a connoisseur of the ready meal, we admittedly spend a great deal of time in our kitchens. Studies show that it is the most used room in the house, but it’s also the most valuable. But did you know that an up-to-date kitchen can add 3-10% to your property’s value?
2018 going into 2019 is an amazing time to be revamping your kitchen, with so many unique design choices to tailor to your needs. So, if you’re thinking about redesigning your kitchen, start by thinking about budget and consider what features you need, such as wanting an island and specific colour scheme. But to help you, let’s take a look at things to consider when planning and designing a kitchen, not forgetting those cabinet doors too!
Style ideas for your kitchen
The world is your oyster when it comes to kitchen ideas and design, and there are some incredible in-trends right now. The kitchen isn’t just a necessity any more – it’s becoming one with the rest of the house in terms of interior style and own character.
There’s always the option of the google image search or scrolling on Pinterest for research, but here are some popular looks for kitchens to get you started:
- Modern and sleek – this may vary widely, but the modern look is popular because it lends itself to a minimalist style and is designed to keep out clutter or unwanted busy surfaces. Think black and white, marble, open plan, but don’t discount wooden worktops either.
- Cottage / Country farmhouse – this style flaunts a traditional, cosy and rural ambience with rustic wood and various finishes to create a lived-in feel. Normally warm hues, colour combinations can mix and match as much as you desire.
- Industrial inspired – think stylised concrete walls, worktops and floors. A cool feature of the industrial style is exposed structures: uncovered brick walls, water pipes and more.
As well as these, other designs to research include Scandinavian or Russian style, eclectic, Bohemian and many more – the list is endless! Statement stoves and appliances are becoming increasingly fashionable and are looking to be a continued trend in 2019. Storage is becoming more and more an important factor with homeowners and property buyers too, so consider making this a priority when thinking about kitchen designs. However, another up and coming style choice is “eco-friendly.”
Kitchens are stepping into the future – together science, art and technology are combined to create kitchens that are eco-friendly, healthier, sleeker and helpful. So consider now stepping into an eco-friendly fitted kitchen yourself with solar panels to power appliances, lots of glass to let the sun in to maximise plant growth and upgrade to smart tech appliances. By 2063, kitchens will run fully on renewable energy. If this sounds too crazy for you, stick to whatever feels best for you.
Choosing your kitchen cabinet doors
Fitted kitchen units and cupboard doors are a definite way of customising your space, so it’s a good idea to plan and budget in cabinet doors straight away. Consider what material and design to choose as it’s important to compliment the rest of your kitchen.
In terms of functionality, decide whether inset or overlay doors are for you. Inset doors sit flush inside the cabinet, are seamless, but often have less storage space and are more expensive. Whereas, overlay doors have more variety in terms of style and options, are less expensive and the most popular choice.
Whether you choose a classic hardwood, futuristic aluminium or contemporary polyethylene, your choice of material should come quickly once you know what style to go for. Here are some styles to help narrow down your decision for your kitchen cabinet doors:
- Shaker – one of the most popular door choices, the shaker style is simple, clean and functional. Common features include a flat panelled door, rail frames, natural wood and neutral colour tones. They are classic, lending themselves to both a contemporary or traditionally designed kitchen.
- Traditional – nearly always with wooden hues and sometimes with a single arch or Cathedral style carved in.
- Slab – it’s just one slab of wood to make up the entire door or drawer door lending itself to a contemporary or industrial style.
- Glass – these work well for smaller kitchens by adding depth and good for showing off a decorative vase or appliance. Bear in mind, these are usually a bit more expensive due to the additional effort to fit them.
- Sliding – they are exactly what they say they are: sliding doors rather than cabinet doors on hinges.
- Flat – again, they are exactly what they say in being flat, simple panels. These are best suited to ultra modern and minimalistic kitchens.
Personalisation is becoming more popular, whether in the home or the office. But some emerging trends right now regarding kitchen cabinets will allow your kitchen to stand out from the masses. For example, two-tone cabinets are becoming extremely popular, but it’s recommended to go darker on the bottom and pick colours that coordinate with each other as well as the rest of the kitchen. Perhaps consider combining two different materials too. As well as this, people seem to be returning to nature and opting for green cabinets.
Finding reputable kitchen installation companies
Building and redesigning your kitchen has to be done correctly the first time around at a high quality, to ensure no extra financial issues and stress later on.
To begin finding a secure and respected kitchen company, start by researching any in your local area. Sometimes, a local kitchen company can be better, cheaper and more reliable than one of the bigger brands like B&Q and John Lewis. Chances are they’ll be one close by and someone you know may have used them before too. If there is a company you like the look of, ask them for testimonials to ensure that their workmanship is trusted.
Perhaps your friend has an absolutely stunning kitchen that you’re always eyeing up? Ask them who installed it! Perhaps get some advice on the process also, including any tips on hiring a company, advice on budget and any dos and don’ts they can share.
Finalise a company or two and consider visiting them. If they have a showroom, definitely go and view it to gauge the sort of design and styles they can do. If their showroom and displays don’t quite tick the box, see if you’re able to talk it through with them. Book in an appointment if you can to ensure you get time to discuss your kitchen ideas, and it would be recommended to take measurements and reference photos. Most companies will be able to give a free quote for what you’re after too, which will help your decision if primarily basing it on price.
The kitchen will always be the heart of the home. At Woodhouse Kitchens and Bedrooms, we understand how important the kitchen is for a healthy, happy and hearty lifestyle. Specialising in fitting brand new and bespoke kitchens and bedrooms, we also provide and replace kitchen cabinet doors too, in any and all styles you desire.
Operating in West and North Yorkshire, we can guide you through the design process with ease and take into account your personal preferences and budget. We pride ourselves on our exemplary workmanship. Get in touch today for a free quote or visit our website for more information on the services we offer.
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