Buying Your Kitchen

1: Choose your appliances

Although they are the last things to be installed they should be the first things you choose. Why? Three important reasons:

• Because these make your kitchen work. Only you know how you like to cook, what sort of refrigerator you need, how much frozen food you need to keep handy, what sort of dishwasher you prefer, the microwave you need, etc.
• It actually helps the kitchen maker at the design stage to know what spaces to allow for your appliances. This reduces the likelihood of unwelcome compromises later on.
• It helps both you and the kitchen maker with budgeting.

2: Think about how you want your kitchen laid out

Where will the sink go? Most people have it under a window so that they do not have to look at a blank wall whilst working. Also, it is often the best place for plumbing. However, you might want your sink on an island.

Where do you want your hob? Think about the extraction of cooking fumes. This often necessitates an outside wall for the exhaust port. If you have your hob on an island you will have to think about a special island canopy and whether or not you can run the exhaust through the ceiling.

How much storage do you need? Think about the gadgets: the coffee maker, the wok, big pots, bowls, trays, etc, etc. They all have to be stored somewhere. Think about how much food you really need to store. Do you eat mostly convenience foods? (Big fridge/freezer). Do you stock up for World War III? (Big pantry).

You will be constrained by the amount of space you have - as is everybody - but you can at least develop a rough idea of how you think the kitchen should be laid out to suit your requirements. Again this will help the designer by giving him/her a starting point from which to work and advise you.

Buying Your Kitchen - next

Custom or Standard Kitchen?