How to design your kitchen:
Things to discuss with your designer:
Budget:
First and foremost, you’ll know how much you can spend on a project. PLEASE be honest with the designer. I’ve designed kitchens of over £100k and small ones of £10k. If your budget is £10k or £100k+ SAY that. So many elements affect the final cost and knowing what budget we’re working to makes the process so much easier for all. TOP TIP: If there is “no budget” make that as clear as possible. I once designed an £80,000 kitchen for a client with ‘no budget’ and when they saw the price, there was a budget, of about half so had to start all over again.
Units / Islands / Cabinets
You’ll probably have an idea of the look you want to achieve. Whether it be a classic shaker style or handleless. In both options, there are a variety of materials available which make up the carcass and doors. The quality of these materials does influence the cost significantly.
There area reasons Howdens and Wickes are cheap. The carcasses are not as well made, they’re thinner and not as durable. If you want a cheap kitchen which will last a couple of years, then they’re the perfect solution. If you want a kitchen that will last, use a respectable company, Hacker do good, middle of the road kitchens or higher end still Smallbone and Baulthaup or a growing number of bespoke manufacturers. They use quality materials and quality hinges. Trust me, they are worth it!
When creating your new kitchen, ALWAYS take storage into consideration. Far too often I’ve had clients say “they don’t need a lot of storage” only to realise, after MANY design revisions, that they do need a lot of storage.
Worktops:
Quartz, granite, marble (ideally not), timber, laminate, Corian… So many options. Speak with your designer about the pros and cons. (or I’ll write a separate post about it)
Appliances:
The sky is the limit with appliances with so many new models coming out all the time. Honestly, if you’re looking for a budget kitchen, buy your own appliances online. They’ll be cheaper than most products supplied by cheap kitchen designer.
If you want something higher-end, speak with your designer to understand what’s good and will fit your needs. They’ll guide you and help you purchase something suitable.