Want a new kitchen design but not sure where to start? Interior Stylist Maxine Brady has come up with 10 kitchen planning tips which will help.
‘I write and style interiors for a living and I even have an award winning home style blog called WeLoveHome. Here are my 10 essential kitchen planning tips to plan your way to kitchen perfection.’
TIP 1 – Look out for Luxe Appliances
No matter what the size of your kitchen, buy the best appliances you can afford. Not only will they last longer but they look better too. A grown-up range cooker gives a kitchen a more luxe look. Hide away ugly appliances by going for ones that are integrated so that you can avoid having white goods on show if you can. If this is not possible, look for appliances with an unusual finish to blend into your space. If space is tight – look out for slim line or more compact appliances that you can squeeze into your space.
TIP 2 – Choose Bespoke Touches
Personalise your off-the-shelf kitchen. Vintage handles, hand painted unit doors, unusual tiles and patterned floor. Don’t buy all your finishing touches from one place, shop around for these finishing details to get a bespoke look just for you.
(Maxine’s kitchen features our Cranbrook range in Sage)
TIP 3 – Add Contrast with Colour
If you have neutral kitchen units like grey, white or cream – then you need to add an accent colour to bring your kitchen to life. Metallics are perfect for smaller kitchens as they reflect light, bouncing it around a room making it feel lighter and brighter. Or for a more modern look add pops of colour with bright kitchen accessories.
TIP 4 – Go for Shelving
Open shelving is ideal in kitchens because they leave your room feeling spacious and airy. If you are doing up a kitchen on a budget like I did, then open shelving costs a fraction of the cost of a wall unit. They’re great for showing off all your china too.
TIP 5 – Go for Patterned Tiling
Tiling is the easiest way to add personality to your space. It’s worth investing in decent ceramic tiles because small kitchens tend to be a high traffic areas and are more prone to wear and tear. Underfloor heating is worth every penny in the winter months.
TIP 6 – Pick the Right Cooker for You
How you cook will impact what cooker you should go for. If you love baking, you may prefer gas which is perfect for cakes. Planning on cooking large family meals? Then an electric range could be for you – perfect for heating up food at meals times. Whatever your pick – go for a flush surface which means more work space.
Also, save a large portion of your budget for your oven – it’s going to be on show, so a cheap looking oven will let your kitchen design down.
TIP 7 – Tile Your Walls
Tiled walls are very practical option as they are resistant to steamy cooking and are really easy to keep clean. Pick a dark coloured grout rather than white to show less of grime.
TIP 8 – Get Inspired
Before you start planning your kitchen makeover, gathered all your ideas in one place. Pinterest is fantastic for collating images together – I created a whole kitchen board that you can take inspiration from. Pick out elements you loved the most and integrate into your own kitchen.
TIP 9 – Visit Interior Blogs
If you want to see how others have made over their kitchens before you then make sure you check out interior blogs. Bloggers tend to be more honest about what mistakes they made. These real life experiences will help your kitchen refit run as smoothly as possible. Top of my blogging list: Kimberly at Swoonworthy for Boho Glam update or Karen from Making Spaces who has made the most of every inch in her small open-plan kitchen.
TIP 10 – Banish White
Don’t think because you have a kitchen to refit, you have to go for the classic white gloss units. Go for coloured units and then kept the rest of the scheme simple with simple tiled walls. I’m in love with heritage shades like grey, khaki, duck egg or even navy for kitchens. They will stand the test of times as fashions come and go.
(Maxine’s kitchen features our Cranbrook range in Sage)
I hope you have found these 10 kitchen planning tips helpful; we’d love to hear your plans for your kitchen.
Join Maxine at www.welovehomeblog.com or find her on social media.
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