When you get the chance to plan out a new kitchen, you can get overwhelmed alongside being overexcited. The opportunity to design and plan a brand new layout, with new cabinets, countertops and cupboards is a dream for most people. Kitchens have to be highly functional, and that fact can be overridden by the aspect of everything shiny!
It’s the heart of every home, so you will spend a lot of time in their preparing meals, baking cakes and generally socialising. The thing is, you can have all the shiny gadgets in the world, but if your kitchen is not practical then what’s the point? You need to think about the functionality of your kitchen in the long-term, so with our help, you can gut out your kitchen and get it looking more modern and up to date.
Aesthetic. The first thing you need to think about is adding value to your home. Whether you plan to sell now or in ten years, your kitchen needs to be the one room that pops in the mind of your buyers. It’s the first place that people want to look at when they’re looking for a home. So, including things like integrated appliances that are hidden around the room and that are piped into the plumbing is important. Consider how much easier it would be to have a dishwasher that is ready to go and plumbed into the wall? And your refrigerator with the ice maker? This will need installing properly to ensure adequate refrigeration and drainage. Sure, there is always a local sub zero repair service for when things break down, but a good job well done from the beginning helps. An integrated kitchen is always looked upon favourably, too!
Waste. The unfortunate addition to the kitchen will always be the waste. Bins, garbage disposal systems and general food waste are all the bits of a kitchen you don’t want to deal with. So, when you plan out your kitchen, make sure you place your waste systems carefully. Installing the bins into an easy access place like the end of a kitchen counter or built into the kitchen island. Keep the compost bin close to the waste disposal so all those peelings have somewhere to go quickly.
Sockets. When you move into a new home, it’s easy to spot where all the appliances end up coming away from the walls due to wires. Having sockets pushed down into cabinet tops like this one keeps them hidden unless they are in use. This may well come under aesthetics, but you need to build your kitchen to be as purposeful and functional as possible. You also avoid splashes of water, oil or food hitting the sockets on the walls. Hidden sockets in counters or cupboards are in right now, so jump on the trend and do well for your kitchen!
There’s nothing wrong with planning a smart kitchen with hidden appliances, but you do have to be smart about placement. Building your dream kitchen can absolutely be a dream, it just takes a little planning!
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