The bedroom is increasingly important when it comes to creating an individual style in the…
How to Make Most of a Small Kitchen
A small kitchen doesn’t have to mean you miss out on anything – it simply means a little more planning in the early process. Below are our tips to enable you to get it right first time.
Planning – how do you use your kitchen? Do you want it to be so much more than it is now? Some families simply cook, and then leave. Some use it as an extension of their living space – perhaps for homework, or watching television. It’s all about sitting and planning properly, before you purchase a splash of paint or a tile!
We usually spend a lot of time talking with our customers about how they want to use their new kitchen and what they would like to change about their old kitchen, this is a great place to start.
Colour – light colours absolutely open up a space, whereas dark ones may be warmer, but will close in a wall. Use tester paints on the walls, as light changes throughout a day. It may mean that you end up using different shades on different walls to get the ‘same’ result. Also consider colour when buying your units. Again, white, light colours, reflective surfaces or lightly frosted fronts are your friend when trying to create space.
Clutter – try and minimise what’s lying around the kitchen. If you have something lovely you want to display, then find a dedicated area for it (like a glass-fronted cabinet). That way nothing is hidden, but it’s not in the way either.
Storage – also relative to clutter. Factor in as much as you can, and then some more. Make use of clever ideas like carousel cupboards, which double or even triple your space, without taking up more area.
Keep it simple. Plain fronts to the cabinets, or simple Shaker-style will provide clean, clear lines. Try and streamline the kitchen’s design.
Mirrors. What better way to create light than to reflect it- a clever use of mirrors can extend the feel of a room twice over. They are great for features too.
Glass doors. If it’s in your budget, and you’re considering a bigger change, then why not add glass, or even bi-fold doors to the back of the kitchen. That way you can bring the outside in, and create a whole new feel to the heart of the home.
For more ideas, see our video with George Clarke