Spending more time at home and turning to the simple pleasures of cooking and baking to keep busy recently may have found you thinking that it’s time for an upgrade.
Maybe the extra time in the kitchen has made you painfully aware of the functional issues. Maybe you think it’s worth splashing out on higher-quality finishes if you’re going to be using them more. Or maybe you just want to refresh the look and feel of the space.
Whatever your motivation, designing your own kitchen can be even more difficult than usual right now. However, with a little extra thought and careful planning, you should still be able to achieve the result you want, all from the comfort and safety of your own home.
What do I need to think about when designing my own kitchen?
If you’ve never designed a kitchen before, it can be difficult to know where to start. There are so many options available and decisions to be made – what comes first?
At its core, a kitchen is a functional space, so we recommend beginning by thinking about how you live. Once you have a clear vision of how you will use the space, you can bring this to life by:
Measuring the space: First, you need to understand the dimensions of your future kitchen. If you are keeping the existing floor plan, this will be easy – just measure the current space. Even using some masking tape you may have around the home, mark out the space so you can visualise in your own home. To help out you can view our video on “How to Measure your Kitchen“.
Outlining your layout: Start your design by working out your cabinetry configuration. Depending on the shape and size of the space, this may be obvious, but you may also want to consider adding an island so remember to take this into consideration.
Placing your appliances: Once you have your outline, begin filling in the details by deciding where your oven, cooktop, rangehood, fridge, and sink will go.
Lighting and electrical: Fill in the rest of the details by working out where your light fixtures, light switches, and power points will be.
Choosing your finishes: Finally, once you’ve determined how your kitchen will be structured, you can pick your finishes. Leaving this to last will help make sure your design is functional and allow you to cost your material choices more accurately (i.e. you should know how big your benchtop is and how many tiles you’ll need).
Don’t be afraid to consult the professionals
For most homeowners, the hardest part of designing from a distance is picturing the end result. Sure, the pictures on a website give you a sense of what the fixtures and fittings look like, but it’s not the same as being able to feel the texture and see the finish. Moreover, not being able to lay the sample finishes next to each other makes it hard to tell how they will work together.
This is where the services of a professional Kitchen Designer can be invaluable. Most will use a Computer-Aided Design (CAD) program, which can help make both the final floor plan and fit-out clearer. We recommend during these times using a Kitchen company that uses a state of the art walk through 3D program so you will be able to visualise exactly what your space will actually look and feel like.
At Zesta Kitchens, we understand how important it is to know what your kitchen will look like when it’s done. Our experienced Kitchen Designers use the latest 3D design software for all of their consultations and are available via video conference. They can zoom into your home, see your space and discuss your needs. So, if you need some help designing your new kitchen now is the perfect time to start planning. Book a Free In-Home Video consultation or call us on 1300 100 555 – we’d love to help!