By Your Home Admin 26 Nov 2022 14:02
We’ve got a lot to say when it comes to new kitchens and kitchen design. In fact we’re passionate about great quality kitchens. Remember the old adage of “you get what you pay for”? Well it’s certainly true when it comes to this aspect of your home. On face value this might be hard to believe, as an untrained eye often just sees an outside shell. The primary cost is in the ingredients.. the internal gubbins. In reality, your first step to consider is your order of priority: a cheap kitchen or a quality kitchen? With due care, a quality kitchen can last a lifetime. So if you are living in Norfolk or Suffolk and looking for a bespoke quality kitchen, then let’s have a natter… read on.
At the heart of everything we do we use quality materials. We invite you in for a chat over a cuppa to discuss your vision and to guide you through the whole process, with step-by-step clarity and transparency. In our Norfolk showroom we have samples galore. This process is to establish your preferences (such as style, colour, finish) your requirements and your needs. It is a process where you will have your very own project manager (overseeing design, supply and installation) from start to finish. At Your Home Norwich we take great pride in delivering a caring, attentive and personal service. Our kitchen company Kitchens By Design Norfolk is one you can trust. We have over 25 years of experience behind us - we know what we are talking about. We could just sell you any old kitchen but we don’t. We go that extra mile to find out about you and the demands set by your busy lifestyle.. important ingredients indeed when it comes to getting it right.
Without further ado let’s get your dream kitchen design taste buds whirring.
1. Colour
The first thing anybody will notice on entering your new kitchen is the colour scheme. This will set the mood as their eyes start to take it all the other details.. now you may well have a favourite colour, but the big question will be, does it suit the intended space? Is the room, North or South facing? Are your ceilings low or high? How much natural light actually enters the space? And finally, how do you intend to use your kitchen? Not quite as daft a question as that might initially sound. Is it just for cooking? Or are you looking to maximise the space with formal/informal dining? Do you intend for your kitchen to be the heart of your home – the main hub where all your guests and family will generally flock to?
2. Style
Quite possibly you will have trawled through all social media site such as Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest and then some. You may have even built up your own collection within your mood board. It takes time and planning after all. The style of your cabinetry is the second thing that guests will notice. So which kitchen design style captures your heart more.. shaker, slab, arched, beadboard or something with a much more unique flavour to you.
Along with your colour choice, it is your chosen style of kitchen cabinet that will create the initial statement. This statement creates the environmental mood, where everybody feels at home, at ease and welcome. Given the assumption of quality ingredients of carcass, finish, getting the colour and style right is your ultimate focal point of success.
3. Theme
Perhaps you can’t quite decide on a specific kitchen cabinet style.. but the theme is something you will instinctively know from the off. Modern, traditional, country chic, industrial, minimalist, monochrome, rustic, base unit only, enclosed or open, integrated or non integrated. Simple enough but essential to be aware of nonetheless
4. Function
One of the most important aspects of your kitchen is it’s functional demands. Do you need more counter space than storage space? Open shelving? Where will you want your glassware? Would you like your pans & utensils on display for ease of access? Where would you prefer your provisions to be kept such as canned goods, sauces, ingredients? And what about all those ‘can’t live without’ kitchen gadgets that you have accumulated over the years? Have you still got your spiraliser, where do you keep you toastie maker.. let alone your chocolate fountain, fondue set or popcorn maker. These bulky items all take up a lot of space and the need a home somewhere.
If you want drawers, what are they for? Cutlery yes of course.. but what other functions would drawers need to cater for? We’ve not even started to take washing, cleaning and laundry into account yet. Organisation is key to a well functioning kitchen and requires plenty of thinking ahead in the planning stages.
5. Placement
Where would you like your cooker? High or low level? What about your microwaves, fridge freezers, dishwashers, sinks, drainers, taps, kitchen islands, breakfast bars.. the list is endless but they all have to go somewhere. Sometimes situations will only afford certain placements within your kitchen setup.. this could have a knock on effect for the rest of the kitchen layout. Does your heart yearn for a double sink in the kitchen island away from the cooker and closer to the waste disposal? Where are you going to want your wine rack? Or are we deciding on an integrated wine cooler appliance?
6. Basics
Well we’ve got this far along already which is great. Let’s ease our foot off the pedal for a moment and take some basics into account. Sometimes it’s all too easy to get lost in a sea of colours and concepts. Consider your decision making processes for splashbacks, plinths, work tops and floors. These are strong elements within your new kitchen design which will have a dramatic effect on the eye and your intended components. We understand that sometimes you might be overwhelmed by everything. The good news is that the one thing we have in abundance is inspiration. We will guide, advise, suggest, clarify and lift your stress points at every given opportunity. We will help you through every stage.
7. Personalisation
So we’ve got to know each other a little bit over the past few paragraphs. Let’s throw caution to the wind and get a little more personal now. Are you the kind of end user who is likely to care for and cherish your dream kitchen like it’s a treasured part of the family? You know, taking special care to wipe down, clean, dust. Or are you likely to treat your dream kitchen like a demanding taskmaster, frugal with aftercare. Sounds silly? Well, if all kitchens were the same then yes, maybe. But they are not. If you boil a kettle regularly under a unit, that steam has got to go somewhere. In the case of a vinyl wrapped cabinet that steam is ultimately going to help peel off the vinyl and destroy all elegance in it's wake. If the resident delegated washer upper is a splish-splash merchant then water from the sink is going to be regularly pouring down over your cabinet doors.. seeping into the product itself and ultimately ruining the aesthetics.
Bottom line with us is, we care. You get what you pay for.