How many times have you walked into your kitchen recently and thought how wonderful it would be to have a little re-vamp, move this cupboard over there and that cupboard over here and how nice it would be to have a wonderful new sink, shiny and sparkling! Your kitchen is the heart of your home, it’s where you entertain, where you cook and eat and spend family time – it’s your space to create and to be creative.

Well, why don’t you just do it! But before you do, we wanted to give you a few tips on how to create your perfect kitchen space.

Make sure you get your planning just right.

Creating your perfect kitchen is not a small task, there is a lot to consider especially at the planning stage.

Our tips:

• Take some time to research kitchen designs, work out what you like and dislike, create a scrapbook or a Pinterest account where you can look at all the designs, colours and styles of kitchen you like and what you think will work in the kitchen space you have.
• Look at your kitchen, make a note of all the things you want to change, maybe you want to change it entirely
• Start your formal planning process, by ensuring your kitchen renovation is well planned will mean fewer delays and complications down the line.
• At this point you will need to decide if you need a builder or an architect. If you are planning on having an extension that needs plans to be drawn up then you will need to find out if you will need planning permission or building regulations approval.
• Choosing your kitchen designer should be made at this point too – we would recommend that you meet with a few people and select the company that best fits with you and your ideas but is willing to give you feedback and suggest alternative designs, don’t forget, people like us have been doing this for a long time and sometimes, we may have a solution that works that may not have even been considered.
• Finally, make sure the kitchen you want fits all the needs of you and your family.

Finalise and agree your budget.

This is a hugely important aspect of the project as costs can stack up if you don’t plan properly and have a firm budget in place. If you are getting builders in, don’t forget your kitchen project budget will incorporate these costs too, there are planning application costs and will you running the project or will you be employing someone to manage the project for you?

Creating the perfect kitchen space means that you will probably need to employ an electrician and a plumber if you are changing your layout completely. Don’t forget to consider your flooring and paint choices within these costs – depending on what you floor you choose can hugely impact your budget, for example, if you are considering underfloor heating make sure you speak to a reputable company that will give you all the information you need.

We always advise our customers to make sure they have a contingency budget in place – as quite often, some of your budget may need to be used for unforeseen expenses or emergency repairs.

Now for deciding which kitchen is the kitchen for you.

Now the fun begins! There is so much choice out there so hopefully, at your planning stage, you will have made a decision on the style of kitchen that you want and will compliment your space, any type of bespoke handmade kitchen will, of course, give you a bit more freedom to have a few unique touches added to your kitchen.

Shaker kitchen

Shaker cabinetry doors work in both a classic, country style kitchen as well as a modern, contemporary kitchen setting. Recessed panels are either bevelled or plain to create a certain style within an open plan style design. Shaker kitchens are designed to be uncluttered and with limited colour schemes, the Shaker kitchen remains sleek and stylish. We have found that most people installing a Shaker style kitchen will create an island within the centre of the room which allows full access to appliances or potentially seating areas. The painted finish gives a contemporary style.

Farmhouse Kitchen

At Dowers, the Farmhouse kitchen has been our most popular kitchen over the last 35 years. It harks back to the old ledge and brace doors which you will find in many old properties. Nowadays a more modern version of this door is created which makes it more applicable to much more modern properties.

The doors of the Farmhouse kitchen are all traditional ledge and brace doors set in a frame. The hinges are either the traditional T hinge or butt hinges. The drawer fronts are solid and flat. Behind the door and drawer fronts, you will find all the features you would expect from a modern ergonomically friendly kitchen.

Modern Kitchen

A modern kitchen is minimalistic in terms of clutter and decor and allows the materials used on the cabinets and work surfaces to be the main focus of the room. Modern kitchens are as clean and sleek as possible and have modern appliances to compliment the style.

Traditional

Your standard ‘antique’ type kitchen the Traditional kitchen has a classic look and feel and looks fabulous in an older building with lots of character.

Transitional

Why not mix it up! If you are not 100% sure if you want a modern, traditional or contemporary kitchen why not combine all the bits you love from each and create a completely bespoke kitchen to your taste.

Colours and Materials

The finishing touches are so important when it comes to creating your perfect kitchen space, getting one thing wrong could mean you don’t love the overall look and feel of your space.

Colours

There are so many options here, it depends on the look you want, if you are keeping it minimal you’ll benefit from using natural tones like black, grey, white and brown – these are all very easy colours to work with and mix well with brighter, bolder colours if you want to add a colour pop into your kitchen. Neutral colours for walls and floors mean you can play around with the colours you want for your cabinets and worktops, these tones compliment stainless steel and copper brilliantly.

Brighter bolder colours can be used on walls and floors and look great with dark wood cabinets or match your cabinets with your flooring for maximum impact.

You can create different hues and tones which will add depth to a room – and don’t forget, lighting will affect the overall feel of the space so don’t forget to consider this when choosing your colours.

Worktop Materials

Again, so many choices, it’s down to you to choose the right material to give you the effect you are looking for.

Wood
Hardwood and softwood suit most kitchens and look fabulous on an island – wood is flexible to work with and can be cut to the desired design.

Granite
Will give you different finishes to create the look you are wanting to achieve because there are so many different varieties.

Laminate
Great to use as it has the ability to resemble other materials and is a cost effective alternative.

Glass
This is the perfect material for a modern or contemporary kitchen – can be produced in different colours to match our colour schemes.

Stainless steel
Can sometimes look a little cold but is a stylish material that works well in a contemporary kitchen, can look incredible next to softer colours.

Composite
These materials are made from two or more materials which have different chemicals. This type of material looks great with dark and dramatic colours such as grey, navy and black, add some white in your kitchen to create a modern look or if you want something more traditional then composite can also be paired with neutral creams and browns.

Kitchen Storage

You can 100% get creative with your storage and how your storage functions for you. Storage lets you make the most of the space you have whether it’s hidden away or on show – a smaller kitchen will benefit from hidden storage whereas a larger kitchen can get away with having a mixture of hidden and visible storage. Sometimes having open storage can make your kitchen feel a little more homely.

Make sure you speak with your kitchen designer in detail about the storage functionality you would really like – there are so many amazing things that can be done and you could benefit from it.

Kitchen Appliances

Your appliances are key. Your kitchen space can make your life easier and having the right appliances to compliment the space will make your kitchen into a dream! Don’t forget to keep your appliances relevant to the size of your space, don’t choose a huge cooker that will overpower the room and takes the rest of the kitchen design away from the eye. Also, we always say, don’t compromise on quality – if you can wait and get the right appliances they will last longer and look incredible.