A kitchen that matches perfectly your needs and desires !

Today, the kitchen space is following our lifestyle and the kitchen is not viewed only as a space to cook but also as a living-space.

We are not designing our kitchens as before. We don’t have the same conception of cooking than our grandmothers (yes at that time men didn’t cook !!).

When you want to change your kitchen, the first step is to analyse the global space.

How big is the space ? What is its shape ?
What kind of works will be needed ? Will you have to remove a wall, change the flooring, some electricity, plumbery ?
Where are the windows, the natural lighting ?

Who are you and how do you live ?

Are you a family with children ?
Are a young couple who doesn’t like cooking but love having many guests at home ?
Are you a cooking lover ?

Depending on your answer, you will make different choices. If you like cooking, you will wish of course a long worktop. If you have kids, you will love a big island or a side table where your kids may do their homework and be with you when you are preparing the meals. There is also an advange of having an open kitchen in the living-room : you are altogether all the time and you don’t feel lonely cooking ! On the contrary you may prefer a closed kitchen because you don’t like the mess and the smells of your kitchen in the whole house !! So choosing a closed or open kitchens may be an important choice for you.

For my first advice is to make central what matters the most for you !

Kitchen appliances choices will come immediately after !

The main thing to know is that your fridge , hob and sink should make a triangle. It is very important to respect this configuration.

It is essential to check your needs :

which size of fridge do you need ? with a freezer ?
which oven would suit you best ? Have you already thought of a steam function ? of a pyroliptic function ? or a combi-oven ? do you need a micro-wanve oven ?
what about the extractor hood ? Don’t under-estimate its importance.
Concerning cooking hobs, it could be gas, induction, glass ceramic hobs.

In a kitchen we move a lot from one place to another, so check that the distances are satisfactory.

Useful distances to know :

at least 90 cm in front of each cabinet
120 cm are the best if you are working on both sides of the kitchen units

A kitchen must be very functional and easy to organize and tidy.

Interior fittings are thus really important. How are you going to organize and tidy your stuff ?

shelves or drawers ? Kitchen cabinets have a lot to store – pots, pans, plates, serving dishes, cutlery… Thanks to drawers, you will find everything that you need, when you need it.
Drawer dividers. Cutlery tray, drawer dividers and cutlery boxes can do magic in your kitchen. They can turn chaotic drawers and hard-to-reach corners into something efficient.

Kitchen cupboard bins. Nowadays, we are all aware of the importance of recycling easily. Different sizes of bins will help you create a solution to match what you need. They’ll help you make a more sustainable life at home part of your daily routine.

Once all the technical choices done, it is time to think of the atmosphere in your kitchen.

It is time to think of materials and colours !

If your kitchen is open on your living-room, you must make sure that these choices will match your living-room. You must consider this open space as only one and that every choice will respond to the one next to it.

Materials are of course important : on the floor, on the cabinet and on the worktops & splashbacks.

You can decide to have the same flooring everywhere or on the contrary have 2 different ones to delimitate visually the 2 spaces. For example, the kitchen area has tiles whereas the living-room has a woodden floor.

The cabinets fronts can be in wood or lacquered.
For the worktops & splashbacks, many options are possible.

You can decide to simply coordinate the splashbacks with the worktops for a perfect kitchen combination. Or on the contray, you can make them different for a more surprising effect. But be careful not to have too many materials in the same space.

From quartz and acrylic to solid wood, tailor-made worktops can be adapted to your kitchen

Acrylic worktops and splashbacks have a smooth, non-porous surface, resistant to stains and moisture so they’re easy to clean. And they’re repairable too, if damage should occur.

Solid wood worktops are beautiful, resistant and durable. Each wood type has its own unique characteristics. With good care, your worktop will serve you a lifetime and can be sanded down and refinished to remove scratches (only enriching its appearance over time).

Ceramic worktops and splashbacks. Made from a high-quality material, they are extremely durable and fully stain-proof. With a very hard, non-porous surface, they come in a wide variety of expressions too.

Laminate worktops and splashbacks. Stylish, durable and easy to clean, and in a variety of colours and textures so you can personalise your kitchen.

Quartz worktops and splashbacks. They add a natural sophistication to your kitchen and are made from one of nature’s most durable materials. Quartz is non-porous so it’s water and stain resistant, easy to clean and resistant to scratches so it stays beautiful.

Glass splashbacks are made of tempered glass. Safe and shatterproof, they withstand high temperatures without cracking and reflect light so they brighten your kitchen. Glass is resistant to water and bacteria so it’s easy to clean and fits well in any style of kitchen. Available only as custom made.

Regarding the colours, let’s say that they are two main possiblilities :

Choosing your kitchen in neutral shades ( white, grey, black, brown…) but add colours on details (splashbacks, accessories, a wallpaper ? )
Dare a colourful kitchen because the rest of your atmosphere is more neutral.

Everything is possibe, it is just a question of balance and being comfortable with the quantity of colours you are bringing.

Kitchen lighting

One key element is lighting !! A good lighting makes cooking safer, easier and more fun. Spotlights are in this space the best kind of lighting : it is very efficient and you can check for sure that you will not have any zones in shadow. And then you can add a decorative element to your kitchen too. It is a great way to show off your favourite dinnerware, cabinet doors and wall panels. It will offer a more personalized and cozy decoration.