A designer kitchen to some people may be considered an expensive luxury, to you; it may be the culmination of years of hard work and saving to put the icing on the cake in your home. With careful planning and good design, the only limitation is your imagination.

Choosing a good designer is your first step to success, the time spent giving careful consideration to your new kitchen will be time well spent. Begin with taking into consideration the existing style of your home. A high tech, ultra modern kitchen may look good in the right home, but in a country style cottage? That does not mean you cant have modern gadgets, but a little thought into the cabinet style will really show off your good taste. So, whether it’s a renovation or a complete new build, take your time.

Get the designer to visit your home, its so much easier if they can actually see the existing kitchen, than for you to try and describe it to them in an office, even with exact measurements. By visiting your home they will be able to get “the feel” of the place, and will be able to make a good judgment on what will or will not look good.

A few things to think about when planning your kitchen:

The Style: As has already been said, be aware of age of your home. Pick a design that compliments your home, if you have areas to be painted, choose a color that blends with your cabinet finish or, makes them stand out, after all they are the main feature.

Designer Kitchen

Layout and Storage space: A well planned kitchen will make it a joy to work in. Having your appliances where you may want them might not be practical, your designer will be able to show you the best way to get the most from your storage space and also where best to put the oven, or refrigerator, be flexible, but, also stay as close as you can to your own ideas. You are the one that will be spending your time in the kitchen, not the designer. Your work-tops should be exactly that, having to put gadgets on them will only detract from the space you have to prepare and cook things, with innovative storage ideas a lot of these can now be hidden, leaving you with plenty of room. A cluttered kitchen is not pleasing on the eye.

Dining area: You may want to incorporate your dining room in your kitchen; again, careful planning will make this not only a desirable place to eat and entertain your friends, but also a safe place to eat. The kitchen table too close to where you will cook, scary! If you have young children make sure they cannot use dining chairs to reach up to work-tops, where there could be hot pots and pans.

Features: As the kitchen has now become more than just a place to eat, give some thought to other things you may want such as, a television, this needs to be out of the way but also can be seen. Maybe a lap-top computer or a music system. With a good designer, and careful planning, let your imagination go wild and create that designer kitchen of your dreams.

With kitchens brisbane deciding on a new kitchen is a major decision and one most families make only once in a decade. With this in mind, it’s crucial that you make the right choices to ensure that your new kitchen is a dream rather than a nightmare! Buying stylish cabinets and state-of-the-art appliances is all very well, but your kitchen will only be as good as its layout. Large or small, getting the layout right can make a major difference to your finished room. With kitchens brisbane, this is easily achievable. Here are a few hints and tips on how to make the most of your kitchen layout:

The Galley Kitchen

Galley kitchens are often found where space is limited and are typically long and narrow. In a galley kitchen, all cabinets and appliances run along one wall.

Planning tips:

• Choose multi-functional appliances wherever possible in order to save space (e.g.: a washer-dryer is a much better option than trying to squeeze 2 separate appliances in).
• If possible, opt for integrated appliances as this will give a much more uniform look in a long narrow kitchen.
• Try to keep all of your appliances under the countertop as this will give you a more spacious preparation area. Microwaves can be mounted on brackets, again freeing up space on the countertop.
• Keep the hob and the sink close together.

The Double Galley

Similar to the galley kitchen but with cabinets and appliances running along 2 facing walls.

Planning tips:

• Full height cabinets and appliances should be kept to one end of the countertop in order to maximize space.
• Ensure that the distance between countertops (or cabinets) on either side is at least 40 inches.

The L Shaped Kitchen

In the L shaped kitchen, cabinets and appliances typically run along adjacent walls. This is a particularly good shape for a kitchen and can be adapted to suit many different purposes.

Planning tips:

• Aim to have your refrigerator, oven and sink no more than 3 feet from each other.
• Use one leg of the L for cabinets and appliances and the other for your dining table.
• If corner areas are difficult to access, visit one of the larger kitchen stockists (KITCHENS BRISBANE) where you’ll find a large range of imaginative storage solutions.

Designer Kitchens

The U shaped kitchen

In the U shaped kitchen, cabinets and appliances run round 3 walls of the room.

Planning tips:

• Ensure that you maximize available space, particularly in corner areas.
• Position your refrigerator towards the end of a countertop run for easy access.
• Ensure that your positioning of cabinets and major appliances does not allow open doors to obstruct other units or areas.
• Invest in quality lighting. Kitchens Brisbane offer an excellent range of kitchen lighting systems and these can make a huge difference to the overall look of your room. U shaped kitchens have a tendency to be darker than other layouts so it’s well worth saving a little bit of your budget for lighting.
• Add interest by including one or two cabinets with glass doors to enable you to display your crystal or other glassware.

Just ask us at Danish Kitchens Brisbane and we will be able to design your perfect kitchen, regardless of the shape.