Leading UK interior design specialists, Brandt Design, empower UK homeowner’s by providing specialist knowledge on what to consider when planning a kitchen in 2022.
Whether you want to keep an existing layout or set your own stamp on a new property, be honest about what you can afford and how you want to live. In the age of the individual, you no longer have to model your new kitchen on the old design, or limit yourself with old-fashioned ideas about the cook zone being a merely functional domain.
Julia Steadman, Commercial Director at Brandt Design guides you through the buying process so you know how to invest with confidence:
BUDGET: Be realistic about how much you want to spend on your kitchen and factor in a contingency as you may wish to upgrade some elements once you’ve spoken about the options with your kitchen designer. Be upfront and find out what is available and the payment terms. It is not unusual to discuss extending a mortgage to cover home improvements or taking out a loan from your bank so weigh up all the options and don’t rush your decision. Alongside money, you will want to factor in timing, especially as supply chain disruptions have impacted on the kitchen appliance trade globally. It is always best to err on the side of caution. In my experience, it is possible to go from design to installation in approximately 6 – 8 weeks depending on the project but with the current supply chain issues on appliances it is best to allow as long as possible. Current lead times on appliances can be as long as 25 weeks. Think about what else is going on in your household schedule so that your kitchen installation doesn’t clash with exams, Christmas, holidays or recovery from an operation, for example.
PROJECT MANAGEMENT: Ask yourself if you have the bandwidth or lived experience to keep track on all aspects of a kitchen project in addition to your other commitments, especially if your plans involve installing flooring or knocking through into another room. Establish if the companies you are considering working with offer full project management services and have a customer charter so you can understand their working processes and above all trust your gut. Remember that you need to feel comfortable with your kitchen designer, the installation team and the whole ethos of a company before you give the go ahead so make sure you ask for testimonials and see examples of their finished projects, when you are looking around showrooms.
GATHERING IDEAS: You’re sure to be inspired from plenty of sources: kitchen showrooms, glossy magazines, social media such as Pinterest and Instagram as well as schemes in other people’s houses. A good kitchen designer will want to establish what works with your lifestyle, the architecture of your house and your cooking style as well as the needs of your family members so be as honest as possible whether you are a passionate foodie or have a penchant for quick and easy cooking. It makes sense to establish if a utility room or boot room is desirable so that you can have a separate space for your laundry, outdoor clothes and footwear as well as extra storage. With 62% of UK households owning pets, you might need to factor in companion animals and their needs.
FURNITURE: Selecting the right style of kitchen furniture for your needs is easy. Simply decide whether you prefer a modern handleless aesthetic or a timeless Shaker-inspired look to suit your home and use this as a foundation for the rest of the room. Choosing a bespoke kitchen which is perfectly tailored to your space is a great investment as you know that everything will be customised to fit in the available space. The latest fitted furniture and storage systems will help you to streamline your cooking experience and made-to-order worktops will add another layer of luxury and efficiency to protect and define your kitchen. Make sure you explore the new generation of VOC-free paints and rich lacquer finishes will combine with your choice of subtle or distinctive hardware for a zone which fully reflects your style.
FLEXIBLE LIVING: Buying a kitchen is all about enhancing your life for the long haul, especially if you have found your forever home so your kitchen designer can advise you about ergonomics – how to manage the space wisely and efficiently such as making sure that units are at a comfortable height. Remember there is no such thing as a standard unit or a standard height so if you’ve always fancied having a dedicated space for a laptop, TV, recipe books or even a home bar, now’s your chance. A mixture of seating areas and a combination of open and closed shelving are all possibilities for you to tailor the kitchen living zone to your needs. Appliances also need careful consideration, both in terms of eco-efficiency as well as careful placement so you can enjoy the full benefits of must-have hot taps, coffee makers, fridge-freezers and whisper-quiet extractor fans. Integrating them within custom units is ideal for a seamless and modern approach.
LAYOUTS: Sometimes the shape and size of your room will dictate a kitchen layout such as a galley or a popular U-shaped or l-shape run of units. If you’re keen to have an island unit in place of, or in addition to, a dining a table you’ll need to be sure there’s adequate clearance behind it when the doors are opened and establish if you’d like to incorporate a hob, sink or breakfast bar. Peninsulas are also am option if you’d like to extend a run of units and incorporate some bar stools.
LIGHTING: Designer lighting can add another layer of sophistication to your kitchen, especially if you want to alter the ambience from day to night or add smart lighting. As an interior’s expert, your kitchen designer will be keen to show you all the possibilities – including the latest options for changing the colour temperature from warm to cool.
Brandt Design offer two furniture collections for the UK homeowner: 1) Heritage – a more classical and bespoke range of furniture, which is beautifully crafted in the UK to the highest standards, and 2) Urban – a sleek and contemporary range of furniture that offers a choice of handled or handle-less kitchen designs. Prices for either furniture collection start from £25,000 +vat. The company also has its own fabrication facility where it makes worktops to order, including stone-effect quartz, solid surface, granite and wood.
Brandt Design │ website www.brandtdesign.co.uk │ email [email protected]