A home without a beautiful kitchen, is not a home at all. Being one of the most used rooms in the house, an attractive contemporary kitchen can create a warmth and effective centrepiece to any property, small or large.  Choosing which design to go with, the units to be installed, and the most cost-effective way to achieve your desired look can amount to a sizeable investment of both time and money; many therefore choose to decorate and design their kitchen only once.

For this reason it’s important to get it right!

There are of course pitfalls which should be avoided, and difficulties can arise along the way. But if you keep a few things in mind, hopefully you’ll have a contemporary kitchen you can be proud of.

What Are Your Needs?

The type of kitchen you install should always be determined by your needs. Ask yourself the question ‘How will I use my kitchen?’. Normally this will provide the needed answers. Often many people jump straight ahead to style and forget about functionality, only to realise that their kitchen might look nice but that they can’t use it the way they really need to.

• Are you a keen cook?: If so, you will probably want a kitchen which is designed to make this process as easy as possible. A design which contains the right amount of worktop space for you, close to where you will be cooking so you don’t need to move around a lot. You may want to install a separate oven to cook for a large family or for dinner parties. You will also need the storage space for the types and volume of ingredients you will be most commonly needing.
• Will you be eating in the kitchen?: Having a table or breakfast bar in the kitchen can add a real level of charm to any property. Often families enjoy having meals, especially breakfast, in the kitchen which can double up as another lounge.  If you or any of your kids want to set up a study or reading area there, then the correct lighting will also  be a big priority. You might want to also factor in whether you will install a flat screen TV somewhere to further enhance your kitchen as a real family room, not to mention for entertaining you as you cook!
• Will you be socialising at home often?: If the answer is yes, then you could set your kitchen up as a place where people can socialise during dinner parties or larger family gatherings. This will mean trying to compromise between having enough space for guests to comfortably move around in, but also some seating to encourage people to feel relaxed. If there are going to be a large number of people coming and going, then the kitchen itself may also have to be a little more robust – think about the appropriate flooring for guests!

How Should it Look?

While functionality is key, everyone wants a home that they can feel comfortable in. There is nothing worse than having designed or decorated a room only to find that you can’t stand it! Your kitchen should reflect exactly what you want it to, never settle for anything less because you will have to face your decision each time you go into that room.

A few things you should  be aware of:

• Style: The first thing is to establish a general idea of the look you want. You can build off of this as you make your choices. Do you want a sleek contemporary kitchen? Perhaps you want something more homely? Or do you want a look that says ‘young dynamic professional’? The choices are endless, but it is essential that you establish the general direction of the design from the beginning. It also makes it much easier for anyone helping you with designing or installing the kitchen, ensuring that they know how to give you what you want.

• Planning the layout: Now all of the hard work you have already put in to deciding your needs and the general style, pays off. You can use those choices to determine the layout of your kitchen both to fulfil your needs, and your stylistic desires. As you decide upon a layout, you can more specifically decide what colour your units will be as you can clearly picture where they will be situated, and what their style will be.

• Avoid Fads at All Costs!: Lastly, designing and fitting a kitchen is not something you want to do often. Your choices are ones which you will have to look upon each day, perhaps for many years. For this reason it is advisable to avoid sensationalist fads which often become dated in a very short space of time.  You can be contemporary, but try to be stylish, not outlandish.

In the end, your kitchen is somewhere that you should enjoy, both to look at and use. For that reason, follow the above advice and your own instincts, and you will most probably have a kitchen that you can be proud of for many years to come.