The modern kitchen is more than a place to prepare and cook meals. It’s the busiest room in the home, serving as space for socialising, dining room, laundry, and even sometimes a home office or study area. Thus, a kitchen is quite literally the heart of the home.
Furthermore, the kitchen is one of, if not the most used room in people’s homes. But it also becomes the first place to become a squeeze as a family grows, and constant wear and tear means it becomes shabby more quickly than other rooms in the home. That’s why we’ve collated the top things you need to consider when designing a new kitchen.
Budget
This is probably the most important factor when it comes to kitchen design. A rigid budget to stick to will help stop any costs from accumulating and spiralling out of control. However, this isn’t to say you should go as cheap as possible. It is worth investing in your kitchen it is a room that you’ll use a lot. Consider the amount of use you’ll get out of it and the materials that are best suited to your specifications. Of course, don’t run over your budget and if all else fails a good contingency plan will help you in your kitchen design journey.
Assess your needs
Before purchasing any lighting, appliances, flooring, storage, countertops or paint you’ll first want to look at what you want from you kitchen. A kitchen at heart should be functional while being aesthetically pleasing. Think about what you need in a kitchen. When you know what you want out of a kitchen, you’ll be able to guide your decision making better.
Make a couple plans, get some ideas together and consider what parts you like and dislike in your current kitchen. Consider taking measurements of appliances, cupboards and counter-tops, so that when it comes to purchasing these things you already have a size in mind.

Lighting
Starting from top to bottom (literally!), we move onto lighting. Lighting can achieve various practical or aesthetic effects of which you can alter to your own specifications. Lighting encompasses both artificial lighting through bulbs and natural lighting through windows and skylights.
Lighting can change the mood and atmosphere of your kitchen, and fortunately there are various fixture options for you to choose from. Chandeliers add an eccentric twist, whereas wall lights provide minimalist detailing. However, the type of bulb really shouldn’t vary because LEDs provide the most energy-efficient, long-lasting option.
Kitchen Layout
Next, you should consider the layout of your new kitchen and how you can fit this within the constraints of your budget. You need to decide where you want to put cabinets, flooring, countertops etc, before you move onto anything else. Consider how much of your current kitchen you want to update. Try to think objectively rather than sentimentally when it comes to updating your kitchen. Don’t try to save money by retaining original pieces or the layout, make decisions with you future kitchen in mind.
Countertops, Cabinets and Storage
Deciding on a countertop is an important decision because they need to withstand all types of use throughout the day. So, the main factor above all else should be durability. Fortunately, you’ll have a range of durable materials to choose from, meaning you’ll find something to suit your designs. An extra tip is to avoid cheap worktop materials to save on price, the worktop is not a place you should compromise when fitting your budget.
Cabinets and storage cupboards similar to countertops need to be durable. They are used multiple times throughout the day to retrieve food and cooking equipment. You need to consider where you’re going to store all of your kitchenware like pots, pans and saucepans. Then you can think about what style cabinets, drawers and shelves are most appropriate to your kitchen. Decide on your overall colour scheme, and what ambience your kitchen brings.

Flooring and Paint
Floors get used the most in the kitchen, of course. You spend the most time actively using them while moving about your day. So, similar to worktops they need to be durable whilst complimenting the rest of your kitchen. Hard floors come in various styles including vinyl, laminate, slate and hardwood.
The paint you use also needs to be durable and resistant to condensation because hot steam and oven temperatures cause room temperatures in kitchens to fluctuate. However, its important to pick a colour for cabinets and walls that accent light hues. Brighter colours can help bring in natural light better into your kitchen.