Get the most from your kitchen design

There are three steps to getting your dream kitchen
Step 1
Spend some time getting inspired and looking at kitchen renovation images on the internet. When you find images of kitchens you like, print them out or save them to create yourself a lookbook of your favourite design elements. Think about what it is you like about each kitchen. Is it the colour of the cabinetry? The benchtop material? The general colour scheme? Think about how they would look in your kitchen. Is it a light space that would suit bold or dark colours? Or maybe it’s a smaller space that needs smart cupboard design and light colours? Make lots of notes of everything you can think of and once you identify the elements that are most important, you’ll be able to start looking at designs and materials.
Here’s a few things to think about:
- Benchtops
- Splashbacks
- Cabinetry
- Sinks & Tapware
- Flooring & Tiles
- Lighting
Step 2
Plan the kitchen design in your own house in more detail. Start with measuring up the space you’ve got to work with. When considering which shape of kitchen will best suit your space, your cooking style, and your family, you’ll want to consider the “working triangle”. The working triangle bridges the three most used parts of the kitchen - the sink, the fridge, and the oven & cooktop. Maintaining the triangle between these points is essential for a kitchen that functions as beautifully as it looks.
A U-shape kitchen will give you the most prep space.
An island kitchen provides more space for socialising and cooking with family members.
A galley kitchen is highly functional and a great choice for compact spaces.
An L-shape kitchen is the ideal layout to incorporate a dining area. Find out more of these shapes here. This will give you the parameters to work with. Make sure you also note down where the plumbing and appliances are located. Tip: You can find a grid to help with laying out your kitchen measurements here.
Find out more of these shapes here.This will give you the parameters to work with. Make sure you also note down where the plumbing and appliances are located.
Tip: You can find a grid to help with laying out your kitchen measurements here.
Once you have an idea of the layout, you can start incorporating the ideas you gathered in Step 1, pulling together materials, colours, textures and other flourishes. Don’t worry if you aren’t sure exactly what you want for every aspect of the kitchen yet.
Step 3
Take your clippings and notes in-store and show the Mitre 10 kitchen consultant. With planning software, they can help create a visual render of your preferences and bring your dream kitchen to life. You can try a few options together to see what you like. Our kitchen consultants can help you stitch your design ideas together and can also make recommendations for those elements you haven’t decided on yet. It’s a great idea to look at your renders while standing in your kitchen, before making any final decisions. Your Mitre 10 kitchen consultant can help you from design to completion so let them know when you are ready for the final step which is to order and get your kitchen installed. You can book a free kitchen consultation instore here.
Tip: Get a builder in to view your kitchen and ideas early in the design process to point out any potential issues with compliance, installation and design. This can save a lot of tears and money further down the track.