10 Steps to create your dream kitchen
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Anyone who buys a kitchen isn't just making a big investment, but also a commitment for decades to come, which is why every detail has to be perfect. We put together a guide for you to ensure that you go into your meeting with your cabinetmaker or kitchen designer as well prepared as possible. Here are ten things you should consider when planning your kitchen for life – from functionality to comfort.
1. Know your needs
Your kitchen has to suit you. Your habits are important, as multi-course menus need more worktop space than a quick, on-the-go snack, and sophisticated haute cuisine recipes often require specific cooking utensils.
Keep tabs on how you use the kitchen across several days and ask yourself:
Where do you work most often?
How much worktop space do you need?
Do you normally cook by yourself or with others?
Do you often have guests around?
What utensils can't you do without?
Is the person who does most of the cooking left or right-handed?
Make some notes – this will ensure that you have all the important information with you when planning with your designer.
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2. Analyze your shopping behavior
You should plan enough storage space to accommodate the amount of goods you typically keep on hand. Many people like to ensure they are well stocked at all times while others prefer to pop to the store if there is something they need. Consider the following when planning:
How big is your household?
Do you grocery shop every day and therefore need less space for storage goods? Or do you need more storage space for the weekly haul?
Do you keep pantry staples such as rice, pasta and canned goods stocked up in your home?
Do you often keep leftovers in containers or fresh storage boxes?
Specify which provisions you want to store in the kitchen so you can plan the right amount of storage space.
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3. Maximize the available storage space
You probably can't change the footprint of your kitchen, but you can use the available storage space more efficiently – even the smallest space can be used for storage thanks to our innovative cabinet solutions.
brings valuable storage to narrow cabinet spaces.
With , the cabinet toe kick isn't just wasted space; now it can be used to house a low drawer for extra storage and a step to reach the highest cabinet compartments so you can use the full height of the room.
4. Opt for functional cabinets
Pay special attention to the functionality of kitchen cabinets so you get maximum use out of your storage space. Our experts from the Blum requirements research team recommend the following when designing your cabinets:
Pantry units and base cabinets should have drawers instead of shelves, ensuring that you always have an overview of their contents. Even the farthest corner of the space can be used since items stored at the back come out of the cabinet towards you, eliminating the need to bend down and rummage through the cabinet. Plates, bowls, pots and pans are significantly easier to remove from a drawer than from a back corner of a shelf.
As far as wall cabinets are concerned, use fronts with lift systems instead of doors. Fronts lift up instead of protruding into the room, giving you maximum freedom of movement in the kitchen without worrying about bumping your head on an open door.
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5. Shorten your routes
Why waste time walking from the stove to the other end of the kitchen just to fetch a wooden spoon? In an ergonomically designed kitchen, you can save time with optimal workflows.
Professionals divide their kitchens into clearly defined zones and set these zones up to achieve maximum efficiency. These five zones prove to be effective in most homes:
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A pantry unit is an important part of this zone, but also think about including a surface to place shopping bags while you unload and sort groceries.
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A cabinet for plates and glasses should be near the dishwasher or sink for faster unloading and kitchen clean-up.
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There should be a dish draining area near the sink as well as storage space for sponges, dish washing liquid and bins for trash and recyclables.
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A large work surface with storage space for food prep tools and utensils such as knives, bowls and cutting boards is needed here.
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The ideal place for pots and pans, bakeware and utensils for cooking and baking is near the stove.
Meal preparation and clean-up are regular activities or "workflows." Monitor your cooking habits across several days – this will help you determine which utensils you use most and where you use them to ensure the way you move through the kitchen is as efficient as possible. Your kitchen planner can also help you with this.
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6. Choose the right worktop height
The right worktop height helps you maintain the right ergonomic posture – this ensures that your back is pain-free, even when spending significant time working in the kitchen. The ideal kitchen worktop height is normally 4 to 6 inches below elbow height with your arms bent.
Choose the worktop height in your new kitchen based on who will cook in it most often. If many cooks of different heights cook there, a height-adjustable workspace or workspace with various heights is recommended. Talk to your kitchen planner about what options are available for your personal situation.
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7. Make your kitchen as convenient as possible
Regardless of how passionate you are about cooking, you will probably spend several hours a week in the kitchen, which is why it should be convenient. This applies to every little movement – such as opening and closing drawers.
Kitchens with handleless fronts paired with opening support systems are currently on trend. They not only look elegant but are a functional addition to cabinetry since a brief touch is all you need for the drawers to open virtually by themselves. Adding touch-to-open technology to the trash drawer under the sink is especially handy, as you often have your hands full here.
8. Add drawer organizers
Who doesn't have that one completely disorganized drawer full of wooden spoons, spatulas and grill tongs? To ensure that everything has a home, the ergonomics experts from Blum recommend drawers outfitted with organization systems such as or .
The sophisticated dividers provide clarity so you can quickly grab what you need without rummaging around. In addition to drawer inserts, cross dividers in deeper drawers provide organization for larger items such as pots and lids.
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9. Incorporate specialty holders in drawers
Speaking of drawer contents, certain kitchen essentials make a big impact but can be hard to organize. The AMBIA-LINE and ORGA-LINE organization systems from Blum include specialty holders to accommodate these kinds of accessories – ensuring that everything has its place in the kitchen:
You can quickly see all spices at a glance with a spice holder.
A knife holder in the utensil drawer means you can quickly grab hold of the most important tool in any cook's arsenal.
A plate holder in the base cabinet lets you stack plates securely so that nothing clatters when you're ready to set the table.
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10. Select color-coordinating hardware
When designing your dream kitchen, an often-overlooked aspect to consider is hardware visibility. Blum hardware was developed to suit any cabinet design, but some color options lend themselves particularly well to certain cabinet aesthetics. For example, blend seamlessly into darker cabinet interiors for a sleek, unobtrusive look, while Blum metal drawer box systems come in a range of color options to complement or contrast with your chosen cabinetry.
Consider whether you want the cabinet hardware to blend into the surrounding cabinets or make a bold statement with contrasting colors.
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How to design your dream kitchen
Before the design process, monitor your shopping and cooking habits so that you can tailor your new kitchen exactly to your needs – from the storage space and worktop area to the organization system in the drawers.
Plan your kitchen cabinets with storage space and functionality in mind. For example, talk to your cabinetmaker or kitchen designer about innovative cabinet solutions that turn small spaces into usable storage, and opt for drawers and lift systems instead of doors to ensure ergonomic access and full freedom of movement.
Divide the kitchen into five zones – Consumables, Non-consumables, Cleaning, Preparation and Cooking – and ensure the best placement of cabinets, kitchen appliances and utensils within these zones for efficient workflows.
Adjust the height of the worktop space to the cook who spends the most time in the kitchen.
Don't forget about your convenience – for example with opening support systems and useful drawer organizers.
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