7 minutes
Worldwide
There are lots of things to consider when buying and planning a new kitchen.
Here are the most important tips for planning and buying a new kitchen − regardless of manufacturer.
Who wouldn’t want to design their own bespoke kitchen? A new kitchen is a major investment and isn’t something you buy every day. It will set the tone of your home for many years to come. That’s why it should be designed to provide long-lasting enjoyment and convenience. Use the following checklist to prep yourself for kitchen planning with your cabinet maker or trusted kitchen supplier and make sure you’ve got everything covered.
Designing a dream kitchen takes a lot of planning. For the best possible results you should take a few days to closely observe how you use your current kitchen and ask yourself the following questions: Where do I do most of the work? How much worktop space do I need? Do I normally cook by myself or with others? Is the person who does most of the cooking left or right-handed? Take notes so that you’ll have your ideas at the ready when planning and buying your new kitchen.
How big is your household? Do you go shopping every day? Is that why you don’t need so much storage space? Or do you do bulk shopping once a week? Do you use food storage containers or is there no need for containers because you use up everything? The Zone Planner by Blum is a useful resource.
No matter which kitchen layout best suits your home and which design you ultimately opt for, it’s very important to make full use of the storage space available. Clever solutions by Blum use every inch of space and ensure you have enough storage space. SPACE CORNER maximises storage space in corners, SPACE TWIN utilises gaps and SPACE STEP is a step and secret drawer for extra storage space. All these solutions create more storage space.
Meal preparation and clean-up are regular activities or “workflows”. What are your cooking habits, what utensils do you use and where do you need them? These questions will help you make workflows smooth and efficient. They’ll help you move around the kitchen more efficiently and make cooking more fun. Talk to your kitchen consultant about how to “zone” your kitchen. Where should “consumables”, “non-consumables”, “cleaning”, “preparation” and “cooking” be? You will find more information here.
Make sure the worktop height is right for the person who does most of the cooking in your kitchen. The ideal height is normally 15 to 20 cm below elbow height. You can often try out different heights in kitchen studios. If you’ve got several cooks of different heights, think about installing an ergonomic, height-adjustable worktop which can be easily raised and lowered at the press of a switch.
Handle-less kitchens are all the trend. Mechanical or electrical motion technologies by Blum provide enhanced user convenience. A single touch suffices and fronts seem to open by themselves. Particularly handy for waste bin pull-outs under the sink. Blum also offers solutions for built-in fridges, freezers and dishwashers so there’s nothing to stop you from implementing an entirely handle-less design.
Chaos in drawers. Sounds familiar? Especially with all the odds and ends that accumulate in a kitchen. Good news! Well-thought-out inner dividing systems like ORGA-LINE by Blum help you organise every drawer. Cross dividers keep pots and matching lids nice and tidy. Dishwasher safe stainless steel trays (crammed with knick-knacks) make organisation child’s play. And elegant AMBIA-LINE frames tidy up cabinet interiors. Go to the following link for more tips on how to organise drawers.
Cabinets are the basis of every kitchen. If you want your kitchen to be ergonomic and easy to use, equip base units with drawers and not shelves. An open drawer gives you clear visibility of all the contents. You don’t have to bend or kneel down and remove things to get what you’re looking for. What’s more, drawers makes it easy to remove plates, bowls, pots and pans. Full extensions give you easy access to all contents. As far as wall cabinets are concerned, use fronts with lift systems and not doors. Fronts equipped with lift systems glide up and out of your way so you won’t hit your head on them when clearing away things.
Small accessories can have a big impact. They make everyday kitchen use a piece of cake. The spice holder, knife holder, plate holder and film/foil dispenser make sure nothing slides around in drawers and make you more efficient. The dual dispenser for plastic wrap and aluminium foil is especially practical: no lost or stuck edges and easy tangle-free dispensing.
You wouldn’t buy a car without a test drive, would you? A new kitchen will cost you about the same amount. Come to Blum and find out what your dream kitchen feels like right from the start when planning your kitchen. Bring your kitchen design to life with a lifesize model using mobile units in one of Blum’s showrooms. Get a feel for the dimensions, try out some different ideas for your kitchen design and make major changes if necessary – before you buy it. A test drive will give you the assurance that you are making the right investment and will take you a step closer to your dream kitchen.
