As the mum of five young children, I know how important it is to have access to a safe outdoor space for your children to play. Being cooped up in the house all day isn't good for the kids or the parents, but you also can't let young kids play in a space that's hazardous. When we bought our new family home, there was a lot of work to do in the garden to make it childproof, and we also wanted to make it a fun place for the kids to play. We erected a new fence, fitted a combination lock on the garden gate, had poisonous plants removed, cordoned off the pool and created a play area complete with swings, a slide and outdoor games. I started this blog to share my DIY gardening tips, and I hope you find it interesting and useful.
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A new kitchen is a significant investment, so of course you'll want to get it right. You'll probably want to replace all your old appliances with gleaming new versions of themselves (which will hopefully be energy efficient). You might envision cooking amazing meals for your family in your brand new kitchen, putting all those TV cooking show competitors to shame. Of course, you will be able to do this, but only if you have the right space to work in. When installing a new kitchen, there are a few limitations that you need to work around. You will have a budget, but you also need to get the best possible kitchen out of your available space. Kitchen layouts, and the positioning of key aspects of a great kitchen, are vital when it comes to your brand new space. That's why it's important not to make these key layout mistakes when considering kitchen designs.
1. Let There Be Light
You don't want the kitchen to be too bright, and in fact harsh overhead lighting can make the space look too industrial. Accent lighting, where you can control the lighting level of various areas of the kitchen is best. It's not too much lighting, or too little. Having said that, you should also have strong lighting on a separate switch which can be activated as needed. You don't want bright light all the time, and yet in the event of spillage or breakage (which happens fairly often in most kitchens), you want to be able to illuminate the entire space so that you can clean more easily.
2. The Air You Breathe
That roast chicken in the oven (with vast amounts of garlic) smells delicious now, although you probably don't want to be smelling it for days. Good kitchen ventilation is of the utmost importance, so don't be tempted to forgo a top quality extractor fan. A variable fan is the best idea, since you want to be able to control its strength. It's not necessary to run it on full power to banish all kitchen odours, and a fan that only has one strength (which is generally rather strong) can also add to your electricity bill. Your kitchen will ideally have a window that can be opened all the way, as this is the easiest way to keep fresh air circulating. It's probably too expensive to install a new window, but if you're lucky, you'll be able to position your stove close to an existing window.
3. Room to Work, Room to Store
Where do you do the actual work in your kitchen? You need to ensure that you have as much available surface area as possible. Much of this is dependent on how much space you have to work with when designing the room, but if your potential kitchen design doesn't leave you with much countertop space, you might want to add a kitchen island. A kitchen island also adds much-needed storage space. Opt for a kitchen design that maximises the amount of storage space in your kitchen, as this also frees up countertop space. Appliances that generally spend most of their time on a countertop can be stored when not in use, giving you more room to work.
A new kitchen should be able to last for years, but this is only possible if you ensure that the layout of your new kitchen is able to meet your needs. For more tips on designing and planning your kitchen layout, contact a company like Cymbal Kitchen & Joinery.
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