This article explains the practical know-how you need to design a room that matches your lifestyle and create an efficient and comfortable living space; it will help you plan a brand-new kitchen or adapt an existing one. A series of questions helps you assess what you want from your own kitchen, then a survey of appliances and fittings guides you to elements that best suit those needs. Next, three-dimensional plans of six kitchens explain how to engineer a successful design, and finally, instructions on measuring and drawing up a kitchen plan leave you equipped to translate ideas into reality.
Identify your needs
A number of preliminary questions are asked to encourage you to think about your kitchen needs, and the condition and potential of your present kitchen. By examining aspects of your lifestyle that you take for granted, such as how you cook, eat, and wash up, you will find it easier to identify the most suitable appliances and most appropriate design solutions For remodelling your kitchen or building a new one.
Select fittings
To help you compile a list of the features that will best suit your needs, a range of appliances and fittings are surveyed. A “Remember” box draws your attention to the key design points, and the pros and cons of each element are discussed. Where the height of a fitting or appliance may have some bearing on how easy it is to use, a small diagram recommends ideal dimensions and the most efficient operational height.
Learn how to plan
A chapter on room plans in detail at six existing kitchen designs and offers advice and inspiration on how to bring together all the elements in your own plan. A three- dimensional drawing, a bird’s eye view plan, photographs, and a list of design points, explain the thinking behind each design solution.
Design your kitchen
When you feel satisfied with your own kitchen ideas, turn to plot the design and put your design thoughts into practice. This section provides step-by-step instructions for measuring the room intended for your kitchen, plus details on how to draw the floor plan and different wall elevations to scale. Arriving at a solution takes time, so draw up variations on tracing paper, and pick out the best elements from each.