Fitted kitchens provide efficient work spaces.
Fitted kitchens provide efficient and effective work spaces in which to prepare food and carry out all the different activities in a kitchen. They come in a wide variety of designs and are easily customizable. The key to a successful fitted kitchen design is planning. Instead of adding cupboards or tables one at a time, as in non-fitted kitchens, fitted kitchens should be designed, if not installed, as a complete room.
Instructions
Planning
1. Make a list of all the activities that you perform in your kitchen. Beyond the basic function of everyday cooking, you might like to eat in the kitchen, entertain there, give cooking lessons, can and preserve fruits in the summer or do laundry there.
2. Add to the list a section for all your storage requirements. Do you have many small cooking appliances and tools or unusual shaped dishes? Do you buy groceries in bulk and need a place to store them? Do you prefer open shelving or closed cabinets?
3. Consider all the large appliances that are there in your kitchen. In addition to the stove, dishwasher and fridge, kitchens may contain a washer and dryer or a freezer.
Design
4. Measure your existing kitchen. Record the dimensions of each wall and of the floor and measure the size of all the windows.
5. Draw a scale plan of the kitchen. You can do this by hand on graph paper or use an online tool. Many large DIY stores and fitted kitchen suppliers offer this as a free service on their website and some of these tools give you a three dimensional view of your proposed kitchen. Mark the positions of any windows and doors on your plan.
6. Decide if you will be keeping any existing features of your kitchen, such as cupboards, counter tops or the sink. Draw these on your plan.
7. Design the work triangle. The arrangement of the stove, sink and fridge, and the distances between them, should provide an optimal work area, allowing for an easy flow between these stations. Place the fridge first, as it is the most used appliance in the kitchen, and arrange the stove and sink next. Be aware of safety issues and requirements.
8. Sketch the counter tops and preparation areas on your kitchen plan. The areas next to the sink and the stove are heavily used in the preparation of meals and the cleaning up afterwards. Consider counter spaces as potential storage spaces or even work surfaces. Draw boxes underneath and above the counter spaces to represent the places where you can place cupboards.
Selection
9. Visit a fitted kitchen supplier showroom. Select a style for your kitchen, detailing the material, finish and color. The work surfaces, cupboard doors and handles will reflect the look and feel that you are aiming for.
10. Measure the sizes of all the different cupboards and drawers available in your style. Cut out paper shapes to scale, or use the templates provided by your online tool for each size of cabinet and arrange them on your kitchen plan. Constantly refer back to your list of activities, appliances and storage needs to ensure that your kitchen design will accommodate them all. You will need to spend some time moving everything around on the plan to achieve the best fitted kitchen design for your needs.
11. Design the insides of your cupboards, again referring to your storage needs. Add additional shelving a turntable, storage racks and drawer dividers where necessary. You could even divide storage space vertically instead of horizontally to accommodate baking sheets and large platters.
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