The kitchen is the center of the home and for many it’s not only a place to prepare and eat food but it’s a living space to relax in, possibly with a glass of wine. Therefore, when designing a kitchen layout, design choices should be credited on functionality first and aesthetics second.

There are many ways to approach designing a kitchen. Whether you are designing your kitchen yourself or you are designing it in collaboration with an expert, there are some vital questions you should think about. Having a relatively fixed idea of your dream kitchen is important, below you will find a helpful list of points to think about before your design appointment.

7 essential points to consider when designing your kitchen

1. Make a mood board early on to decide what kind of atmosphere and materials you want to have in your kitchen. 
2. It is usually advisable to design the layout first before committing to a mismatched assortment of appliances and kitchen furnishings. However, you could start by buying the various elements you need; such as cabinets, flooring, tile, appliances, and paint, then create a vision board of what you want. You can do this by measuring your kitchen and then experimenting with moving the different elements around. However, this can prove to run the risk of incompatibility and lack of a cohesive final design result.
3. What type of layout do you want your kitchen to have? This comes down to personal preference and the space you have to work with. Common kitchen layouts include:Island or peninsula style layouts, L or U-shaped layouts, Open plan layouts
4. Think about what appliances you want to have in your kitchen. Larger appliances will need a dedicated space in your kitchen but do not forget to keep in mind the space that smaller appliances, like a coffee machine or a mixer, will take up. Make a floor plan to keep track of where everything is going.
5. While designing the layout and placement of the appliances do not forget to plan for enough storage space and cupboards for all the food and kitchenware.
6. The kitchen can get crowded, but effective design will incorporate walking pathways that are not obstructed by pull open/out appliances (i.e. fridge) or cupboards. Hazard-free navigation around the kitchen is a vital consideration of the designing process. * Think about the ‘golden triangle’ rule and keep important areas and appliances within easy reach of each of each other. This includes things like keeping the bin in close proximity to the dishwasher, food preparation area and hob. This will save you a lot of effort moving waste around. Also, try to keep the dishwasher and the sink close to each other as you will be moving lots of dishes between the two.
7. Do not forget to consider the lighting in the kitchen. While deciding on the layout and aesthetic of the kitchen, keep in mind the placement of the windows and add lights accordingly. It is important that you can see what you are doing while you cook or prepare food.