Summary
When it comes to kitchen planning, homeowners often complain about what’s ‘wrong’ or frustrating within their existing kitchens. Most of these recurring problems stem from a kitchen not having been designed with the owners’ needs in mind. So if you hire a good designer, they’ll spend time asking you about how you live in your home, how you use – or would like to use – your kitchen.
A lack of worktop space, or worktops not being positioned where you need them, is a common design problem. A common mistake is not leaving sufficient space next to or opposite a fridge or oven. It’s important that units and appliances, while well-positioned for easy use, are also well-spaced.
Not enough provision for rubbish and recycling is often overlooked in kitchens. Not enough task lighting is also a common complaint, as it focuses light onto specific sites. Too many switches and sockets aren’t where they should be, only realised after kitchen is finished.
These recommendations are something your designer should be able to advise you during planning. sockets should be a minimum distance of 300mm (measured horizontally) from the edge of a high-level cooker, hob, sink or drainer. Irreversible trend-led design choices.
