When should you choose kitchen fittings and finishes?
Kitchens and bathrooms are the trickiest spaces in a house to design - in my humble opinion. Partly as there are so many elements to select (and so much choice!) but also because there are certain things you have to accommodate and work with; like ovens, plumbing, extractors etc.
So where do you start, and are you stupid for wanting to go handle shopping before you’ve chosen your flooring? ….well no! (never!)
But, there is a general order I’d recommend following to make sure your builder doesn’t push you for decisions you’re not ready to make…and that you get the most out of your budget.
1. List your needs
Multiple dishwashers? Pan tap? Prep sinks? Pantry? Breakfast bar? Fitted seating?
I love a good list.
Start one on your phone or on paper stuck to the fridge to add to over time. This is more about how you as a family function rather than what your dream kitchen looks like.
Consider annual ‘events’ as well as your everyday (Christmas, birthdays, summer BBQ’s). How many people are in your space? What causes arguments? Don’t over think it, just pour it out (try not to get too personal though, I’m not insured for inciting divorce!). Start early. I have lists for houses I don’t own yet.
Whilst you’re at it, ask your friends about what does and doesn’t work for them too!
When you’re ready, either give your list to your designer to decipher, or sit down and review possible design strategies that would address the sticking points and make you happy 😊.
2. Make a Moodboard
Ok -get creative!
I start every project by saving images and ideas to Pinterest. It gets me excited and opens my eyes to possibilities.
When you’re mood boarding, don’t worry too much about how to make an image fit with your space. Do go to showrooms too and pin photos of clever features, colour schemes and materials you like so you have it all in one place.
3. Space planning & services
Electrics, heating, water, plumbing and ventilation. These are the gubbins that have to go somewhere!
Do you want USB sockets at the breakfast bar for example? It is much cheaper to plan these things in now than to add them to your design after first fix.
But…you also need to make sure you have enough space for your units and appliances as well as storage. Kitchen designers are experts at this, so if you feel unsure then find a local showroom and have a chat about your space. Or call me. I live for this stuff!
Think in three dimensions as wall space is as useful as low level units and can transform the way your room looks and feels. Even an awkward corner can have a purpose.
When you have an initial layout, work through the checklist below to test and tweak it:
Consider windows and doors. How do you move through the space; and will open appliances like dishwashers get in the way. Is there a nice view from the sink or island to line up with?
Heating type - underfloor (wet or electric - but remember not to have it in the pantry or under your units!), radiators, MVHR and aircon.
Floor finish type - tile, ceramic planks, engineered timber, hardwood, cork, stone - rugs or no rugs? Will the finish carry through to outside? If so, is it slip and frost proof and do you need a threshold drain to prevent puddles?
Integrated lighting - spotlights (directional or not), semi-flush or surface mounted/track fittings, wall lights and deciding how many pendants over the island. LED or spots in your cabinets? I always recommend dimmable and having a few circuits to layer lighting for the mood - including a special 5Amp circuit to plug floor and table lamps into so you don’t need to do the rounds switching them on and off every day. Fixing these details early will help you focus on what to buy, and give the contractor something clear to price against. But you don’t need to choose your actual pendants just yet!
Choose your Appliances now so your plans can reflect the proper sizes, which will in turn affect the cabinetry layout. Think about gas/electric/aga/induction etc, boiling water taps, proving drawers if you’re a baker, freezers, food waste disposers, fridges (including for drinks of course!) and extraction systems. Some of these things require some sizeable filters etc.
Don’t forget small appliances - where will they live and plug in - and storage for less used specialist items and food stuffs.
Continue to revise your schematic plan until you have an arrangement that you are happy with. Then get preliminary estimates on material and labour costs.This is the best way to keep your eye on the budget while you finalise the design.
The alternative is to design the space to the last detail, handles and all, and then get a fixed price. The downside of this is that, although you get a more accurate cost, you can never guarantee no extras. You are often completely committed to the design by this point too so may feel nothing short of heartbroken if you have to amend it to bring the quote back in line with your budget.
4. Colours and Ironmongery
For fittings and appliances. Some companies will offer specialist finishes and others offer enamelled colouring. There is also a range of great standard metals for appliances too - ie not just stainless steel.
Deciding on your appliance finishes will be a huge stride towards finalising the look and feel of your kitchen.
And it is ok to mix metals! I do like to be consistent between door handles, switches and sockets; but otherwise you can combine different colours for fittings, cabinet handles, appliances, furniture and decorative lights to create a more homely look. This also makes your life SO MUCH easier!
Trying to find a suite of appliances from different manufacturers you can afford…that also have all the specialist functions you fell in love with in rose gold….well. May the odds be ever in your favour.
Pick a tone instead. Look at the handles on your cabinetry the way you would look at jewellery on your skin-tone. Different colours and tones will bring out or suit different finishes.
Or, if you think mismatched metals will bother you, just stick with nickel or chrome and keep your sanity!
For cabinets, shelves and worktops. A kitchen has everything from glassware and crockery to taps and tiles to coordinate.
I work on the overall palette of materials at the same time, even if some are indicative. I often use placeholder swatches for fabrics and objects to give a sense of the whole space. Layer your materials and create collages of patterns, textures and colours to see what works best together and guide your choices.
Order samples of the materials you’re considering and keep a final control sample handy once you’ve decided.
If your kitchen is bespoke, get a sample door made in your preferred style and finish for final approval. Take a trip to to the stone supplier and view and tag the actual slab of marble for your countertops. All these little steps will cut down on costly mistakes.
Whether your style is minimal, farmhouse or eclectic, a decorative tile on a splashback or between cabinetry runs will make a space look well considered and refined. Tile the whole space between your upper and bottom cabinets, or if you only have low units, run the tiling further the wall than you’d expect to add grandure to your kitchen and pull the eye up.
Another trend is continuing the worktop finish on the wall rather than a contrasting material. You can go for a small upstand or continue the finish up to your upper units. If you don’t have high level cabinets (depending on your ceiling height) you could even take the slab all the way up your wall and add open shelving of the same material on top for a seamless modern look.
Pick your floor materials at the same time as your cabinets, splashback and countertops. The relationship between these materials is important.
5. Decorative Lighting
Time to choose those pendants! Go mad. This is definitely an item you’ve been dreaming of!
6. Paint Colours
This is surprisingly far down the list. Many people choose their wall colours first, thinking it is an easy decision to bank.
But! If you think about it, there are about a hundred squillion paint colours out there for your walls, but only so many for tiles, worktops and cabinets. So it will be much easier to coordinate your walls to your fittings than the other way around.
When looking at your paint samples be sure your walls are primed white and the swatch has the recommended base coat. I recommend painting a 1m x 1m swatch to really see the colour.
Remember, any other colours in the room can throw off the sample tests (including protective plastic or sheets). Also come back and look at the colours at different times of day and against the other material samples for your space.
7. Finishing Touches
Finally - you can go to town on decorative cabinet handles (if you haven’t already!), bar stools, accessories and cookbooks.
Think about adding some warmth and texture with vintage pieces if you can find them. Don’t forget about items like decorative plate racks, artwork and area rugs or runners. Small touches like this can add so much character to a newly remodelled kitchen.
Flowers and candles or scents will make the room into a haven you won’t want to leave!
Think in the five senses; Sight, Sound, Smell, Taste, and Touch. All of these are relevant in designing a lovely kitchen environment!
I love theseEcho cabinet pulls by Turnstyle Designs from TBKS
Wow - you made it all the way to here!
Thank you for reading, and cheers to that! Hopefully you found this helpful.
If you did, please share on social media and shout about my blog and resources to anyone you know in need of a bit of support (or just cheering up whilst the building dust flurries around them - I get it!).