DESIGN: And now the fun part begins ...

And now  the fun part begins …


Interior Design
Niamh Tuohy

So, where was I? Dream kitchens and how to get one in YOUR home. We covered the areas of finance planning in our last article. Yawn. But tedious as it may seem, if you don’t get these two factors right, you’ll end up with huge regrets. It’s vital to pin down the nitty-gritty issues straight away in order to avoid headaches further down the road. Once this part is done, you need to choose the types of materials and finishes you want. And here’s what you need to think about.

Lighting
Never underestimate the feeling of space that natural light can bring to a room. Where possible, flood the room with it by bringing in sky lighting if you can. If you’re not in position to do this, then choose your electric light fittings with care. Spot insets can bring a very contemporary feel to any room. Under-counter lights are handy for the practicality of food preparation. Plinth lighting (in the kickboard of your kitchen units) are purely for aesthetics. They can really give that WOW factor. The key with all lighting though is not to do overkill. It’s a kitchen, not a circus, so don’t lose the run of yourself.

Integration
Build your kitchen so that appliances, such as dishwashers, fridge/freezers and washing machines, are hidden in behind doors. This makes for a far cleaner finish than breaking up the kitchen units with white goods. Unless you want to make a feature of one or two of these appliances, they’re best off behind closed doors.

Work tops
There are several choices here and hundreds of colours, so brace yourself for some serious decision-making. The cheapest option is a laminate, a man-made material. It’s very affordable, but scrapes very easily and looks awful when it chips. Solid man-made surfaces like Corian are more expensive. Rather than being made of layered textures, Corian’s solid from top to bottom, so if it gets scraped or marked, you can sand it down. However, it can crack and scorch if subjected to high heat.
Natural stone, such as granite and marble, are at the more-expensive end of the market. The smaller the grain, the harder these work tops are. They have a sleek surface and will certainly get a thumbs up from potential future buyers. Stone is porous though, and will require sealing. Engineered stone, such as quartz, pebbles and polymer composites, will resist heat and stains very well, but it’s not immune to it.

Doors
Whether you use solid-wood doors or a laminate/foil-wrap finish is entirely down to your budget. There are pro and cons for both. The solid wood gives a quality finish, but keep in mind it is also a natural material and therefore can be damaged by changes in temperature and humidity in your kitchen. Laminate/foil wrap doors are made up of several layers of different materials that are treated and covered with a hard plastic. They are cheaper than solid wood, but can chip and look unsightly when damaged.
Remember to keep in mind the overall feel of the house when putting in your kitchen. A more traditional style will blend in far better with a period style house for example. Likewise, a sharp architecturally designed space will want a sleek modern kitchen to complement it.

Tiling
There’s no end to the size, shape, colour and texture of tiles out there. Pick your tiles carefully so that they complement your kitchen units and don’t fight with them. You can choose ceramic (glazed or unglazed), porcelain, mosaic or natural, to name just a few. Keep in mind the practicality of the issue too. You want something hard wearing and easy to maintain, while offering the aesthetic finish you’re looking for.

Valuable tip
Once your kitchen is redesigned you won’t know yourself. Remember one thing though: Always leave a small amount owing on the job, as the likelihood is that problems will crop up down the road. A few weeks are needed to let things settle and for you to snag any mistakes made.