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The kitchen is the hub of the home. From entertaining guests to cooking food, you spend more time in the kitchen than you might think.

When having a new kitchen installed, it’s important not to cut corners. Here are seven top tips to consider before updating your kitchen.

 

Future-Proof Your Kitchen

A common mistake when investing in a new kitchen is to make choices based on your current needs, rather than the needs of your future self. You should always be thinking about future plans when designing your home.

Growing your family will require more chairs and storage space. Factor in your family plans when choosing a breakfast bar and deciding on the number of cupboards you install.

Sacrificing expansion may save you money in the short-term, but it will cost you more in the future when you have to rebuild your kitchen all over again.

 

Set a Budget

Renovating your kitchen can be expensive – and it’s important to decide your budget right at the start.

Having a budget will ensure you manage costs, and may even encourage you to haggle on prices. Setting a budget can also help you to save in the run up to buying your new kitchen.

When creating your new kitchen budget, don’t forget the hidden and unexpected costs that may occur – and include these in your financial planning.

 

Reduce Your Chores

Regenerating your kitchen can have the surprise benefit of reducing your household chores.

When picking your new kitchen surfaces, choose those that hide dust and marks. Plain white surfaces show dust and plain black surfaces show fingerprints.

Selecting a wooden or patterned marble surface will better hide marks and dust, reducing how often you need to clean.

 

Trust the Professionals

Don’t be fooled into thinking that you could put together a perfect kitchen yourself. 45% of homeowners consult a kitchen designer and for good reason – it’s a job for professionals such as DM Design. Experts have spent years in the industry and understand how to build a great kitchen better than anyone.

Not only will hiring professionals achieve the best kitchen transformation, it will provide the safest and quickest method of doing so.

Experts in their field, they will also be able to offer advice on your vision to ensure the most sustainable and practical results. Be prepared to change your vision slightly based on their extensive knowledge of what will – and won’t – work.

 

Put Lights in the Right Places

Base the decision of where to put lights on where natural light already occurs. On the next sunny day, spend time in the kitchen and see where light hits the room. Plan for lights to go in the darker corners and cover areas that don’t catch the sun’s rays.

You could consider putting in lights that face the counters too. These will add atmosphere to the kitchen and create better food preparing and serving spaces.

Don’t cheap out on lighting. A kitchen is the space where you prepare food. Good lighting will help you to see areas for cleaning and ensure you’re able to make food safely in a well-lit environment.

 

A Stylish Design For the Decades

Don’t leave fashion behind when remodelling your kitchen. A change to your kitchen is a unique opportunity to bring your home into the twenty-first century.

When picking out a new look, don’t forget to choose longevity. Current fashions may change and so choose something you think will last.

 

A Planet-Conscious Kitchen

Redoing your kitchen is a fantastic opportunity to test your environmental credentials. Look for providers with planet-friendly materials and processes.

Think about how your new kitchen can help the planet, from built-in bins with recycling compartments to sustainably sourced wooden surfaces.

A new sustainable kitchen doesn’t have to cost the earth. Save money by buying recycled and second-hand items.

 

Final Thoughts

The kitchen is the centre of a happy home, and so planning a new kitchen shouldn’t be rushed. Your new kitchen will last you decades, meaning it matters that you prepare.

Consider costs and set a budget. Pick a fashionable look that will last. Make planet-friendly choices and reduce time spent cleaning by choosing work surfaces wisely.