Last updated on September 15th, 2021
Designing a kitchen isn’t just about thinking of the colors of the cabinets or the brands of the appliances you want. There’s a lot of meticulous planning that goes into planning and executing a kitchen that is a feast for the eyes and a delight to work in!
With good planning, a clear vision of what you want and a designer who understands your needs, your dream kitchen can become a reality. Here’s a handy checklist to help you get the ball rolling!
1. The money you want to set aside for the kitchen
The logical first step to planning your kitchen is deciding on how much money you can set aside for it. After all, you don’t want your trendy new kitchen to make a big dent in your wallet.
So, just get a ballpark figure that seems suitable at this point. You may need to alter it a little, as you progress with your kitchen design. The idea behind this exercise is to make sure you are able to keep within the allotted sum, more or less.
2. Type of layout that would work best
The next thing to do is plan the kitchen layout that would work best for you, in the space that you have. Would an L-shaped kitchen work best? Or a Galley Kitchen? How about a U-shaped one? Would you have space for a kitchen island? It’s a good idea to do your research before deciding on the final layout. And there are plenty of credible resources on the internet.
3. Gadgets and Appliances you want
No kitchen is complete without the appliances that help you with cooking. In an Indian kitchen, these are typical, a refrigerator, a microwave, a mixer, a grinder, and an oven. That’s quite a lot of appliances, and they all need their proper space to fit into your kitchen design. So, plan for them well in advance!
4. The Lighting needed
Instead of leaving it as an afterthought, build the lighting for your kitchen into your design plan. What’s important to remember is, that no matter how much you spend on jazzing up your kitchen, incorrect lighting won’t just break the décor of the space, it’ll also leave your kitchen poorly lit, and inconvenient to work in.
5. Cabinet Planning
Now that you’ve established how you want to go about the basics and figured out a layout, just plan your cabinetry around your work triangle. It’s important to keep your working habits, convenience, and lifestyle in mind to plan the best possible use of storage space in your kitchen.
6. The Materials and Finishes you want
Now comes the fun part. With the design elements out of your way, you can now choose how cool you would like for your kitchen to look with the materials you choose for the countertops and cabinetry. The varieties and styles available today can boggle the mind. All you need to do is, take your pick!
7. The Final Estimate
Having decided everything you want in your kitchen, figure a rough estimate out. Compare the figure you arrive at with the one you have budgeted for. If they don’t match, you may want to take out some of the frills from your plan, like going for finishes and materials that are a bit easier on the pocket. And that doesn’t have to mean the end results won’t look as stunning. Your designer should be able to help you get you what you want, well within your budget.
