If you fancy yourself as something of an amateur kitchen designer, it is likely that you dream of having an ultra-modern cooking space within your home.
Should this be the case, there are a few factors that almost every contemporary room of this kind boasts – and you will want to be certain that you include them.
Kitchens today are so much more than just a place where you cook and wash the dishes. Indeed, they have become somewhere for the whole household to congregate, where cups of tea are shared with the neighbours and where dinner parties are held. It’s no wonder it’s referred to as the heart of the home.
In years gone by, the space in which food was prepared was kept separate from where it was eaten. However, today people are only too happy to show off their culinary skills to family and friends, and sitting down to eat in the kitchen is increasingly popular.
For this reason, most contemporary rooms include a dining area and a place to cook, and you will want to factor this into your plans when you are coming up with your design.
In order to achieve this, it may well be that you require more space – but there are many ways to achieve this. If your dining room backs on to your kitchen, you could consider removing the walls to join the two.
Alternatively, you could build an extension from the end or side of your kitchen to make it bigger, add a space to eat and keep your dining room either for formal occasions or transform it into an additional reception room.
There is something else that can make a room feel bigger and this is the next most important component of a modern kitchen – light.
Plenty of natural light can make a place feel brighter and airier, while it also provides great illumination for you to use as you cook.
There are many ways to achieve this and lots of modern kitchens use much more imaginative tricks than simply having additional windows put in.
If you are having a single-storey extension built then you could consider ordering one part of the roof to be made entirely from glass like a summerhouse – which will create a lovely sunny spot in which to place a dining table.
Another idea is to have skylights fitted or round pipes that funnel the light down on to certain features in your kitchen.
Should none of these be possible you could have patio doors installed. This really creates the illusion of bringing the outside in and makes al fresco dining incredibly easy.
Now you have all of the light and space you want, you can start working on the layout of the kitchen. It is important that you create a good flow through the space – meaning that it should be easy to manoeuvre around the room.
Open plan layouts makes this easy, but those who are dubious of this can keep the space it creates and still enjoy separate areas by using items such as kitchen islands to divide up the room.
These in themselves can really make for a striking feature, particularly if you select a curved design. You can also use them for additional storage, or place barstools around them and eat breakfast there. Another idea is to have electric plug sockets fitted in the countertop so you can use your laptop on it.
Storage is a further important factor in creating a usable working environment and part of having a modern kitchen means ensuring that it is as concealed as possible. This can involve using clever storage ideas like pull-out pantries.
For some of the items it is more difficult to disguise – such as a washing machine – you could find a plumber to come and help you move it into the garage or utility room.
Now you have sorted the layout it is time to get creative. If you want your painters and decorators to go wild, it is best to choose neutral units and appliances. This means you can have the walls in a bright statement colour that you can update as and when you please.
In areas where there is a splashback – such as above the sink and behind the oven hob – you can fit kitchen tiles, with mirrored squares providing a particularly contemporary feel.
By following these steps, you will soon have an ultra modern kitchen that not only looks cutting-edge but is also incredibly practical.
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