Designing the perfect kitchen

With the kitchen increasingly becoming the focal point of our home, creating the perfect environment in which to cook, eat, relax and even work is a tall order. Upgrading the kitchen is the most popular home improvement and the organisers of The Kitchen and Bathroom Show, on at the Harrogate International Centre which started yesterday and runs until tomorrow (www.kitchenand bathroomshow.co.uk) have come up with some top tips to help you create that dream kitchen.

Tickets to The Kitchen and Bathroom Show give entry to the Homebuilding and Renovating Show at Harrogate International Centre. Tickets to The Kitchen & Bathroom Show are 5 in advance and 8 on the day (children under 16 go free). For more information, visit www.kitchenandbathroom show.co.uk or call 0844 581 1306.

Create a personal storyboard:

Start by imagining yourself in the kitchen and think about the way you like to cook, entertain or spend time with friends and family. Cut out pictures of kitchens that inspire you, collect samples and build up a storyboard of styles, appliances, colours and materials. Add an outline plan of your kitchen with dimensions and positions of windows and doors.

Once this is complete you are ready to speak to the experts.

Get advice from the experts

Take your storyboard to some kitchen design experts – most good kitchen companies offer this service.

But make sure they are good listeners – the best ones ask you lots of questions about your home, lifestyle and tastes to build up a clear picture of what you are looking for. Visit The Kitchen and Bathroom Show and get a one-to-one consultation at The Kitchen and Bathroom Design Experience, an individual design, advice and information centre with experts from The Kitchen, Bedroom, Bathroom Specialists Association.

Consider the golden triangle

The golden triangle connects the three main work areas – the sink, cooker and fridge and the principle of the ideal work triangle is that these appliances are no more than 2.7 metres from one another. Try to make sure the space between is kept clear of obstructions and cabinets so that you have no restriction of movement when you're cooking.

Now where shall I store everything?

When thinking about storage don't just consider food, cooking utensils and crockery. Make sure there is somewhere to store the ironing board, vacuum cleaner, floor mop, recycling boxes and your cookery books. Stand alone pantries are becoming increasingly popular as a one-stop food storage area. If you're looking at a complete redesign, consider using partition walls to create a floor to ceiling food storage zone with narrower shelves on one wall for all your spices.

Working the surfaces

Choosing the right work surfaces is an all important decision as they often define the look of a kitchen. And remember you can never have enough. A mix of materials is becoming increasingly popular including wood, marble, Corian, granite, stainless steel, slate and even concrete. If you only have one material make sure it is as heat, water and knife resistant as possible.

Creating the mood with lighting

Separate your lighting into zones to meet the needs of the different areas in your kitchen. Bright lights should be focused directly over your work triangle with the option of softer lighting over the dining and/or relaxation area. Dimmer switches are a great way of achieving this. Make sure you have enough sockets for lamps in seated areas to create a more intimate feel. Separate lighting zones also allow you to turn the lights off in the cooking area when you're entertaining – then those dirty pans aren't quite so noticeable.

YP MAG 6/11/10