Kitchen gadgets

Increasingly in the last 10 years we have been waiting for new products which will produce the wow factor in kitchen design.
In the last 7 years, due to the cost of the material, Granite has become more affordable and quartz has become more stylish and we as a company have supplied and installed more granite and quartz worktops than in the previous 20 years and this has created the wow factor in many kitchens, however the introduction of instantaneous hot water taps has been a great success and the sales of the Grohe Red duo, Quooker and the new Franke combination hot, cold and boiling water taps are on the increase and have become very popular for a variety of reasons. The other major increase in choice has been new basket storage systems with systems for bottles, tea towels, chopping boards, large pull out larders and magic corner basket systems to name but a few. These innovations are making usage of your kitchen far more user friendly and storage accessibility is on the increase.

Kitchen Matt doors new fashion are they here to stay

Over the last few years a growing number of Matt doors have been entering the kitchen industry. The thought of a Matt door has concerned the more user friendly kitchen specialists and we have been resisting this influx from Europe. Very often in the past we have followed these fashion trends only for them to fail soon after introduction with us spending money on displays which fail to create any rate of return on our investment and get the standard comments, 'lovely but would not have that in my house' from our clients. We all remember the disaster in the past better known in the bathroom industry with Penthouse Red and deep brown bathroom suites, however the Kitchen Industry had its own spectacular failures, Birds eye maple doors in grey, high gloss lacquered doors in the early days, before we really knew how to manufacturer them and 60mm and 50mm worktops, limited colours and an even more limited market. However it seems that Matt doors may be here to stay. Portfolio Kitchens have introduced a range of Matt kitchen doors to compliment their gloss doors and in colours that have standard cabinet matches and even the matt alabaster has a different feel. So are these doors going to be a fashionable fad or are they going to become a regular sale in the kitchen industry, certainly the mixing of the gloss and the matt with the matt doors providing accent pieces could really work and as people are becoming braver with their colour choices I believe that they may be here to stay but let me know if you dont agree #MBKkitchens
MBK are planning to install a display of these doors and at present do have all the samples in stock.

The overall kitchen design process and what you need to consider

THE OVERALL KITCHEN DESIGN PROCESS

Kitchen designs as with any design should be a partnership of client and supplier a meeting of minds, where by a series of good questions and answers a successful outcome will result which will satisfy both partners. When you decide to embark on the journey to purchase a kitchen you should be prepared for that engagement. You need to be clear of your requirements and priorities, and you should expect that whoever you visit should ask you incisive questions and challenge you on your choices, as by clearly explain your reasons a better understanding of your wishes will be conveyed to your partner in this adventure. You should be engaging with them, discussing your project in the knowledge that they should be emotionally connected to you. You should also feel comfortable in the knowledge that they are adding value to your project.

You are not just buying a kitchen you are investing in your most important asset and it should be viewed as an investment but also a place that you and your family can work and relax in. So think carefully when following this path, consider all the options available discuss your project with a number of different companies, choose the company that you feel most comfortable with, who you feel most understands your desires and has emotionally connected to you and has created what you really want. Enjoy the process and reap the benefits of a well thought out and designed kitchen. In the following sections I will briefly explain some of the decisions you will have to make.

Door Styles

There are an infinite number of different door styles available today some times that choice can be overwhelming, however there are a few designs that are always popular.

The style of the door is more of a fashion decision however Shaker doors have always been popular and the new painted varieties offer great choices with the imitation painted oak doors also being very popular and affordable. Both available as a lay on version and an in-frame version. Slab doors in both gloss and matt are also widely used and can give you that clean contemporary feel whether you choose the slab versions or the handle less styles.

Even amongst these two basic styles there are a multitude of variations in both texture and colour. You can have timber doors in both styles and it can be natural or painted in a myriad of colours both matt and gloss. The slab doors come in many different textures, acrylic faced, lacquered, melamine, wood effect and laminate all available in both gloss and matt. The newest forms of slab doors even come with glass or porcelain fronts and some of the new laminate doors have great textures to them.

Then you can also have slab doors that take a handle, doors that have integral handles and also doors that don’t need handles. Remember if you are having a door that requires a handle that choice of the handle can alter the whole feeling of the kitchen, so spend some time on that choice and don’t always go for the one in the brochure, as that was someone else’s choice.

So you are faced with a multitude of door options so choose carefully, discuss this with your designer and challenge them to show you other options and explain the reasons behind each variation they suggest and so we embark on the journey to purchasing a new kitchen.

APPLIANCES

Always choose the best appliances you can afford as named brands always add value. Brands such as Bosch, Siemens and Neff inspire confidence and reinforce your pride in your property. A good looking and well respected appliance always will enhance a kitchen, having a quiet and efficient dishwasher can make a real difference in a kitchen dinner. Consider Induction hobs as a realistic alternative to gas and with the incredible safety features they are really worth considering, and they are becoming more affordable, electric gas! The newest appliance on the market is the Steam oven, these are now getting more adaptable and certainly worth consideration dependant on your cooking requirements. The combination Microwave ovens are the most popular appliance at present with all its features and enabling you to have a streamline built in finish as shown above. The most popular combination is a single oven with a combination microwave oven, instead of the double oven, larger capacity and more functions. Remember your new kitchen is an investment so spend your money wisely and buy the best you can afford as it will last. The latest statistic indicated that a new kitchen added 5% to the value of your property, so a wise spend actually can cost you nothing!

WORK SURFACES

For your work surfaces all solid surfaces will elevate the value of your kitchen. Irrespective of the style of kitchen the durability and appearance of these surfaces means that objections from prospective purchasers are rare. If you are improving not moving then you get to use the best surface available. In the last 6 years granite and quartz work surfaces have become more accessible and the differential in cost between these surfaces and the more common laminate surfaces has decreased. The Wow factor will always be an influence to prospective buyers, and the durability of stone work surfaces is a huge bonus. With the advance in technology the new designs in Quartz worktops are amazing and well worth looking at. Products based round acrylic, e.g. Corian and Encore have the ability to be seamless however be aware of the durability of these products, although the choice of worktops is usually determined by budget and design requirements.

Timber worktops are beautiful and always look stunning but do require a lot of hard work keeping them finished. Possible not the most practical worktops in a busy kitchen, but they are the marmite of kitchen tops.

Laminate worktops have increased their variety and are still quite popular and the quality is excellent if you purchase the high density versions. A kitchen is as good as its components and spending money of the work surfaces will always be a good investment.

TAPS & SINKS

It is important to choose high quality taps and sinks, inferior sinks mark and scratch easily. Taps and sinks are the centre point of any kitchen, so a good looking tap provides a good impact visually combined with an attractive sink reinforces the pedigree of your kitchen. Manufacturers like Abode, Perrin and Rowe, Grohe, Franke, Blanco and Carron Phoenix produce some very good looking taps but always check with your designer that they are suitable for your existing water supply, many taps are not completely suitable for gravity systems.

Generally taps are much higher than in previous years and are intended to make that impact in your kitchen and there are also many taps which have more than one function. Tap manufacturers such as Grohe, Triflow concepts, Franke and Quooker produce taps that will provide you with hot and cold water and boiling water, in some cases chilled filtered water is also available. There are also many specialist taps that will provide filtered water only, but bear in mind that this will require another hole in your worktop irrespective of what sink you choose.

There are many quality sinks on the market made from different materials; Ceramic, porcelain, composite brass and stainless steel. The most popular sinks in my market are ceramic and porcelain for their ease of cleaning and also the impact they have on a kitchen, especially under mounted bowls. I find them easy to specify as most housewives love bleach and this has an effect of both composite and stainless steel sinks, but ceramic and porcelain sinks are impervious to such cleaners However the myriad of designs available from the stainless steel manufacturers, Franke, Carron, Blanco and 1810 to name a few make the stainless steel sinks a design feature and there will always be a place in the market for them. Composite sinks are available in many colours and are popular when a kitchen requires a co-ordinating sink but be careful when cleaning, always read the manufactures instructions regarding cleaning.

LIGHTING

When you are investing in an expensive personal project don’t forget these important finishing touches. Good lighting is crucial, this is the most underestimated area in Kitchen design, and proper lighting will lift your kitchen. Make sure that you have installed lighting that can illuminate different areas of your kitchen for different usage. There is nothing worse than poor lighting in a kitchen, leaving working areas in the dark and the inability to create mood lighting or having areas with specific lighting.

Operate different areas on separate switches, to enable you to provide differing lighting solutions for different needs.

Ceiling downlights are very popular with the new ‘fit and forget’ Led versions offer different types of light, Daylight, natural light or warm white, Day light is quite a bright light and the natural light is probably the most popular however there are more dimmable downlights on the market now so you can alter the lighting effects. But don’t forget that even when they are the dimmable variety you may what to light certain areas with a softer light, i.e. a peninsular or island where you will be eating and you don’t want the ceiling lights on, so consider pendants over these areas to give a softer feel.

There are then a myriad of different forms of lighting to light up specific areas of your kitchen; plinth lighting is fast becoming a very popular addition enabling you to just light a pathway without having to put on the main lights, internal drawers lights mean everything is easily seen, under wall cabinet lighting is always popular highlighting specific work areas, under work surface lighting with LED strips create a wow effect making worktops appear to float and lighting in display cabinets showing your finery to its best.

Getting this right is crucial to your final kitchen feel as good lighting creates a great atmosphere and can change the feel of a kitchen, so discuss this with your designer as part of your brief.

FLOORING

Don’t forget the floor finish it is the largest area of colour in your kitchen and so it is a very important part of the overall design. Whatever materials you use from vinyl sheet to natural stone ensure that it does not compete with the kitchen and it provides a base onto which the kitchen comfortably sits. Consider that the flooring and the worktops need to co-ordinate as they are both on the same planes and therefor your eye will be drawn to making a comparison to the colours.

If your budget can stretch to natural stone finishes its still one of the best loved surface and with new sealer technology makes keeping the floor clean and preventing staining very easy and a simple one application project. All natural stone and some porcelain tiles are porous and will have to be sealed and remember sealing the tiles also seals the grout one of the biggest concerns of homeowners, dirty grout.  However there will always be a place for the other variations of flooring available, ceramic or porcelain, timber, vinyl sheet, vinyl tiles, eg. Amtico, Karndean, Neobo and Polyfloor to name a few and the waterproof floors like Aquastep, Altro and Plus flooring. All of these flooring types have their place in a well-designed kitchen and the decision is often based on wear ability, usage and height of finished floor, which is often overlooked. The expansion of hard vinyl tiles in the last 5 years has been enormous and the ability to recreate a natural stone or timber look is staggering, they have texture and size and are less expensive to lay and also far thinner.

The market for flooring has expanded beyond belief and the variations in colour and texture are vast and the durability of some of the products is impressive. So don’t forget to spend a reasonable time on choosing your flooring as it is these finishing touches that make such a difference in the look of your overall project.

Kitchen design your thoughts

Kitchen Design is it an art or a science? I would be interested in people’s thoughts and comments. There are not many professional kitchen designers but do there need to be? What is the basis of a good kitchen design; is it the distribution of working areas in the ‘working triangle’ as often put forward as a basis of good kitchen design, Or in reality is it just the best use of the space for every ones kitchen based on personal choice and input from a designer who has knowledge and a good amount of common sense. Kitchen units are mathematical units, and kitchens are a fixed size, we cannot imagine more space than there is, we can advocate the removal of walls to create more space but we must be mindful of our clients brief. There are many ways in which to increase the usage of the available space by the use of clever storage solutions in base and wall units. The choice of worktops can greatly increase the usability of a kitchen with different sinks being used with different worktops. All appliances irrespective of the manufacturer come in sizes suitable for fitted kitchens so again they can only be fitted in certain positions. Islands are a great idea for a kitchen, an additional working space and seating areas as well, however not every clients kitchen is big enough to take an island. So the designer must listen to the client and ask questions that require the client to think before answering so that the he or she will be able to prepare a specification that matches the client’s requirements. I will be really interested in hearing your thoughts on what you expect from a kitchen designer.