You may have spotted kitchens you wish were yours while travelling or pored over an amazing design in a magazine or on the telly, but when it comes to renovating your own kitchen, there is a lot to consider.

These tips can help no matter what you’re planning.

Plan ahead

Building or renovating a kitchen is no quick makeover flip. To do it well, you will need plenty of time to plan and carefully consider every element of the design and layout whether it is a total renovation or some extensive tweaks such as new hardware and cabinetry. A lot will depend on the room’s layout. Spend time measuring and thinking about where you want to place your fridge, cooktop and sink (the kitchen triangle) as well as considering ease of movement while cooking or cleaning. Try to configure the space so the sink is near a window for natural light.

Functionality

The kitchen is for many the social hub of the home. However, it is easy to fall into the trap of caring more about the look of the space than its function. An important question to ask your household is: how you see the kitchen’s role and whether it is integral to that social harmony. For many new builds, a kitchen island with seating is considered a must-have while others may prefer a comfy sofa and a small breakfast table or bench.

Cabinetry & storage

Reflect on how you currently (or have previously) used the cupboard space in the kitchen and does it meet your needs? Not only do you need to think hard about cabinetry, hardware and handles, but also ask yourself do you want the toaster, kettle and the fridge door to be concealed behind cabinetry for that minimalist look?

Lighting

It’s not uncommon for nasty accidents to occur in the kitchen – hotplates, sharp utensils and gas cookers – can all spell danger and it is one of the reasons good lighting is so important when planning your kitchen design. Remember to not only consider the need for down lights or pendant lighting for later in the day, but what about dimmable lighting for in the evening to create a softer mood? Remember to include task lighting for the food prep area.

Aesthetic

While functionality is paramount, most of us love the idea of the kitchen telling the world a little bit about who we are: are you a home cook with a passion for cookbooks you want to display, an artist or music lover with items to show off around the room? Personal touches like these are important to consider while choosing the colour scheme. While you may be tempted to embrace current trends, so much depends on the aesthetic of the house as a whole and ensuring the kitchen does not jar with that.

If these tips inspire you to get started on your DIY kitchen flatpack project with SmartPack and you would like to find out more about how it’s done, read more on this site.