There’s an abundance of options on the market when renovating kitchens or creating one from scratch, and it’s easy to get lost in the noise if you don’t have a clear roadmap. Whether you’re going for a more affordable kitchen or a high-end, bespoke kitchen, there are several parameters to bear in mind to create a space that’s aesthetic and functional at the same time.
At eba, a team of experts personally monitor each project to ensure that the choices of materials, appliances, layout and design are the right ones for the kitchen.
Organising the project
The first stage to create a kitchen project consists in proper organisation, asking certain questions relating to the style of the future room, its place in the home and the available budget.
The design
Nowadays, the possibilities for designing a kitchen are endless – it all just boils down to the client’s taste. It can be contemporary, rustic or minimalist, in warm or cool colours; the cabinets can have handles or not, and it’s possible to consider adding an island. Likewise, it’s necessary to bear in mind the practical aspect, particularly with regard to the choice of materials, which should be sturdy enough to stand the test of time.
Also read: Melamine or laminate: what’s the difference?
Defining the budget
It’s tricky to define the budget for the kitchen, as it depends on many factors such as the choice of materials and appliances, among others. Value for money is another aspect to consider, as a flat-pack kitchen will be less expensive than a high-end kitchen.
Comparing is key to making a well-informed decision. eba offers a free initial consultation, as well as an exact, no-strings-attached quote.
How will the room be used?
Architecture: inée
It’s advisable to ask this question on whether the kitchen will only serve as a place to prepare meals or as a living space open to the rest of the house. Likewise, the room will not be used the same way by someone who cooks every day, a family or someone who’ll just heat meals up in the microwave oven. Defining the role that the space will play will help to determine the materials and layout of the kitchen.
Understanding the space well
Choosing the kitchen layout
To create a kitchen, it’s essential to bear in mind the available space, and particularly, the layout. It can be an L, a U, with or without an island, parallel, open-plan or closed-plan. It all depends on the surface area available, the shape of the room, the locations of the installations (water, gas, electricity) and the areas where the openings are found (doors and windows).
Also read: Open-plan kitchen ideas and projects
Taking measurements
Aside from the layout, it’s also important to take accurate measurements of the room to have a good idea of the type of units it can hold. The client themselves can take the measurements without contacting a professional. This will enable them to create a project that’s better tailored to their needs.
Lighting
The lighting of a room can also be a determining factor in the choice of materials. As a result, for a dark room, lighter finishes would be recommended to make the room look brighter, while a wider range of colours would work for a sunnier space.
Coming up with a workaround for the constraints of the room
Nowadays, thanks to innovative solutions, it’s possible to come up with a workaround for the constraints of any room to make it more practical and functional. This is the case, for example, of the plinth drawer system by Santos, which makes the most of the space all the way to the floor and adds storage.
The advantage of the Santos modular kitchen system is that it can fully adapt to the available space, in terms of height, weight and depth to optimise the room’s capacity to the limit.
