Kitchens were once meant for cooking and storing food items, but today kitchens are used for multiple purposes, from recreational activities to dining with family and friends and a work-from-home spot. To ensure that you get the most from this space, the need to plan out the design of your kitchen is imperative. From the right layout, to lighting and the most practical floor type, there is certainly a lot to consider!

Get the Blueprint of Your Dream Kitchen Design

You need to get a blueprint of the type of designs you'll need for your kitchen. The sleek kitchens you've seen in movies, magazines, sites, and brochures are enough for you to gather ideas. Social media platforms such as Pinterest and Instagram are also a fantastic source of inspiration and trends that will get your design juices flowing!

Establish Your Kitchen Layout

This aspect is crucial and one of the basic things you need to factor out before thinking of design. You must separate the working triangles (working areas) from the traffic (threading path). It goes down to planning on where to position your fridge, microwave, cupboard, sink, or kitchen island, even going as far as researching which material suits the floorings and paintings.

Establish Your Kitchen Design Budget

You’ll soon find out that the outgoing expense of a kitchen can quickly mount up! So budgeting for your new kitchen is crucial. This will be dependent largely on the materials you choose for your cupboards, work surfaces and flooring, as well as the appliances. Having an idea of your budget in mind from the outset will give you foresight on how much money to put aside for the project.

Consider Lighting at the Outset

Lighting is another aspect you need to consider early on. Proper lighting is very crucial to set the ambiance of the kitchen and you’ll need to think about the position of your spotlights and subtle ambient lighting at the design stage. Well-installed lighting brings out the beauty of respective designs. Apart from aesthetics, safety has it that you install lighting for working purposes to avert avoidable accidents.

Establish a Storage and Workspace

The need to declutter workspaces is very crucial. That is if you don't want to be bumping on appliances or struggling for space and ventilation. Your plates, pans, cutlery, books, and kitchen appliances should be safely jettisoned aside to make way for other activities. Think about whether you want everything hidden away, or you want a space to display your favourite pieces and cookery books. You could install a cupboard, cabinet, and shelves for this purpose. If space in your kitchen isn't spacious, you should procure a kitchen island, especially one with storage.

Kitchen Flooring

The kitchen floor is the major part that takes on all the burden of the kitchen activities. Whatever you do, you need a floor that will withstand the test of time. As the busiest part of any home, it is crucial to choose the right flooring type for overall aesthetics and safety. There are factors to consider before installation: your kitchen floor needs to be durable enough to withstand high traffic, waterproof, scratch and stain proof, and easy to maintain. Here are some of the kitchen floorings you should consider.

Ceramic Tiles and Stone Flooring

This contemporary flooring can also deliver on the aesthetics and some percentage of safety you need for your kitchen. Ceramic tiles are durable, easy to clean, scratch, and moisture resistant. Stone floors are made from natural stones like granite, and marble. They can be expensive, but they are also extremely long lasting.

The downside of ceramic or stone floors is that they are cold under foot and if they chip they can be difficult to replace.

Vinyl Tile Flooring

Vinyl tile flooring has become hugely popular over the last decade, thanks to being highly practical as well as stylish. Vinyl tile or LVT (Luxury Vinyl Tile) has a photographic surface that mimics the layers of natural stones, ceramics, and wood flooring and with brands such as Amtico and kahrs becoming market leaders, it is highly authentic.

LVT flooring is also highly cost effective since it is extremely durable as well as scratch and water resistant, making ideal for kitchens and bathrooms.

Concrete Flooring

This flooring is made of a paste from a mixture of cement, sand, gravel, and water. This paste hardens to form a solid, impregnable layout. Its durability makes it highly suitable for kitchens. It's stain and water-resistant if sealed properly. Concrete floorings have a sleek and lustrous appearance, easy to maintain, and have a long life span.

Wood Flooring

This type of flooring can add warmth to your kitchen. Parquet or herringbone is hugely popular for large living spaces and can add interest to straight lines. Wood flooring can either be hard/solid or engineered wood. Wood flooring will need to be looked after in a kitchen as it is not advisable to leave standing water on its surface, however it is extremely robust and perfect for adding charm and classic appeal to any space.

Laminate Flooring

Laminate flooring offers the same effect as wood but is a lower-cost alternative. Its surface comprises wood, stone, and ceramic remnants sealed together to mimic the look of wood, tiles, and natural stones. Its sealed surface protects against stains, scratches, and high traffic.

Check out our website for a huge range of premium flooring brands at fantastic prices. We're available Monday - Friday 9.30 - 5 pm if you would like to discuss your kitchen flooring requirements with our expert team, or email us at sales@carpetandflooringonline.com.