TURNING KITCHENS FROM DRAB TO FAB

Giving a tired kitchen a modern makeover doesn’t have to cost an arm and a leg.  On the menu is a simple recipe.  To cook up a stunning new kitchen, you’ll need some solid preparation before you start, a dash of imagination, high quality ingredients, a dash of humour and a sprinkle of patience, a good helping of DIY skills and a good stirring of inspiration!

Going the DIY route for a new kitchen does take a bit of time and effort, but the cost-savings are significant and the end-result will be something to be proud of.  Modern technology and design has revolutionised the way cabinets and fittings are manufactured – making it very simple for the DIYer to construct and install. 

Self-install kitchens can either be ordered flat-packed so you have to assemble them yourself or fully assembled, so you just do the fitting … the internet is a great place to explore all the options and see what suits your needs best.

Where does one start?

The first thing to do is to look at your current kitchen and really think about all the aspects of it.  Ask everyone what they like about it, what works for them – and of course, what doesn’t work.  Is the fridge correctly positioned?  Do you have enough storage?  Is there space for all your appliances?  Your washing up space – does it work for you in relation to other areas, eg preparation bench, stove top etc?  These are just some questions you need to ask – as it’s important to keep the things that work for you and improve on the other areas.  

When thinking about layout, remember to think about traffic patterns and movement, exit and access points, windows, proximity of the elements to each other etc.  The basic design of a kitchen works on a triangle, with the three points being the stove/oven, the fridge and the sink.

Kitchen layouts include the L-shaped kitchen, the galley (one sided), U-shaped and the island style, but you can get loads of inspiration on the various designs from the internet, interior decorating magazines, specialist kitchen publications, home shows and by looking at friends’ kitchens and seeing what really works.  The design of kitchens varies so greatly and is such a personal matter that it’s hard to pick a ‘now’ trend, but all-white, clean and seamless kitchens do seem to be in vogue at the moment, as are textured, natural surfaces, hidden cabinets, cupboards and draws that close without handles (push to open), curved elements and high-gloss and glass splashbacks.  Making the right choice of kitchen manufacturer is as important as the design itself – and you should always check that they manufacture their cabinets using computerised cnc machinery.  These computerised routers and woodworking machinery are vital for cutting all types of material with precision accuracy and consistency to give a professional finish – plus you get all the edges finished to your specifications and the benchtop joints  pre-prepared for ease of construction.   

The kitchen supplier should also be willing to provide any support, advice or help with design and layout that you require.  After all, they are the experts and their experience is invaluable.

The manufacturers will need measurements including  :

·         Appliance dimensions

·         Wall and door widths and height

·         Height of the ceiling (check if there are any variations)

·         Counter height

·         Power points, plumbing requirements and lighting

It usually takes quite a while from initial design to the actual cutting of the final measured components (hopefully the manufacturer has a computerised woodworking machine or cnc router for precision cutting!) – but all the time spent on the planning and design will be well worth it in the end.  Then it’s A for away – and with a little bit of elbow grease, you’ll soon be cooking up a storm!.

White Stuff in my plastic kettle?

I’m on my second white plastic hot water electric kettle and I can’t figure out why there’s always this ugly sediment in it. I only use bottled spring water. Is that scale? Lime?

There are naturally occuring minerals, etc in water. The white film is most likely mineral build up. Try using white vinegar to remove it.