Here is a simple step-by-step action plan. 

The main and most important advice is to take time to plan – this would save you money and nerves. Having dealt with your needs and opportunities in advance, you reduce the risk of a rush and impulsive buying (you probably already have a list 🗒 on five sheets “What do I want from the kitchen”?)

Often the question of design and interior decoration of the kitchen becomes the subject of debate in the household. It is best to find an immediate compromise on each issue, otherwise unresolved disputes will aggravate at the most unsuitable moments, such as ordering the necessary units or cabinets for the kitchen or, even worse, after assembling a new kitchen. So, we advise you to do this:

Step 1. BRAINSTORM AND GATHER THE BEST IDEAS 🧠

It is not so easy to decide on your desires. Photos and examples of beautiful kitchens greatly simplify this process.

Start collecting interesting ideas 💻 in advance as soon as you think about buying a new kitchen. So, on Pinterest you can not only watch pictures but also collect them in a personal folder of ideas and compose a whole photo gallery. Other commonly used sources Wayfair, Ikea, and Google images would guide you to websites. 

Visualizing your ideas helps to understand what you like in terms of architecture and design of the kitchen. You can also watch kitchen projects of the best designers in the world and “grab” fresh design ideas. Finally, read the recommendations on specialized resources (believe me, you do not know everything about kitchens and kitchen interiors, there’s so much to explore).

Step 2. MEASURE YOUR KITCHEN.

Do not trust the old floorplans – quite often they aren’t accurate (especially if the plan was made at the time of buying the apartment and since then it has gone through a couple of repairs or sales).

Take a tape measure, pencil, paper and carefully examine the space. Measure all projections and niches, beams and ledges. Think about whether you can effectively use the space under the windowsill or above the door. Make a sketch of the kitchen plan on a paper and mark all measurements.

Be sure to mark the points of water and gas connection on the room plan, even if you intend to move them later – knowing the initial features of your layout will help specialists more accurately calculate the possibilities of such changes.

Step 3. DRAW A LAYOUT ✏️

There are special computer programs for planning kitchens, but you can get away with a pencil and paper. First, you need to draw an accurate plan of the kitchen. Take a piece of paper (best is millimetre graph paper, but an ordinary graph paper will do) – draw the contours of your kitchen, observing the scale. Mark windows, doors, utility connection points.

Now you can start planning the creative part. It is best to make copies of the plan so that nothing interferes with the imagination and you won’t lose initial sketch. Make at least 10 copies: place cabinets this way and that, swap modules and devices. Remember that corner kitchens are the most ergonomic, and two-line kitchens are good for extended and open rooms. Do not forget about the “kitchen work triangle” rule and try not to plan kitchens with a sink in the corner.

Do not enter a vicious circle thinking about classic or standard designs, try something unusual – in the end it is only a picture. After several suitable plans have been drawn up, it is time for discussions: engage family members in the discussion of options.

Step 4. SET YOUR BUDGET

With the same functionality, a kitchen price can be twice cheaper or expensive.

Classic kitchen style, with expensive panelled and carved facades, stained-glass windows and complex curved elements – the most expensive option. Modern furniture in a concise manner is usually simpler and cheaper. The cost of the kitchen will be affected not only by the number of cabinets but also by the material of the facades, the presence of angular or rounded modules, the complexity of the “filling”.

Step 5. GO SHOPPING

It’s time to start looking for options. Of course, offers of manufacturers and sellers can be looked upon the Internet, but you need to look at your favourite samples live – move boxes, open/close doors, evaluate the quality of the material. It happens that in reality, the kitchen you like looks much more boring than on the photo in the catalogue: different light, size perception and colour (after all, it was not processed in Photoshop).

In addition, you can ask questions and get recommendations from seller-consultant and discuss accurate estimates of your chosen layout. If you’re looking at the custom-made kitchens, most likely they will be able to offer you an option, but if it’s a more affordable ready-made kitchen, you will have to focus on a standard set of cabinets and modules.

Step 6. DON’T CONCENTRATE ENTIRELY ON OUTER KITCHEN BUT CHECK INSIDE FOR INSERTS AND ACCESSORIES 

While shopping or viewing options in stores, pay attention to the appearance of the kitchen, but also to the proposed “inside”: drawers, units, baskets, storage and “carousels”. Touch, open, evaluate the convenience of practical use.

A modern high-tech kitchen set is expensive, you can refuse some options, but not all. For example, equip corner boxes with at least “carousels”. Do not forget about the fittings. Dampers and stoppers, of course, also cost money, but they can significantly make life easier for the owners.

Step 7. KITCHEN EQUIPMENT AND APPLIANCES

Of course, it’s tempting to make life easier and order the whole kitchen in one place, including sink, extractor fan, and household appliances. However, the cost of equipment in specialized stores is significantly lower than most kitchen sellers offer. Additionally, a consultant in a kitchen shop may promote something on sale that you don’t actually need, but risk impulse buying (is it worth mentioning that each piece of equipment/appliance needs to be selected in advance).

Step 8. KITCHEN FITTING, ASSEMBLY, AND CONNECTION 🛠

You’ve finally decided on the kitchen design. The kitchen is ordered, pre-paid and even delivered to the apartment. The boxes are piled up on the floor like a mountain. Will you collect it yourself or will you call a specialist? The second option must be thought of in advance. Assembling a kitchen is an expensive service, but some manufacturers give a guarantee for furniture (up to 25 years) only if it has been assembled by their specialists. Our company will provide you a guarantee if the kitchen is ordered and assembled by us. 

In addition to the cabinets and unit assembly, there are also a few technical aspects: gas connection, the connection of appliances, installation of a sink and water/plumbing connections. You will need special tools, somewhere (for example, when working with a gas system) – a qualified expert 👨🏼‍🔧 that can carry out safety checks and issue a certificate.

By the way, the 🔧 installation of household appliances purchased in the kitchen stores is usually performed by the same company that will install your kitchen. In case, if equipment and electrical appliances purchased from other retailers, the installation will be carried out by the retailer store (if they offer such service) or you have to pay for installation separately and hire a different company.