The most important step to take before starting a kitchen renovation

Putting in a new kitchen is an exciting prospect. You get to choose your colours, tiles, cabinetry, benchtops, tapware and appliances, and before you know it, you’re in a sparkling new kitchen ready to become the next master chef.

But, before all that happens, there’s one important thing you should do. It’s something many people don’t put enough thought into – planning the best layout for the available space. A great layout is the foundation, or canvas, for your ideal kitchen.

The layout is important because it affects the functionality of the kitchen as well as the aesthetics. It’s no good having a beautiful kitchen that has an impractical layout, nor is it ideal to have a functional kitchen that isn’t visually appealing. Interestingly, a functional kitchen adds to its visual appeal in most cases – as you will see.

Don’t go too big

A kitchen that’s too big can be as bad as a kitchen that is too small. The last thing you want to do when you’re preparing a meal is to walk half a marathon from the prep area to the fridge or stove. While that might be great for your fitness levels, it adds time and inconvenience to your meal prep.

If I have a client with larger kitchen space, I always try to fit a walk-in pantry at one end. This is not only practical, but visually shrinks the space and makes it feel more inviting and usable.

Avoid too many up-downs in your design

When designers plan kitchen layouts, we will try to group items according to height. For example, we might have taller items such as the fridge, pantry and over-cupboards in one area, and the shorter items or low benches in another.

It can be a bit tricky to get this right when you are also aiming for a kitchen that is practical, but it’s worth spending the time solving the puzzle properly and having a layout that really works for you.

Zone your space

You may have heard about the kitchen triangle, but these days we talk more about kitchen zones. Typically, we have four zones.

1. A storage zone – where you have cupboards, pantry and fridge
2. A cleaning zone that includes the sink and dishwasher
3. A cooking zone with the oven, cooktop and microwave
4. A prep area that includes your bench spaces, rubbish bins, and so on.

The idea is to group similar things so that the layout is as functional as possible.

Don’t overcrowd your space

You might be tempted to make the most of your storage space by putting in lots of tall cupboards or over-cupboards into your kitchen. However, if you have too many walls and high things in the kitchen, the space will just feel crowded. Ideally, opt for a maximum of two walls with tall cupboards or over-cupboards to help keep the kitchen feeling comfortable, light and open.

Jane Eyles-Bennett is one of Australia’s top interior-exterior designers and owner of design firm Hotspace Consultants. Join Jane at Home Renovators Network Australia for design and renovation inspiration and insider tips for your projects.