How to plan your kitchen to perfection.
Is the kitchen in your flat very small or narrow? Impractical floor plans or a sloping ceiling are no reason to give up on your dream kitchen. With smart designs and modern, compact kitchen appliances, any kitchen can be fitted out to perfection.
If you’re building a new house, you’ll have complete freedom when it comes to designing your dream kitchen. It’s a bit trickier in an existing building, but even here, with the right planning, you can bring some great ideas to life. It’s best to proceed step by step:
Take careful measurements in the existing kitchen and mark out the connections. In particular, please take note of the high-voltage connection provided for the hobs. If you wish to install the hob in a different location (for example, as part of a kitchen island in the centre of the room), a professional must install the high-voltage connection.
People often underestimate how much light is needed in the kitchen. Draw in windows and doors and, where possible, plan your kitchen so that natural light from the window reaches the worktop. Bonus: You can grow kitchen herbs on your windowsill, so they’re within easy reach when you’re preparing meals. Plan to install light sources in places where there are no windows. For direct lighting of the worktop , a pendant light such as the attractive BORA Horizon is also recommended, whilst BORA Stars provides atmospheric lighting for the dining table.
Now it’s time to bring your dream kitchen to life. How much storage space do you need, and which kitchen appliances are essential for you? Take this opportunity to discover innovations such as the BORA X BO, which combines a traditional oven with a steam cooker to gently cook vegetables, fish and meat.
Then choose your interior style: Functional and simple, minimalist yet elegant, or the nostalgic charm of a country-style kitchen are just three of the many options.
Here’s a tip: When buying a kitchen, pay attention to energy efficiency. If you live on your own and rarely cook, you don’t need a large fridge for a large stock of food or a separate freezer. Why not opt for a fridge-freezer combination such as the BORA Cool Combi instead? This way, you can do without a freezer and only chill and freeze as much as you really need.
Have you included all kitchen appliances and storage units, such as cupboards and shelves, in your plan? Now you know how much space is left for seating. From a large table with six chairs, to a bar counter with three or four bar stools, right through to a classic corner bench with storage space underneath the seat, there are a wide variety of solutions to suit any room size.
When planning your kitchen, bear your workflow in mind: You don’t want to have to walk far when reaching for cookware, spices or utensils. For example, why not include a spice rack above the worktop or a rail on which to hang essential utensils such as a spatula? Carefully chosen accessories, such as a lovely fruit bowl for the kitchen table and a combination of a noticeboard and key rack as wall decoration, complete the kitchen design.
It is not always possible to design the kitchen exactly as you would like. Space is often very limited, particularly in flats. Here are a few tips for planning a kitchen in small or awkwardly shaped rooms:
Another problem is the integration of a sloping roof. Make her your friend by fitting the largest possible windows. You’ll really appreciate the brightness, especially during the winter months – particularly if you place a small dining table with two chairs underneath it. Alternatively, use the space for a low cupboard in which to store crockery and small kitchen appliances.
No socket? No room for the tabletop barbecue? Bear these tips in mind when planning your kitchen so that you can enjoy the space:
Two factors play a role in the dimensions. Firstly, you need to take into account the dimensions of the kitchen appliances, which are generally standardised. The width of the worktop should be matched to the width of the hobs and sink, for example. Of course, the dimensions of the room itself are also important, especially the height. This determines the correct suspension of the wall units.
One of the most important tips for kitchen planning last: The refrigerator and hob and/or oven should not be placed next to each other. If the immediate surroundings heat up considerably during cooking or baking, the refrigerator must increase the cooling capacity accordingly. This leads to increased energy consumption.
The size of a kitchen depends on your needs and the space available. For optimum use, you should plan at least 10 to 15 square metres so that there is enough space for work surfaces, appliances and storage space. However, small kitchens can also be designed to be space-saving and functional with clever planning.
When planning your kitchen, you should pay attention to a functional arrangement of the work areas, sufficient storage space and high-quality materials. Take your individual needs and room size into account and choose appliances that make your everyday life easier. Good lighting and practical power connections round off the planning.
