10 stages of choosing and designing a kitchen set

Buying a new kitchen is a super-responsible event, requiring thorough preparation. After all, the term of her service can be 10-20 years and what she will, to some extent, will affect even the image and quality of life of the family. In this article we will tell you how to choose the kitchen set in a step-by-step guide format with a selection of photos for inspiration.

10 stages of selection and design of the kitchen set

Step 1. Determination of needs and requirements

Before you start planning the headset, think about what you need from it. For example, if you often arrange home parties and parties, then it is worthwhile to provide in the kitchen a place for storing the service and a mini-bar. Do you love a stove? Note for yourself that in the future the headset should be a place for all kinds of shapes, molds and a bread maker.

Step 2. Looking for ideas, determined with color and style

Do not despise the stage of the search for ideas, because it has great practical significance - the more carefully you will consider the details of the future headset, the less chance you will have to make mistakes and miss capabilities. Just browse the pictures on the Internet (for example, on our site :)) and take note of the good solutions for:

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• Complete sets of modules;
• The location of the "working triangle a plate / oven, a sink and a refrigerator;
• The location of household appliances - built-in and stationary, small and large;
• Materials and design of facades (shapes, styles, combinations of colors and textures);
• Materials and design of tabletops and aprons;
• Design fittings;
• Furniture illumination;
• The location of the dining area is relative to the cabinet itself.

Step 3. Kitchen design planning

The design of the kitchen set depends mainly on its facades, rather than on the frame, which is virtually invisible. What should they be like? Here are some key tips for choosing their colors:

• If the kitchen is small, make a bet on light colors (best white) and, possibly, a glossy finish. Then the facades of the kitchen will reflect the light, and the headset will seem much less cumbersome.

• Also, the color of the facades can be selected in the tone of the walls - then the suite seems to "dissolve" into them.
• If the windows of your kitchen face south or south-west, then you can choose almost any color of the facades, and especially cool will be cold shades - blue, blue, turquoise. But if there is not enough light, then the facades of warm shades - beige, yellow, red, pink, lilac and others - will help to replace the sun.
• Do you want to spend as little time as possible on cleaning the kitchen? Then beware of dark colors (including the choice of apron and countertop), and especially in combination with gloss. There is nothing more tedious than how to erase fingerprints, wipe the smallest crumbs and drops of water from dark surfaces.

Now let's talk about the styles of kitchen furniture. Conditionally kitchen sets can be divided into classic and modern.

• Classical suits, of course, are suitable for traditional interiors, from "palace" to "rural" (provence, country, etc.). Their main feature is the paneled facades made of wood (or imitation wood). Otherwise, they can be very different - decorated with cornices, carvings, patina, glass inserts, stained-glass windows, etc.

Choosing classical facades, remember that too elegant facades risk overloading the interior and complicating cleaning. For small kitchens, sets with decorative elements are completely counter-indicative, panels and glass inserts will be enough.

• Modern headsets, as a rule, are solid and often even without handles (with a push mechanism). They can compensate for their brevity by color or unusual texture, for example, glossy, matte, satin surface, exotic wood trim, photo printing, etc. Due to their smoothness they are easier to clean and less "crush" the space, which is good for small kitchens.

Step 4. Room measurements

Before designing a headset, you need to measure and mark on the plan:

• Length and width of the room;
• The height of the walls from floor to ceiling;
• Distance between walls;
• Distance from corners to doors;
• Doors and windows, as well as the distance from their edges to the floor, ceiling, corners. Do not forget to measure and reserve the space necessary for opening windows and doors;
• The dimensions of all the protrusions;
• Distance from the wall and from the floor to the exhaust hole;
• Dimensions and arrangement of pipes, ventilation shafts, radiator, gas column, if any;
• Sockets and switches. If you are at the repair stage, then indicate on the plan the location of the outlets at the moment, as well as their desired location and number in the future kitchen;
• In case you already have household appliances, then you need to measure it.

Step 5. Independent kitchen design (preliminary), layout of modules, placement of equipment

So we came to the most responsible step - the preliminary design of the headset, which You will be guided by creating a final version of the project together with the designer of furniture interior.

• The design of a kitchen set resembles an assembly of a children's designer, and the details of this designer are modules.

So, take a millimeter paper or a piece of paper in a cage, and it's best to use a simple online planner like Planner5D or SketchUP Pro, draw your kitchen with a designation of all its features and, finally, collect the "brick" project of the future headset, following these simple tips:

• The main principle that must be adhered to when arranging the headset and the placement of equipment: the three peaks of the "working triangle" - the zone cooking, food storage and washing should be in reasonable proximity to each other and form a conditional triangle.

There are 6 basic types of kitchen layouts:

1. Linear- the most uncomfortable layout, since all working points are placed in a row, and not by the principle of a triangle. But this option is the most compact and suitable for very small kitchens.

1. Double row- suitable for narrow and elongated kitchens. Passage between rows of furniture must be at least 1 meter.

1. L-shaped (angular)- the most universal type of planning, as it is compact, but at the same time comfortable and roomy due to the use of two walls and a corner.

1. U-shaped- the most convenient layout, but "eats" a lot of space and heavily clutters it. In small kitchens the U-shaped set is possible provided that the window sill is built. An important condition - the passage between the sides of the kitchen should be at least 1 meter, but not more than 180 cm, otherwise it will become inconvenient.

1. Island- Another super-convenient type of planning, which assumes the presence of an external module, and therefore requires a large area of ​​the room - from 18 m2. The simplest tables are equipped with only a bar rack and shelves, the most advanced ones - a sink, stove, mini-bar, oven. The island must repeat the shape of the kitchen, and the passages around it must be at least 1 meter.

1. Peninsular- kitchen with a module, the end of which rests against the wall or in the headset, due to which the layout becomes more compact.

For more information on the types of kitchen layouts, see the specialized articles on our website:

How to plan an ideal corner kitchen.

How to equip the U-shaped kitchen.

Kitchen with island - all the features of planning and design.

• Begin planning the kitchen should be from the washing zone, since the sink is, as a rule, a stationary point. Label it in the plan. Above the sink, of course, will be the storage place for utensils and utensils, and under it it is convenient to hide the trash can and household utensils. On the right or left of the sink, if necessary, you can install a dishwasher.

• Then you can determine the location of the hob / plate. As a rule, it is located near the sink, vent and gas pipe, if it is. Between the sink and the stove, it is desirable to place the preparation zone of the products and, consequently, the storage area of ​​utensils and groceries.

• Ideally, on the other side of the sink is to place a storage area for food and a refrigerator. The minimum distance from the sink to the refrigerator should be at least 40 cm.
• Then think about the place of the oven, microwave, dishwasher and washing machine. Keep in mind that the oven can be placed at eye level and separate from the hob, for example next to the refrigerator.

Advice:

• Increase the number of storage can be due to an additional third or even fourth tier, even reaching the ceiling. There you can hide not only rarely used utensils, but also the air duct.

• If the house has small children, or some corner of the cabinet is inconvenient in the passage, it can be made rounded or beveled as in the photo below. This desire should be reported to the designer-designer.

• It is desirable that the height of the headset corresponds to the growth of the most active cook in the house. If it is low, then it is worth to abandon the high apron, pick up the pedestals 70-85 cm high and refrain from the door closers lifting the doors upward. Although this is convenient for opening the upper cabinets, but to close them back, you need to use a stool. In addition, over time, such accessories become blurred and ceases to hold the door.
• Increase the storage system of the kitchen will help the cabinet-pencil case or a whole block of cabinets-pencil cases (see. photo below), in which you can build a microwave oven, oven, refrigerator and drawers for utensils / groceries.

• Remember that today many furniture manufacturers can do everything exactly as in fashion designer magazines, so get rid of the old templates and ask the consultants about the possibility of implementing non-standard solutions. For example, in the socle can be built drawers as in the photo below and even a pedestal for pet food.

So, the idea of ​​your future kitchen has become clearer. Show your plan to the designer-designer in the store, that he made the project in a special program, taking into account your wishes, perhaps by correcting something, adding or removing unnecessary.

Step 6. Selection of materials for facades, countertops, aprons

Comparison and selection of materials is a separate and important topic that requires detailed consideration. We recommend that you study it in more detail, but for now, we suggest that you familiarize yourself with the brief squeeze on the materials of the facades, as well as the table tops and the apron.

Facades

By "kitchen materials" we often mean facade materials, since the kitchen frame is usually made of laminated chipboard. This is reasonable, because the frame is almost invisible.

The materials of the front panel are very different, most often this:

• Particleboard laminated / veneered;
• MDF laminated / veneered / varnished or other types of finishes;
• The array of any wood (today completely wooden facades are a rarity, as a rule "wooden kitchen" means veneered facades);
• Glass (most often in the form of inserts or patch panels);
• Metal (in decoration).

Choose the material of the facades should be based on the planned design of your headset, the budget, practicality and durability.

The most economical, but not reliable option - the facades of chipboard. The most common and medium-priced material for facades is MDF. He is practical and reliable. Veneered or wooden doors - the most beautiful and expensive, but not the most practical in everyday life.

Worktop

The worktop should be as durable as possible and ideally seamless. The materials of the table tops are as follows:

• Chipboard;
• Particleboard with a top layer of wood;
• Solid wood;
• Porcelain and lithoceramics;
• Fake diamond;
• Natural stone - marble, basalt, granite.

If the company that makes your kitchen does not have a suitable countertop, order it separately in another company.

For all the materials of countertops, read in our special section.

Apron

Materials of aprons can be the following:

• Ceramic tile;
• MDF;
• Chipboard;
• Mosaic from different materials;
• Mirror coating.

• Glass (skinned or triplex);
• Plastic;
• Metal panels;
• Artificial / natural stone;
• Wood (in combination with a protective glass, for example).

For all the materials of kitchen aprons, see our special section.

Step 7. Selection of internal filling, accessories and accessories

From the filling of the kitchen set depends the convenience and spaciousness of the kitchen. Here are some useful tips:

• For convenient access to content instead of cabinets with shelves it is recommended to use drawers. So necessary things will always be foreseeable and easily accessible. The largest boxes are placed in the bottom of the kitchen and are intended for storage of large and heavy utensils / supplies.

• The facades of the kitchen can be not only hinged on hinges, but also sliding on the guide profiles, with "shutters" of the blinds by the type of blinds, and also lifting on special closers. The latter option is the most unreliable and, besides, not universal, because only high people can close the lift doors.

• Handles - not an obligatory part of the facades, because they can be equipped with a push mechanism and open only with a slight push.
• In order to maximize the corners of the kitchen, they are recommended to be equipped with retractable systems - baskets (for example, for garbage), shelves, shelves, and revolving carousels.
• In order to always have order in the drawers, it is worthwhile to equip them with special dividers. So you can conveniently organize storage with compartments for covers, for pans, for molds and other.
• For storage of cutlery, trays and separators made of stainless steel are the best.

Step 8. Purchase of machinery and equipment

At the planning stage of the headset you have already thought what kind of household appliances and plumbing you need and where it will be located approximately. Now it's time to think about how to buy this technique:

• Complete with a suite, that is, through a furniture salon- this method is good in that you do not have to worry about the compatibility of dimensions, delivery and quality of installation of equipment / sanitary ware. In addition, companies often give a discount for a comprehensive purchase. Unfortunately, the choice of models will be limited.
• Separately- the equipment is purchased before or after ordering the kitchen in another store. When buying equipment before ordering a kitchen, the headset will be designed to fit its dimensions. When purchasing equipment after the order, you will have to buy it yourself in project sizes already specified and deliver it home by the time of assembly.

The choice of technology is extremely serious and important. Therefore, we recommend that you pre-prepare, after reading detailed articles on the topic "How to choose an embedded technique."

Step 9. Choice of furniture salon

Now we can proceed to the decisive stage. Be prepared to find that the kitchen of dreams will not be easy and one day the search will not be limited, especially since the market is now very large.

• Do not be lazy and ask around your friends or on the Internet real reviews about furniture companies, specifying the production time, build quality and prices.
• Communicating with designers-designers (it is necessary to do this not for one firm, but for several), do not hesitate to learn from them all the details and ask for the development of several variants of the layout of the modules.
• Come to the sites of manufacturers and compare prices, proposed materials and assembly options. Often, manufacturers arrange promotions, offering, for example, a free assembly or service of the gaveler, holiday discounts, etc.
• If you really liked the kitchen, but its cost does not fit into your budget, do not hesitate to ask for a discount. In order not to lose customers, companies often go to a meeting and provide a discount of 5-10%, which is always not unnecessary.

More details in the material: Top-10 kitchen manufacturers by KitchenDecorium.ru

Step 10. Kitchen assembly

Finally, the set and equipment are selected, everything remains to be assembled into a single whole.

• Do not skimp on the assembly and do not assemble the headset yourself if you are not 100% sure of your skills. The collector's service costs about 10% of the cost of the headset, but it will save precious nerves and time.
• Installation of sanitary ware and the installation of household appliances is also better to entrust to a specialist.
• Be patient. The assembly of the kitchen set takes about 6-8, and sometimes more hours. After everything has been done, carefully check how all the boxes and doors open, whether the technician is working, whether the joints and joints of the modules are accurate and whether all surfaces are scratched and damaged.
• If you have any complaints, then you need to report this immediately and with the assembler. Next, the company will conduct an examination, and on the whole, most likely, will make a discount or fix errors at their own expense.

We hope that this guide for choosing the perfect kitchen set has really helped you. We wish you successful purchases, let your kitchen please with its beauty and convenience of all households and guests for many years!

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