Planning Your Kitchen Renovation?

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KITCHEN RENOVATION PLANNING & DESIGN

Thinking about replacing your kitchen?

Looking at starting to plan your kitchen renovation?

Where do you start with a kitchen renovation?

Over the past few years, one of the most common requests we have had from our clients is to create a multi-use space when renovating or installing a new kitchen. This new kitchen space is where clients can cook, eat, open the post, entertain and help with the children’s homework.

We know that renovating your kitchen can be a daunting exercise. There are things that you can do to make sure you make the right choices and achieve the best possible outcome.

In this article, the team from Style Plus Renovations North Shore Auckland look at key planning elements for a kitchen renovation;

  • Planning your kitchen.
  • Kitchen electrical & lighting design.
  • Kitchen waterproofing.
  • Kitchen cabinetry.
  • Kitchen splashbacks.
  • Painting.
  • And the most important part – project budgeting!

You may also be interested in the following articles from the Style Plus team:

Kitchen renovation planning
Style Plus Renovations Kitchen Renovation Planning

PLANNING YOUR KITCHEN LAYOUT

From the outset of the renovation you need to have a feel for what works for the shape and size of your kitchen.

At the basic level, the layout addresses the placement of the cabinets, counters, appliances and sink. Also take into consideration the windows and furniture such as the kitchen or dining table.

A simple way to do this is to draw up a scaled grid of your kitchen floor, marking the position of windows and doors. Arrange cardboard cut-outs (sized to scale) of cabinets, sink and appliances, on the grid.

Take the following points into account, moving the cut-outs around until you have the best, most workable layout.

WHAT IS THE KITCHEN WORK TRIANGLE?

The kitchen work triangle is a basic principle for designing ergonomic, functional kitchens.

The idea is that a line drawn to the refrigerator, sink, and range should create a relatively even-sided triangle within which the major kitchen activities take place.

Each leg of the kitchen work triangle should measure between 1200mm and 2700mm in length. The total length of all 3 legs should be between 3600mm and 8100mm.

Ideally, no foot traffic should pass through the kitchen work triangle. Nothing is more irritating than having people crash into you when you’re trying to prepare a meal.

Also, there may be times when people not directly involved in cooking often need access to the kitchen, in particularly the refrigerator.

Of the three components of the kitchen work triangle, the refrigerator should be located at the triangle’s outer corner for easy access. And the cooking surface at the most remote point of the kitchen work triangle.

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LAYOUT CONSIDERATIONS FOR YOUR KITCHEN RENOVATION

  • Consider the placement of pipes, vents, electrical outlets and switches.
  • Allow at least 300mm clearance on either side of your cooktop and sink.
  • Standard floor units are 720mm high plus 150mm (for the kickboard), and 580mm deep. Wall units are 720mm high and 350mm deep (not including handles). Benchtop height, from floor to top of the bench, is 900mm and depth is 600mm.
  • The splashback over an electric cooktop should be a minimum of 450mm high if it’s under a wall unit. If the splashback is under a rangehood or a sink with a wall unit above it, the splashback should be a minimum of 600mm high. The minimum height of a rangehood above a gas hob is 650-750mm, depending on the manufacturer’s recommendation.
  • Include as much working space as possible.
  • Consider a walk-in pantry. This would maximise storage for a small kitchen.

BASIC KITCHEN LAYOUT TYPES

I often get asked what is the ideal kitchen layout and design. Over the years kitchen design has gone through several phases from being a closed confined space to what is now an open floor plan that gathers family and friends.

One of my real estate friends mentioned that a kitchen is what sells a house in most cases. The following are four common kitchen layouts:

  • Gallery Shaped kitchen layout.
  • U-Shaped kitchen layout.
  • L-Shaped kitchen layout.
  • Line Shaped kitchen layout
kitchendesign07

GALLERY

Gallery kitchens normally adhere to a simple and efficient design with the sink, prep area and range stand in a single line, with the prep area equidistant from both cooking and cleaning spaces.

However, there is a renovation trend for gallery kitchens to be more flexible for modern lifestyles by adding a kitchen table, taking out walls and adding seating.

U-SHAPE

The U-shaped kitchen consists of work space on three adjoining walls, two parallel walls perpendicular to a third. There are no traffic lanes flowing through the work area. The U-shaped kitchen keeps everything within easy reach.

If you decide you add an island to a U shape kitchen it’s important to keep the kitchen triangle on one side of the kitchen to avoid the kitchen island getting in the way when you’re using the kitchen.

L-SHAPED KITCHEN WITH AN ISLAND

The L-shaped kitchen with an island added is perhaps one of the most common layouts for today’s multipurpose kitchens.

Although this layout works best with plenty of space, its variations make it an easy fit for almost any style.

The island can provide a large prep surface or storage in the centre of the kitchen. The island can also incorporate a cooking surface, sink and wine fridge. 

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LINE-SHAPED KITCHEN LAYOUT

Line-shaped or against-the-wall kitchen layout is typically found in small-scale kitchens. It is a simple layout that is space efficient. The kitchen triangle functions strategically along a single wall.

The design consists of cabinetry against a single wall, with cupboards or shelving above the kitchen top.

 

ELECTRICAL DESIGN FOR A KITCHEN RENOVATION

Every kitchen renovation electrical design has unique requirements, depending on the scope of the kitchen renovation.

The kitchen renovation scope is primarily determined by the client’s requirements.

For example, if the renovation requires new electrical components/wiring or lighting for the renovation, then the electrical designer works to incorporate all the new electrical components/wiring or lighting into the existing system.

The electrical designer will evaluate the existing electrical system to ensure that the existing electrical configuration can accommodate new additional electrical loads that will be imposed on them.

To kick off the electrical design/plan at Style Plus Renovations we often ask the clients to consider the following;

  • Where would you ideally like to locate appliances that remain on the countertop such as the kettle or toaster?
  • How many portable kitchen appliances do you use when you prepare a meal?
  • How many double power points will you require? Where should they be located?
  • Do you require a phone connection in the kitchen?
  • Do you require power points with an integral USB charger?
  • What type of lighting would you like?
Kitchen renovation planning

KITCHEN LIGHTING

If your kitchen’s only source of lighting is say, from recessed halogens, then when you undertake your kitchen renovation consider changing them for LED lighting.

Position the new lights to serve as aesthetic and functional focal points in the room over the casual eating area or the island.

Modern LED fixtures to provide a terrific lighting option with low power consumption and very low heat emission.

LED strip lighting offers a great lighting option when renovating.

The LED strip lights are flexible in their use and can be featured in your kitchen to add ambience. As with the LED fixtures, LED strip lighting is safe to use as feature lighting as they do not heat up and offer a long-life lighting solution.

LED strip lighting is great for use in a range of locations including:

  • Behind splashback lighting.
  • Under benchtop lighting.
  • Breakfast bar lighting.
  • Under cabinet lighting or at kickboard height.
Kitchen renovation lighting

Consider Lighting over the dining table. A decorative pendant will provide sufficient task lighting while also adding a touch of style and personality to your space. Mount pendant fixtures approximately 750mm above the tabletop.

If your table is round, the fixture should ideally be 300mm narrower than the diameter of the table. For square and rectangular tables, choose a fixture that is 300mm narrower than the smallest side.

Also, a must-have update for your kitchen renovation is the installation of dimmers for all of the lighting. The greatest benefit of installing dimmers in an existing kitchen is that the quality of the resulting light will inevitably appear much more comfortable and flexible than what you had before.

COMMONLY ASKED QUESTIONS FOR RENOVATING A KITCHEN

  • What is the timeframe for a kitchen renovation?
    Typically a kitchen renovation duration will be between 3 to 4 weeks. This timeframe will be longer if it involves a building consent.
  • What trades are involved with a full kitchen renovation?
    A full kitchen renovation combines the services of many trades, these include:  builder,  architect,  project manager, plumber,  interior designer,  cabinet maker for bespoke cabinetry, electrician, carpenter,  flooring specialist,  waterproofing specialist and  painter.
  • Who will manage the kitchen renovation?
    At Style Plus Renovations, we like to work as closely as we can with our clients to make sure that we really are renovating  their  kitchen to their specifications. This is achieved by having a dedicated project manager as a single point of contact to manage the renovation.
  • What is the cost of a kitchen renovation?
    The cost depends on a number of factors (size, fixtures fittings, quality of fittings, the scope of the renovation) but generally the average is between $27,000 to $35,000 and $60,000+ for high end kitchen renovation)
  • What is the cost of a kitchen renovation?
    The cost depends on a number of factors (size, fixtures fittings, quality of fittings, the scope of the renovation) but generally the average is between $27,000 to $35,000 and $60,000+ for high end kitchen renovation)
  • Who will manage the kitchen renovation?
    At Style Plus Renovations, we like to work as closely as we can with our clients to make sure that we really are renovating  their  kitchen to their specifications. This is achieved by having a dedicated project manager as a single point of contact to manage the renovation.
  • What trades are involved with a full kitchen renovation?
    A full kitchen renovation combines the services of many trades, these include:  builder,  architect,  project manager, plumber,  interior designer,  cabinet maker for bespoke cabinetry, electrician, carpenter,  flooring specialist,  waterproofing specialist and  painter.
  • What is the timeframe for a kitchen renovation?
    Typically a kitchen renovation duration will be between 3 to 4 weeks. This timeframe will be longer if it involves a building consent.

If you are considering renovating your bathroom and would like to discuss your requirements with our bathroom designer, use the Contact Us form below. We will then get in touch with you to discuss your kitchen renovation project. 

Also, if you are looking for more inspiration, check out our article on kitchen styles.

CLIENT TESTIMONIALS

As an Auckland North Shore family-owned and run business, Style Plus Renovations cares about what we do and we take the time to fully understand your renovation needs. We are also proud to receive some exceptional compliments from our Auckland clients.

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YOUR RENOVATION PROJECT

Tel us about your renovation project and we’ll call you back for a no-obligation chat about your ideas.

Alternatively, if you prefer, we can initially set up a meeting using Microsoft Teams or Zoom (and other meeting apps) for a no-obligation chat about your ideas.

We look forward to hearing from you to discuss your project and get you started on your renovation journey.

If you would like to know more about our renovation process, check it out here.

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