How To Redesign Your Kitchen

Whether you’d like an open-plan cooking/dining/living area or a utility room, find out how to transform your interior without extending by using every space to full advantage.

Will it suit my home?

A well-designed open-plan kitchen will work in any property; however, it’s worth bearing in mind your home’s architectural lines before you knock down any walls. Taking out walls to ceiling level might suit modern homes, but in period properties it’s better to retain cornicing and picture rails.

Plan the best kitchen layout

Before you design the interior layout, consider how your new room relates to the exterior. Ideally, an open-plan room will be at the back of the house, overlooking the garden, with large doors to maximise views. The position of the doors will influence what can go where inside, with the kitchen usually to one side or at the back of the room, and the living and dining spaces nearest the garden.

Next, consider the flow between the kitchen, dining and living zones. For example, the kitchen and dining spaces should be adjacent, so that you don’t have to cross the living area with food or dirty crockery.

It’s also important to define the different zones in the room. You can use an island or breakfast bar – or even a part wall – to separate the cooking zone from living and dining spaces. Varying ceiling and floor heights is another way to do this.

Consider at planning stage whether you could fit a pantry or utility room into the new layout. Create enough storage to hide any kitchen clutter that you won’t want to see from your living area.

Finally, will there be enough room for everything you want to fit in? The key is to think carefully about how you want the space to work, and don’t try to cram in too much. If there is enough room for a dining table, then great, but if not, bench seating on the kitchen island can also work.

Fixtures and fittings

The finished look of the room will be largely dictated by the kitchen cabinetry. Start by deciding on the room’s style: is it modern or traditional, vintage or industrial? Consider how this will suit both the architecture of the room, and the style of the rest of the house. In an open-plan space, neutral fittings that are easy to redecorate around, plus continuity of design, will create a co-ordinated feel.

Consider cabinetry that will fit the whole room, so more “furniture” than “kitchen” in style. Symmetry and repetition of shape, design and colour help, too – for example, dining furniture designed to complement the kitchen cabinetry, or the colour of the units repeated in a rug in the living area. As for materials, use a warm mix, including natural textures to create a welcoming, interesting space.

Go broken plan

The only downside to an open-plan kitchen/dining/living space is the lack of division – a real issue in homes where this is the only reception space. So, if you’re going to find it difficult to hear the TV while your other half cooks, for example, consider the following:

Internal glazing creates a barrier that will lessen noise and the movement of cooking smells, but keep the space visually open – ideal for contemporary homes.

For more traditional properties, folding, sliding and pocket doors can be closed to divide the room – glazed designs will keep the zones open and light. Live in a country cottage? A simple, heavy curtain will give you cosy or open-plan options.

Floor-to-ceiling sliding doors hidden within the wall cavity when not in use are ideal for a modern finish.

Lighting

Aim to get as much daylight into the space as possible. Glazed doors and windows will give views over the garden, but you may need roof-lights or a roof lantern to shed light on the depths of the room. Design a scheme that includes ambient, task and accent lighting to highlight activities, such as reading and cooking or features, such as artwork and don’t forget to light the garden, too. Ensure the room’s various zones are on different circuits and have dimmers to create a cosily lit living space at night.

Flooring

Tiles are a great option as they are durable and the majority can be used alongside underfloor heating which makes for a comfortable feel underfoot. Natural stone is a good option if you are opting for a more traditional or chic scheme. Polished porcelain tiles are extremely easy to maintain and they look fantastic in modern and contemporary interiors.

Flooring can help you with zoning, too. The same tiles throughout will create a cohesive look. But choosing one material for the kitchen and dining space and another for the living area will also work, as long as you get the transition right – usually with a partial wall divide or a variation in floor height.

Ventilation and noise

An open-plan space must have effective – but quiet – extraction; a ducted hood or wall-mounted extractor with a power setting designed to eliminate odours quickly are the best options. Always go for appliances with a low decibel rating. Rugs over hard flooring and curtains in living spaces will also soften the room’s acoustics.

What will it cost?

Expect to pay from £1,300 to create a two-metre-wide opening between an existing living and dining room. This doesn’t include structural engineer’s fees (around £250), building control fees (from £150 upwards), finishing, such as plastering (around £190 per day) or painting (from £130 per day).

Structural changes

If removing load-bearing walls, beams or a chimney breast, ensure you obtain proper calculations from a structural engineer and building regulations consent from your local council. Even timber stud walls can be load-bearing!

Fire safety

Ensure the means of fire escape is not compromised, especially if creating an open- plan ground-floor space in a three/four-storey house. Also check with your local building control department that the changes conform to fire safety standards.

Plumbing and extraction

Installing a wet utility room where there was no pipework will need sign off. A utility isn’t classed as a habitable room, so won’t need open-able windows.