1. Good Kitchen Design
Good design should be individually tailored to suit your space, requirements and lifestyle. A balance needs to be found between aesthetics and the latest design trends on the one hand and more practical factors such as ergonomics, functionality and convenience on the other.
General Layout:
It’s worth thinking through some simple questions; how much cupboard and work surface space is required, what appliances will be used, how many people will be in the kitchen at any one time and so on.
Once these basics have been addressed and a design has begun to take shape, the layout can be refined by checking that the fittings are correctly arranged, to eliminate unnecessary steps, paths are paths wide enough, and there’s enough room between cabinets, the island and other obstacles.
Convenience:
Modern kitchens offer a variety of clever storage solutions, which in turn make life easier. One of our dear friends, a private chef who as you would imagine spends every day in the kitchen, once said: include more drawers in a kitchen design, one can never have too many drawers.
Drawers have been around for many years for a good reason – they’re convenient; manufacturers of furniture fittings have developed many more products and there’s a solution for almost any cabinet: pull-out mechanisms for awkward corner cabinets, space towers, carousels, spice racks, the choice is endless.
Aesthetics:
People spend between one and three hours a day in the kitchen so it’s well worth making sure it’s more than a functional space. A good kitchen design will contribute to a “happy home” with the help of a couple of simple pointers.
Make sure the balance is right. Equality and symmetry are pleasing to the eye so try to avoid random size doors. Consider the ‘weight’ of every item, making sure they’re either evenly spread or radiate from a central focal point.
The colours, textures, shapes and forms can work together to create a feeling of harmony and unity, so choose your colours and patterns carefully. We’d encourage you to experiment with mood boards to find the perfect combination for you and your space.
2. Quality Components
If you want a kitchen that will last, choosing quality components is crucial. We place quality at the heart of everything we do – from the construction of our kitchen cabinets to doors, hinges, drawer boxes, surfaces and appliances – and attention is paid to every detail.
We strive to improve and evolve continuously and one of the methods we have of doing that is by looking at what has failed in the 20-30 year old kitchens we replace.
Here are three things to think about that may affect the lifespan of your new kitchen.
Cabinets
Basic white board cabinets vs premium Egger melamine board.
There has been much debate whether rigid cabinets are much better than flat pack. Fully factory assembled cabinets are machine pressed for precision and accuracy. Cabinets constructed from 18mm Egger Melamine Faced Chipboard offer over 250 colours and are edged with matching 1mm impact resistant ABS – a great protection against bumps, knocks, scrapes and moisture.
Lower grade MFC carcasses with paper edging have low moisture protection and can easily chip over time.
Our cabinet fabrication is glue and dowel as opposed to the more common cam and dowel, which will show exposed fittings, especially unsightly on the underside of wall units. They are pre-assembled with glued joints and squared, then clamped using the very latest computer controlled press for precision and accuracy. Unit backs are made using matching 18mm material (not 8mm or 3mm as many of our competitors).
Egger, Kronospan and Xylocleaf melamine boards are renowned for their hard-wearing nature and adaptability. Egger is considered one of the best chipboard core manufacturers.
In comparison, a lower density basic white board does not hold the fixings as well, common issues start to develop, such as brackets becoming loose, deformity of back panels, shelves starting to bow.
Furniture fittings and doors
Kitchen fittings and internal components (although hardly ever seen) play a major role in kitchen durability. We would advise all homeowners to use a reputable furniture fitting manufacturer for the renovations.
All of our kitchen door hinges, runners, drawer boxes come from a tried and tested manufacturer based in Austria. Wall units all come fitted with heavy duty concealed hanging brackets tough enough for the most demanding of installations.
When choosing the kitchen door, ask yourself is the material really the best for your home? Does it offer good moisture resistance? How easy is it to clean? If you are looking to renovate your kitchen on a budget, then moisture resistant MDF is probably going to be your best available option.
However, if you have a larger budget to spend and fancy a more traditional looking door that will last a very long time with proper care and maintenance, then solid wood doors would be the option for you.
3. Professional Installation
It almost goes without saying but knowledgeable and experienced craftsmanship is integral to a successful kitchen refurbishment.
But what is craftsmanship and what does it mean for your new kitchen?
True craftsmanship comes from experience, passion and commitment to do the best job every time. The finest kitchen fitters will use high-end equipment to make sure every cut is precise and clean.
It’s not just about learned skills and machinery, it’s also about product knowledge, research, development and continual improvement.
Kitchen fitters are also always on the lookout to see what has failed in old kitchens and thinking of new ways to improve installation and eliminate faults.
In simple terms, your new kitchen is a long-term investment. In the wrong hands even the most expensive kitchen can look almost worthless and not function as it should.
That’s why we encourage you to make sure you choose an experienced, trusted and recommended team.
At Kraus Kitchens, we’ve made it our mission to deliver each of these three central factors. From an individually-tailored design consultation, to the highest quality components and professional, experienced workmanship – we spend time getting to know our clients and our kitchens, to ensure the best possible end-result.
Kraus Kitchens only ever use tested, reliable kitchen components that are made to the most exacting standards, in addition to trusted and respected brands such as Aisling, Kitchen Stori, Egger, Blum, Hettich, Grass and Peka.
Kraus Kitchens is made up of a small dedicated team, run by former kitchen fitter and joiner’s son, Eli Kraujutis. With many years of direct experience in the fitted furniture industry, Eli is able to personally oversee each kitchen design and fitting project, ensuring that every stage of the process goes smoothly. Meeting and exceeding your expectations is a matter of personal pride at Kraus Kitchens – and we look forward to discussing your next refurbishment with you and delivering your dream kitchen.
The Kraus Kitchens team
