The kitchen is the main hub of the home and somewhere that families often spend most of their time in. If you’re looking to extend your kitchen but aren’t sure where to start, here are our top tips to make the most of your kitchen extension…
Kitchens are fast becoming the hub of the home. In some households, they’ve even managed to replace the living rooms as the main meeting point, utterly transforming the life and soul of the property. Many of us have had to extend our kitchens over the years to provide enough space to do everything we want to do inside them. We’ve added height, built them out at the back, and even dug out wine cellars beneath the floor. Still, making the most of your kitchen extension is a perennial challenge. It’s never easy. So what can you do to make the most of it and avoid regret?
Build Features Into The Room
Kitchens might look pretty in magazines, but they’re fundamentally practical rooms. You have to make food in them and provide enough space for people to sit down and eat it.
It’s a good idea, therefore, to build features into the room. So, for instance, instead of dragging a table in, create an island that’s always there and has additional functionality – such as storage space.
Install Skylights
If you’re lucky enough to have a single-story kitchen extension, you may want to install skylights or a roof lantern. These additions immediately flood the room with natural light and radically transform how it feels. You can get rid of all your artificial lighting options and feel almost as though you’re outside, enjoying your garden.
Another great thing about this kind of lighting is that it works come rain or shine. Skylights help avoid your kitchen extension looking dull and dismal, even on dreary November days.
Make Your Walls Bright
Painting kitchens all-white is the done thing right now, but it’s also the safe option. Typically, you’d prefer to add a bit of colour to the wall and enliven it a little. What’s more, if you don’t like it, you can always change it later. You don’t have to stick with bright paint forever.
Consolidate Your Storage Into One Part Of The Room
Storage defines kitchens. People rarely talk about centrepieces or fireplaces in kitchens. Almost always, the style comes from the cupboards themselves. This state of reality is part necessity, part tragedy. You need cabinets in your kitchen, but do they have to be the main feature.
Some designers don’t think so. These days, we’re seeing a movement to consolidate storage in kitchen extensions. In many cases, it is the primary driving force behind building a new side return in the first place.
Use Peninsulas As Dividers
Peninsulas are just bits of countertop that stick out into the room, proving extra preparation space. Usually, they’re practical, but they also double-up as interior design features, separating one part of the room from another.
These are an excellent addition for anyone who wants to construct a kitchen-diner. The peninsular separates the food prep part of the kitchen from the eating area but still helps it to feel like a seamless space. Peninsulas are also great for providing additional breakfast seating or for when you just want a quick bite to eat.
