Practical tips for your new kitchen

LAYOUT

A well designed and functional kitchen will offer 'zones' for the various tasks that a kitchen accommodates. It's essential to include a preparation and cooking zone and a cleaning zone. Depending on your space and preference an entertaining zone or a space for friends and family to gather can be a great addition to your kitchen too.

Having separate zones allows for family members to be working in the kitchen in the different zones without getting in each other's way. Your zones should allow for each task to flow nicely. For example, your dishwasher, bin and sink should all be in close proximity to promote a cohesive clean up.

Always consider traffic flow within your kitchen. Ask yourself how many people generally use the kitchen at one time? How many entries/exits do you need into your kitchen? Is one enough or do you need to consider an island to create more access in and out of your cooking and cleaning zones? Likewise, it's essential to allow enough space to comfortably walk between cabinetry and islands or for appliances such as fridges and dishwashers to be opened without blocking off passageways.

Another important consideration is to allow landing space on your benchtops, particularly either side of a cooktop or sink.

FINISHES

It's important to consider your needs and your lifestyle as well as aesthetics when selecting the finishes for your new kitchen.

Many people love the seamless look of 2pac for their cabinets. You can choose from a matt, satin, gloss or metallic finish in almost any colour you can dream up but keep in mind it can be susceptible to scratches and chips if you aren't careful. Alternatively there is a huge range of laminates and melamines on the market allowing you to select either a block colour or a woodgrain or other patterned finish. Laminate cupboards and drawers are finished off with an edge tape in a matching material. Depending on the range you select from, laminate can be a very cost-effective option for your cabinetry.

If you have small children in the home then anything in a gloss finish will show more fingerprints and smudges than a satin finish.

Reconstituted stone is a popular, stylish and hardy choice for bench tops but it's important to remember that it's not indestructible and can't be refinished. Laminate bench tops are an affordable alternative and come in a wide range of colours and finishes but like stone they can scratch and stain. Whatever benchtop you settle on always use a cutting board and be careful with foods and beverages that easily stain (think red wine and beetroot!).

Regardless of the finishes you choose if you treat your new kitchen with love and respect it will last you many years of dinner parties and family functions.