In a traditional kitchen, a corner wall unit with double doors is a good choice

This week’s Design Tip is, once again, all about choosing and placing the units within your kitchen plan … the very fundamentals of good design. For a list of previous Tips please see below.

A kitchen design has two purposes. The first, and undoubtedly the most important, is to provide a functional space; for preparing, cooking and serving up food; and for whatever other activities you want to carry out in your kitchen. The second, which is becoming increasingly important in today’s more sociable, living kitchens, is to look good. A purely functional kitchen may be a delight to work in but, combining that functionality with a really pleasing appearance, will result in the dream kitchen that everyone would like.

Last week’s Design Tip was to vary the heights and depths of the units in your kitchen, in order to both optimise the use of space in the room – and add interest to the design. That Tip holds true for most styles of kitchen but each style also has particular design characteristics which you need to bear in mind.

If you want your kitchen to have a very modern, up-to-the-minute look, then you need to emphasise the horizontal lines. Use pan drawers, extra wide ones if you can fit them in, and wide, short wall units. If you need extra storage space, then use standard height wall units but with bi-fold doors (hinged at the centre and at the top). Try to avoid using corner wall units, since they always have full height doors.

Wherever you can, arrange the units in a modern kitchen into discrete blocks. Tall (or midi-height) upright larder units (and appliance towers) can fit in well with this style, as long as they are in separate blocks (or blocks which look separate because of differences in colour or texture, height or depth). You can also use horizontally positioned handles, wall shelves and horizontal woodgrain effects to emphasise the style.

In spite of having some tall vertical doors, this kitchen still puts the emphasis on horizontal lines and blocks of units, to give a very modern feel

In most ordinary working kitchens (as opposed to showroom and brochure displays) – especially smaller ones – it’s the base units which are the most difficult to arrange in any particular style. Some upright doors are usually necessary; for the sink and dishwasher, for example; and for corner units. If the kitchen is large enough, try to arrange any full height doors out of sight – on the reverse of an island, for instance (and the same principle can also be used to hide doors with handles – like the dishwasher – in an otherwise handleless kitchen). In very large rooms you could avoid using the corners altogether by having boxing made (as in the picture above).

For kitchens in traditional style, especially if you want a farmhouse or cottagey look, then the horizontal lines, mentioned above, should be avoided. If you use a wide pan drawer unit, then treat it as an individual feature, flank it with full height doors, and match it with a wall unit above of similar size.

Focus on having individual, symmetrical areas or features, within the kitchen, so that each looks a little bit like a free standing piece of furniture (even if joined by fitted base units). Don’t try to make the units symmetrical along a whole wall, in a traditional kitchen.

Once again, it’s best to avoid corner wall units altogether, or you can use individual corner wall units with diagonal doors (if you can get them – see the top picture) or – if you need to use all the space – put open shelves in the corner … but try not to have wall units covering every inch of available space.

Also try to avoid single units with single doors. Fit them in pairs, or use units with double doors. Free standing pieces of furniture normally have double doors.  If space is restricted, you can often get 600mm units fitted with double 300mm wide doors (even though they won’t normally be listed as standard units). And – as before – in smaller kitchens you can create the desired effect using units in different colours and finishes and by varying heights and depths. You might like to have a look at “Using Mixed Finishes in Your Kitchen” over at Advanced Kitchen Design.

This kitchen is not overly traditional in style and the base units are very fitted, but traditional unit types on the wall ... using symmetrical areas at different heights, open shelves in the corner and double doors above the ovens ... make it feel much less fitted than it is

In conclusion then, if you want a particular style or look, for your kitchen, you need to bear that in mind when choosing your units. It’s not enough just to use modern, high gloss or horizontal woodgrain doors for a very modern looking kitchen … and, likewise, just using very traditional, solid timber or painted doors isn’t sufficient to give you that authentic country kitchen look.

Previous Tips:

KITCHEN DESIGN TIPS No.1: Measure carefully

KITCHEN DESIGN TIPS No.2: Choose Your Appliances First

KITCHEN DESIGN TIPS No.3: Collect Ideas

KITCHEN DESIGN TIPS No.4: Design For You

KITCHEN DESIGN TIPS No.5: Start With Items That Can’t be Moved

KITCHEN DESIGN TIPS No.6: Allow Enough Space

KITCHEN DESIGN TIPS No.7: Use Different Heights and Depths

Next Time:   Don’t Forget the Accessories

Tags: kitchen design, kitchen design ideas, Kitchen Planning & Installation, modern and traditional kitchen styles, new kitchen