Be gentle, it’s my first time...

Never chosen a new kitchen before? Don’t worry, you’re not alone. You don’t need to be in your twenties to be buying your first fitted kitchen. Many people realise in their forties, fifties or later that they’ve never actually chosen a new kitchen before. Maybe you’ve previously bought a new-build home with a brand new kitchen already fitted, or wherever you’ve moved to has had a perfectly acceptable kitchen. For all sorts of reasons you may be surprised to find that you’ve not chosen a new kitchen before.

What should you consider when choosing your first kitchen?

By the time most people choose their first new fitted kitchen, they have lived with one – or maybe several kitchens, so they have a clear idea of what works well for them in a kitchen and what doesn’t work so well. Here are some of the choices ahead of you:

Style

Contemporary or traditional? You probably already have a clear idea of whether you want a shakerstyle kitchen or something more minimalist.  Think about whether you want a crisp industrial look or a warm space with natural materials. You may want to work with the period of your property, or you might opt for a bold juxtaposition of exterior age and internal styling.

Worktops

Consider both style and practicality. Your choice of worktop should take into account not just the look you want, but also how you cook. Ifyou’re one of those cooks who likes to be able to put a hot pan down just aboutanywhere, you need a hard-wearing, heat-resistant surface to match. Granite, porcelain or quartz are all good options. On the other hand, if you are in the habit of using trivets, you can consider other options such as Corian or wood.

Convenience

Do you like an eye-level oven or do you prefer to have youroven directly beneath the hob so you can quickly transfer things from one to the other? Would pull-out corner shelves be a godsend so you can maximise storage space without clambering inside the cupboard? What height suits you for worktops?

How do you use your kitchen?

Do you have a large family or cook for friends a lot? You might want to incorporate a generous dining table into your design. For smaller groups and more casual meals, a dining area on an island or peninsular works well. An island with hob inset means you can cook while you chat to your family or guests.

Other work

Don’t forget to factor in any other work which needs to bedone as part of your kitchen project – perhaps walls will need re-plastering, or you want to replace the flooring. If you’ve always wanted underfloor heating, now is the time to have it installed. You may need additional plumbing and electrical work, for example if you are having appliances fitted into an island. Your kitchen designer will be able to arrange all of this work for youas part of the installation.

Quality

It’s fair to say that you get what you pay for when it comesto the quality of a fitted kitchen. Cheaper products may look similar, but oncloser inspection you’ll almost certainly find the quality of the build and fittings is inferior. Soft close mechanisms should be fitted as standard on drawers and cupboards in a good quality kitchen. Check out the carcasses too, to make sure that the interiors are robust. At Schwarz Kitchens all the cabinets we supply are bespoke and are ready built for you – not a flat-pack unit insight. This ensures you get the best build quality and saves time on the installation.

Advice

If you are choosing your first kitchen, come and speak to our expert team at Schwarz Kitchens. Our designers have years of experience in creating beautiful kitchens for customers across Sussex and beyond. Call in to one of our showrooms today in Haywards Heath, Brighton and Eastbourne, and let’s get started on designing your first dream kitchen