By Pocyline Karani

A dream kitchen for many describes like; many custom pieces, lots of cabinet space, high-end built-in appliance, multi-tiered counters and an open concept layout.

Storage space under a kitchen island.

An additional kitchen island standing at a bar’s height, either a full or wood cabinets continuing this counter along the dining side of the island will make a kitchen a pleasant place to be. All these aspects come together to create the ideal kitchen for cooking, entertaining and day-to-day life.

Choosing the material and style for your kitchen cabinets may be overwhelming and time consuming, however, thanks to manufacturers setting shop in town, your job is increasingly becoming easier by the day.

Many options

A recent visit to a kitchen maker opened me up to a world of kitchen wonder. From Caramel, PearWood, ButcherBlock Chestnut to Post office Red, the world of kitchen cabinetry is vast yet dynamic thanks to players like PG Bison, a panel and laminated wood product outlet.

But even with so many outlets to visit, the choices may seem endless calling for some bit of homework before embarking on a trip to reinvigorate your kitchen. Having settled on ripping off the old cabinets for new ones, a trip for a sojourn to the kitchen cupboard suppliers is inevitable. Some shops will help you with the design and layout and with the help of computer software generate a mock-up giving a three dimensional look of the kitchen with cabinets installed.

Texture plays a vital role in the appearance of a colour influencing the aesthetic appeal, as some surfaces reflect more light than others. Therefore, when selecting the wood panels for making the cabinets consider the texture and the feel of the finished surface. When designing, it is important to keep in mind what kitchen appliances you have such as the fridge, cooker, oven and microwave. Remember also small appliances installed on the counter such as the microwave, toaster oven, rice cooker or blender can affect the layout.

A high-end kitchen with built-in appliances is functional and spacious. Photos: Martin Mukangu ourtesy of PG Bison

According to experts, the simplest yet basic design for kitchen cabinets is a straight line across the longest wall. This is the least creative layout. But other popular shapes gaining popularity are the L and U, however, the shape you choose will entirely depend on the space available.

Ensure that the plan generally keeps at maximum the distance between the fridge and the cooker because the heat from the stove ideally affects the refrigerator. When planning, use a sheet of paper to sketch or map out the new kitchen as you visualise it but with scaled measurement of the actual kitchen. This way you are able to determine whether installing a kitchen island will suit and still allow you enough room to move around with ease.

Display area

A kitchen Island is a special countertop centrally located in the kitchen. It is primarily used for food preparation and auxiliary cooking needs. It also may double as a table for quick meals. A sink as well as cooker can also be installed here.

On one side of the kitchen island, create a display area for your finest vessels, leaving them visible and accessible. When creating a space for your cooker, make it at minimum 30 inches wide, even if your cooker is only 27 inches wide, which is normally the standard size. However, you will find that there are cookers size 30 and above, therefore create an opening to accommodate any size.

The type of doors and drawers are also important to consider. You will have the choice of either framed or panel doors or plain fronts. When choosing the surfaces for your workspace, keep in mind how they will fit with the overall style of the kitchen and how they will be used.