A dream kitchen, customised exactly to your cooking needs, house style and budget, is one of the top priorities for most home owners and renovators.
Home owners can choose from a range of kitchen services: from an architect or specialist designer who hands over plans to a joiner or cabinetmaker,
through to full-service companies offering to oversee the project right through to the last tile in place and the fridge switched on.
Interior designer Kay Charlton of Compleat Design has specialised in kitchens for more than 20 years, working with clients who have modest budgets through to blow-out figures. She spends most time at the beginning of the process, helping clients figure out what they need, how they work in a kitchen and narrowing down the sometimes overwhelming choices of finishes and products. Kay notes that good kitchens are under-pinned by top quality which may be hidden: sturdy self-closing runners for pot drawers, clever interiors, new multi-use sinks. Once designs have been approved, which may take several rounds of discussion and changes, cabinets and benches are then manufactured in around four to five weeks.
Kay recommends budgeting around $13,000 (excluding appliances) for a good, well planned kitchen, tailored exactly to your requirements. Swankier kitchens, with high-end bench surfaces such as granite, marble or the newer composites may run to $25,000 or more.
Kitchen Studio, the only national chain of kitchen designers and installers, has showrooms for customers to touch and try various kitchen layouts, hidden hardware and finishes. Again, design consultants help customers go beyond good looks to figure out functionality right down to splashbacks, placement of power points, lights, and more. The company offers a full installation and access to appliances to include in the package.
Free-standing islands with dramatic bench tops are still a strong design trend, reflecting the importance of the kitchen as the heart of the home and one of the best investments to make in a home.
Kitchen Studio ph 0800 177 177 or www.kitchenstudio.co.nz
Compleat Design ph 815 6232 or www.compleat.co.nz
