Formica

Things to think about when planning your kitchen

Creating a new kitchen, whether you're renovating or building a brand new home is an exciting project. The result can enhance your house, creating a hub, which becomes the heart of your home.

Here are some questions to ask yourself when you start thinking about your new kitchen:

Do you need a big space?
Bigger is not necessarily better. A well-designed smaller space can work better.

Have you considered the adjacent areas?
Always consider the adjacent areas, such as, living, eating and outdoor entertaining spaces when choosing finishes and creating the style of your kitchen.

Does your kitchen reflect who you are and how you live?
Some of us love entertaining, or cooking at a semi-professional level. Others love the idea of cooking, but rarely prepare meals. Some of us have large families, whilst others live alone and may eat out more often than in.

What style of food do you like preparing?
Different styles of food have different preparation and cooking requirements. Consider frying, baking, steaming, grilling and barbecuing.

How will the preparation, wet and cooking areas relate?
This could affect the drawer and doors dimensions to suit utensils and implements as well as the type and size of appliances, sinks and your overall layout.

Do activities other than cooking occur in the kitchen?
Think about spaces needed if anyone uses a computer in the kitchen or does homework. You may be an entertainer who needs a drinks or bar area.

What storage areas do you need?
Consider what you need to store in the way of appliances, crockery, plastics, pots and pans and more. You might need a walk in pantry or you may be able to use cupboard storage.

How will you open doors and drawers?
Think about how you will open your drawers and doors – try to keep ones that will be opened together apart so doors don't get in the way.

Will your Formica selection suit your décor?
Use sample chips to ensure that your colour selections match other surfaces such as wall and window colours and finishes.

What style of door hardware will you choose?
Door handles can be ornaments that add style to your kitchen. Or, you could choose an integrated look with a press-touch system.

Will you use internal hardware?
There are many useful and space saving internal drawer and cupboard fittings – from rubbish and recycle bins to lid holders and spice racks!

What appliances are you using?
Different appliances have different requirements, for example, cook tops or stoves need different ventilation systems.

Where will you need power points?
Think about using kitchen appliances, plugging in a radio, TV or mobile phone charger – well placed power points can make a safer, tidier space.

Have you considered lighting?
From a functional and environmental point of view, lighting is important. Think about where you'll be doing various things and the level of light you'll need. Consider various styles of lighting too.

Choosing a kitchen layout

The work triangle
You can use the work triangle to design a more efficient kitchen by tracking movements from the pantry to the preparation area, the dishwasher to the cupboards etc. Obviously, the smaller the work triangle, the less time you'll spend moving. You may find that your common movements need more than 3 points so you'll end up with a more complicated shape, which you can apply to the following common kitchen layouts.

Bathroom Tips

Bathrooms are often plain, sterile environments, but they don't have to be. Bathrooms can be attractive, functional and comfortable spaces – it's up to you and your imagination! Here are some tips and Formica colour suggestions to get you started.

Add substance with stone
Stone finishes in Formica create the perception of substance and value.

The space creators
Bathrooms tend to be smaller rooms – you can create an illusion of space by using large mirrors and hiding storage areas behind a few large doors rather than many smaller ones.

Small things
Small details can make a big difference to how your bathroom looks and how you enjoy using it. Aligning eyelines (horizontal lines such as those where tiles end) gives a cleaner look. A shelf in the shower for shampoo and a footrest for those who shave their legs can make showers easier.

Accessorise
Treat your bathroom hardware and fittings like fashion accessories and they'll set the tone beautifully.

Laundry Tips

Rethink the laundry
Just because it's a functional area, the laundry doesn't have to lose aesthetic appeal – whether it's in a room or a space behind large doors.

Copy the kitchen
Decorate as you would the kitchen – perhaps even in the same or complementary colours and styles.
You can experiment with colours and more in Colour Play section of this web site.

Sort and separate
Consider creating drawers or cupboards, which allow you to separate whites, coloureds and darks. It will make efficient washing easier and look great too.

Iron away
Incorporating ironing boards into the joinery can maximise the use of space and make the area multifunctional.

Airing options
Popular in Europe, airing or drying cupboards are being increasingly installed in Australian homes.

Choosing colours with confidence

Colour is one of the most powerful decorating tools – yet some people don't realise what it can do and miss out on great results. Here are some thoughts to start with….

Don't be afraid
A splash of colour can create pleasure and delight and bring some personality into a space.

Create a focus
Use vibrant colour as splashback in a white or neutral toned kitchen.

Go inside
Use colour on the interior of your cupboards for a surprise element, leaving the exterior neutral.

Be interesting
Use colour behind open shelves and in similar otherwise neutral spaces to add visual interest.

Look around
Look at the other colours in the kitchen or adjacent areas e.g. living or dining area, terrace or deck. Don't forget your garden and any dominant colours there.

Synergise
If there is some synergy between the colours you choose and the colours in surrounding areas, the result will usually be more attractive. They don't need to be exactly the same colours, often a similar hue in a different tone or shade works well.