When you are thinking of changing your kitchen you have two options: either you go for an off the shelf kitchen or you order a bespoke one.
Off the shelf kitchens are kitchens which design and detailing have been already decided by a manufacturer being the role of the sales person/distributor to adapt that design to your needs and space.
This adaptation can go as far as the standardization of the different elements allows: sizes, materials, finishes and features. The more elements you can customize the more the price tends to go up.
For every “style” of kitchen the manufacturer creates a specific name is generally given so you may find names like “Oxford” or “Mondrian” to identify them.
For bespoke kitchens the possibilities are limitless and the detailing, shape, materials, finishes, etc are defined and confined by the budget/imagination you have.
Off the shelf kitchens tend to be less expensive than bespoke ones due to the industrialization of the making process. Of course there are different qualities in the market, quality that will relate to the points above mentioned and in some cases for the flexibility to change parts of the detailing at your will.
Now once you have been in touch with a kitchen company and the design that you want has been approved by you (which is a long process) what does happen after? Is that all? Can you trust that the quality of the kitchen is going to be consistent with what you were offered and saw in the showroom?
In one of my recent projects I designed the kitchen, its look, feel and colour scheme. We decided to work with a kitchen manufacturer that offers an off the shelf, good quality product, made in Germany.
The design was respected and the finishes chosen within the range or style available.
Up to here, everything has been good however it is just half of the process.
The other half starts when the kitchen is being delivered and the installation is in progress.
This second half is crucial and the beauty of the kitchen will depend on how this process is managed.
These are five points I would suggest you to pay special attention to so you can get to the point where reality matches or improves the design you had on paper.
Installation
This and the design are the most important elements in getting your kitchen right.
Let me put it in this way: a bad quality kitchen, well designed and very well installed will look much better than a great quality kitchen well designed and badly installed. We are talking about look, not durability.
Installation is as important as good design: Hanging and installation of carcases, alignment, hanging of doors, plinths, panels, posts, etc. Getting all of these and other elements right will give to your kitchen that crispy look.
Use of good quality hardware
Even if you cannot afford or don’t want to pay good quality carcasses, doors, worktops and finishes don’t save in hardware.
Kitchens are machines and are such they have to perform properly. Good quality hinges, pulls, tracks, etc will make your kitchen run smoothly and will put much less stress on the structure they are attached to increasing in this way the longevity of your furniture.
Template/Installation worktop
Whatever worktop you will use: marble, granite, composite, resins, plastic laminate, etc. the visual quality of it will depend on how well it was templated and installed: respect of corners, alignment with doors, polished edges, sealing of joints, etc.
Installation of appliances
The last part is paying special attention to how the appliances are installed: Alignment, connection, clean edges, discreet and neat use of glue, seal or silicones and finally testing their use and good performance.
Maintenance guidelines
Finally your kitchen supplier should provide you with a set of instructions about how to maintain your kitchen spotless. It is not the same to clean wood, lacquers, plastic laminates, foils, natural stones or synthetic surfaces.
If you are given this information (you need to request it) read it. They will help you to keep your kitchen working for you in a beautiful and efficient manner.
