What should be considered when it comes to balancing feature-led , creative kitchen design without breaking the budget ?
Nick Collins , creative director for Collins Bespoke , advises clients “ have a realistic budget in mind and list the items that are an absolute must ” because , although they are designing beautiful kitchens , they do need to be practical too . For example , consider the appliances you will need – this kitchen features a wonderful gas hob range – a central feature – and a large fridge-freezer , bringing together classic and contemporary . If you have a large family , it might be useful having two dishwashers or more than one oven .
Collins Bespoke ’ s kitchens are fully bespoke so consider the heights and depths of cupboards which will best suit the room . Higher cupboards work with higher ceilings , for example . Or storage solutions fitted into awkward areas . Consider where freestanding items will go , such as a toaster or a coffee machine . If you do not want anything on show , then a dresser or breakfast cupboard is sometimes a good option to hide these . As for electrical points in the kitchen , plug sockets may be useful inside a breakfast cupboard . The open storage has been dressed beautifully in this kitchen but sometimes this is not practical and cupboards may be a better option for a more minimalistic image .
The style and colour of cabinetry makes a huge difference to a space . This kitchen ’ s style is kept classical with the simple Shaker . A flat door will give a contemporary look in comparison . Using the lighter , brighter colours has made this room feel more spacious and has also allowed for its rustic accessorising , such as the Armac Martin handles in burnished brass and reclaimed timber panelling to stand out .
This kitchen ’ s use of natural light is lovely but if natural light is limited , under- and in-cabinet lighting , mood-lighting and task-lighting are all options that need to be addressed in the designing of your kitchen .
Finally , worktops : they can make a kitchen . While natural wood is rustic and charming , it is not often practical . Likewise , a natural marble is stunning but is a lot more expensive and a lot less practical than a quartz stone . The Caesarstone Topus Concrete used in this kitchen is elegant and reflects the neutrality for which the client was aiming . Collins Bespoke ’ s designers can always talk through the variety of options .
What is your design timeframe when creating the perfect bespoke kitchen ?
With every kitchen being designed and made specifically from plan , design stages are thorough . Using virtual reality software , Collins Bespoke ’ s designers present a good real-life proposal of their kitchen designs before they are made . This is great for perspective , but the accuracy does demand a timely process . This stage can take as long as it takes for the client to be fully sure of their final design . It takes about six to eight weeks to make the kitchen and two weeks to install .
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