Our top 10 points when going open-plan!
Our customers at Blakely Interiors are becoming more socially interactive in the home, where taking on the cooking duties doesn’t necessarily mean being secluded to the kitchen. They are making the big move to a more open planned way of living.
At Blakely Interiors, we work with our preferred suppliers to design and fit out open-plan kitchen spaces for our clients. We focus on practical interior design that suits their lifestyle. We manufacture bespoke upholstery furniture, soft furnishings and window dressings. This enables us to go beyond expectations and create spaces that are bespoke. We consider all avenues with our client before any wall is knocked down or item purchased.
Are you making the open plan move?
In collaboration with Northern Ireland’s largest home event Love Your Home 2017, we are sharing our top 10 points of advice, ideas and inspiration to help you convert your kitchen to open-plan.
Factor in our 10 points and you will not look back!
– Is your kitchen triangle adequate? This is the route between your sink, stove and fridge – the area within your kitchen space that is used the most and needs sufficient circulation space to minimise bottlenecks.
– Decide early in your planning which area gets the window position. Do you want your kitchen to overlook the garden? Make sure the distance from the kitchen area to the dining table is convenient for handling hot food.
– What do you want to see from your sofa – not your dirty dishes? You may want to set the kitchen, or your breakfast bar at a different height to the living space so the sink is not in full view.
– Avoid having everything against the wall. Create a series of rooms within your space by placing furniture to differentiate the living area from the kitchen. A modular, L-shaped sofa, stylish armchairs with a rug, table and standard lamps can complete a snug look for your living space.
– Do you need storage space for your noisy or bulky appliances and do they need easy access? Would bespoke shelving be your answer? Will your noisy appliances require a utility space and will this be required to prep food when guests are present?
– Is a kitchen island required? If so, try and work it into your kitchen triangle to give you more workspace, but make sure it doesn’t interrupt your flow from one station to the other. We would advise that unless your kitchen is at least 12 feet deep and 12 feet long, you shouldn’t even consider an island.
– Are you inspired by fashionable trends and colours for your open-plan interiors? You must consider your own style and home characteristics first before following through with any funky ideas. We don’t want you to be carried away by fashionable trends that may only be a short-term fix.
– Choose a shade of colour that works for the overall space and be aware of its colour band for window dressings, soft furnishings and upholstery furniture. Pair prints and patterns with a plain weave or texture to complement. Don’t be afraid to match your florals with a stripe or checks to add more character to your space.
– Eliminate any lingering smells with adequate extraction and ventilation in the kitchen area. Investing money in a good ventilation system will not only improve the quality of your indoor air but also help keep your kitchen cleaner.
– What lighting is required for your space? Do you need task lighting placed under cupboards to facilitate activities such as food preparation? Is accent lighting required to highlight key features in your space? Will a lighting control system work for you to create different lighting in multiple locations?
Choosing an interior design scheme for your open-plan kitchen space may be a daunting task especially if you haven’t direction from an interior designer. A professional interior designer can create a practical design for your open-plan space. They have the latest ideas and information, and can help you identify your needs and translate them into an efficient plan that fits your taste and budget.
Interior designers offer you an extra set of eyes that are trained to see and notice things that you or others may not. They can be hired on an hourly basis or for an overall design cost depending on the project and client’s requirements. An hourly rate works for those who are working within a tight budget or homeowners who just need a little guidance to gain expert advice, as and when they need it. While an overall design cost often involves the interior designer to be involved in a large project from start to finish. This is often the case on a new build.
Rates with an interior designer can vary. At Blakely Interiors, we offer a £50 per hour consultation, this is with one of our experienced interior designers, and believe me a lot of questions can be answered in an hour!
More questions?
Our experts can help answer any questions you have – simply get in touch:
028 4062 2666
enquiries@blakelyinteriors.co.uk
