Tori Summers, Director of Design and Innovation at Howdens, offers her top tips that merchants can pass on to their customers.
Whether you're working with a customer who has just bought their first home, or with a customer who is looking to upgrade their kitchen, budget is always a top consideration among homeowners.
It goes without saying that one of the primary factors when planning and designing a kitchen is personal taste and preference. Most homeowners will have a picture of a beautiful kitchen in their head and will often be steadfast in how they want the space to look. However, these dreams can often get dampened when faced with budget constraints.
If this is the case it's important to carefully consider their immediate needs and how they anticipate the kitchen will need to change as their lifestyles develop. It may well need updating years down the line, or they may look to move, or extend.
If you have a customer who is working to a budget and is still looking to achieve a stylish space, keep the following considerations in mind when designing a kitchen.
Choosing the right colour
Customers may be tempted to choose a bespoke, or bold colour for their new kitchen. The best option would be to opt for a colour that will never go out of style. White is the obvious choice, but if you want to add colour to the space, choose a timeless colour, such as dove grey or sage green.
Choosing a light, neutral colour, like white, is also beneficial if the space you're working with is small. White reflects light, which makes the space feel large and airy. Light colours can transform restrictive spaces, creating a blank canvas to make the kitchen your own.
Create personality with accessories
Accessories can transform their space and allow them to add their own style to their new kitchen. Warm copper accessories against neutral, light cabinets will convey a completely different style to matt-black accessories. Or, if they want to go bold, they can opt for brighter accessories such as a brass effect tap.
Remind your customer that they can change accessories as trends, and their tastes change, which will allow them to update the look of their kitchen more often, without starting from scratch each time. This also means that if they want to sell up in a few years, their kitchen will provide a blank canvas for prospective buyers, making their home more attractive on the market.
Make the most of the available space
If your customer's kitchen space is on the smaller side, this is an excellent opportunity to think about clever space-saving storage solutions. Under sink storage and integrated recycling bins are great options for making the most of a small space, whilst staying within a budget.
Plinth drawers are another great option, built to make the most of space between kitchen cupboards and the floor below; they are fitted beneath a cabinet, creating a smart way to use up all available space.
