Kitchen Design Checklist - Questions to ask yourself

What Would You Like in Your Ideal Kitchen?

The aim of this questionnaire is to help you decide what you would like in your new kitchen. There may be other individual considerations to make, so ensure that you have thought through all the possible options you have.

Why do you need a new kitchen?

• Are you planning on reselling the property?
• Have your needs for the kitchen expanded or reduced?
• Or do you simply want to update the space?

What do you like about your current kitchen?

• Is there sufficient storage?
• Does the layout work well?
• Is there enough space for all your appliances?
• Does the colour scheme suit the property?

What do you dislike about your current kitchen?

• Is there enough room between cupboards to easily move around, even with more than one person in the space?
• Are any cupboards difficult to access?
• Do the finishes on the cupboards and benchtops look dated?

What is your preference for the 'look' and 'feel' of your new kitchen?

• Do you want to create a warm, inviting place?
• Do you want your kitchen to be the hub of activity in the house?
• Do you want a neutral, minimalist kitchen?
• Do you want a vibrantly exotic kitchen, full of colour?

What are your storage needs?

• Do you prefer a pantry, rather than cupboards, to store food?
• Do you have a lot of crockery? Pots and pans? Glassware? Kitchen appliances that need to be hidden away?
• If you're in an apartment, does your kitchen need to double as the laundry? Do you need space to store a washing machine, dryer, towels and linen?

Do you have any special items to be stored or displayed in the new kitchen?

• Would you like to store or display wine bottles?
• Do you have cookbooks you'd like to display on a shelf in the kitchen?
• Do you want a spice cupboard, spice rack or open shelf for easy access?
• Do you have particular crockery or stemware that you'd like displayed in the kitchen? Or rails to hold your wine and champagne glasses upside-down?
• How would you like to store your chopping boards? Tea towels? General rubbish and recycling bins?

What fixed and portable kitchen appliances do you have, or will have? And, how often will you use them?

• Fixed appliances include: refrigerator, freezer, sink, cooktop, stove, exhaust, dishwasher, microwave
• Portable appliances include: espresso machine, toaster, kettle, sandwich press, blender, food processor, wok, ice-cream machine

Apart from cooking, what other activities will occur in the kitchen?

• Will the kitchen double as an informal dining space?

What materials do you prefer?

• On the cupboards and drawers?
• On the benchtops?
• On the splashback?
• On the floor?