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A kitchen can be workshop, dining-room and part time living room! Such a busy space needs extra thought at the planning stage...

Striking the right balance in your kitchen space.

Every kitchen is both workshop and part time living room. Indeed it's probably a busier area than any other room in the house. So when you're thinking about a new kitchen you will want to strike the right balance.

You may want to use it for eating as well as cooking, and it may have to provide room for the washing machine, dishwasher and freezer. Unless some of these can be tucked away in a utility room or, perhaps, in the garage.

So as the kitchen is the hub of every household and needs extra special consideration, it's a good idea to speak to somebody like a member of the Kitchen Specialists Association (KSA), when buying a new fitted kitchen. They will point out all the key things to look for, such as the quality of the cabinets and the drawers. And do the hinges have plastic parts or are they all metal, and so on?

The KSA insist on the three-way protection offered by their members which embraces experience, good design and installation practice, and an insurance-backed deposit protection called ConsumerCare. The Association also has a consumer helpline 01905 726066, where they welcome enquiries on any aspect of providing a new kitchen.

A KSA member will help you to resolve many issues such as deciding where to site the main pieces of equipment in the kitchen, usually the most critical is the sink. Plumbing considerations dictate an outside wall if there is one, and if the wall has a window, that would clearly be the favourite position.

Appliances

All of these priorities can be looked at and a complete design and fitting service provided by your local KSA member. One good place to view a range of well-known kitchen appliances is at your nearest British Gas Energy Centre.

Refrigerators, freezers, washing machines and electric tumble dryers must, by law, carry a European Community Energy Label. On a scale from A to G, these labels tell you how energy efficient an appliance is - A is 'good' and G is 'not so good'.

Best advice for consumers is to buy high up the scale because the appliance will cost less to run. The best ones carry a 'green flower' label.

The position of the kitchen door and, if you have a garden, a back or side door, might leave little choice of location for the cooker. However, for safety reasons it should not be near any door or beneath a window where the heat could crack the glass. Fridges should be installed away from ovens and similar heat sources.

Recirculating

To expel cooking fumes, smells and moisture-laden air, a cooker hood is invaluable. There are two types: extraction and recirculating.

Extraction hoods need access to an outside wall, and if there are any gas appliances in the kitchen a check needs to be made that it does not affect their flue performance. Recirculating hoods use a filter that has to be cleaned frequently.

To get rid of moisture and smells from the sink and food preparation area an open window is less effective than a small electric fan ventilator in the window or, more ambitiously, in the wall.

Because the kitchen is classified as a 'wet area' enough ventilation to clear the moist air is important. Two levels of ventilation, one high and one low, are the most effective in getting the air moving.

Emulsion paint on kitchen walls stands up well to a moist atmosphere, as do washable wallpapers and vinyls. A lining of expanded polystyrene sheet under the wallcoverings gives a nice warm feeling and helps discourage mould growth. Ceramic tiles, although more expensive, are very attractive, will last for many years, and are hygienic and easy to keep clean.

Personal Recommendations

For most of the kitchen plumbing jobs you are likely to need a plumber. Personal recommendations can be good but make sure you get a written quotation and that the plumber is a member of a recognised trade body such as the Association of Plumbing & Heating Contractors, or in Scotland and Northern Ireland, SNIPEF. And if you are fitting a new gas cooker, water heater or central heating boiler the plumber must be CORGI registered.

Article supplied by the National Home Improvement Council

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