Credit: Simon Whitmore
An open plan kitchen-diner is everybody's dream. If your kitchen is looking a little dingy, perhaps it's time to rip it out and start again. Here's how to create a stylish look in a big space - on a budget.
All products and prices are approximate and correct at time of publication: Nov 2006
We all want a kitchen-diner, whether family-sized or petite. After all, not only is a dining area highly practical - it's one of the first things buyers will look for when the time comes to sell up. Knocking through a dining room to make an open-plan kitchen is worth the investment and even fitting a breakfast bar in a small kitchen is a very good move.
If possible, your eating area should always be nearest the garden. If you live in a flat, put the table near the windows. If you do have a garden, you'll have the option of installing French or concertina doors, which means you can open up your kitchen to the outside space.
Where you put the table is dictated by how your units are configured. In a large, rectangular room, it makes sense to put units down two adjacent sides, and the table just off centre. In a smaller room, you might be limited to a breakfast bar, either as part of a kitchen island, or as a narrow shelf against a wall. Don't buy a table or put in a breakfast bar that's too big for the room - allow a good metre between the units and the chairs. Need to save space? Oval or circular tables take up less room.
Credit: Simon Whitmore
Lighter colours - for both walls and units - will naturally make the room appear bigger and brighter. You needn't be limited to light shades - dark woods, such as wenge, give a formal feel, ideal if you're into posh dinner parties. Lighter woods have rustic charm, while industrial stainless steel gives your room all the kudos of a professional kitchen.
Good lighting in a kitchen is always a given - you'll need task lighting above your cooking and prep areas, but go for low-level lighting over the dining area so you can vary the mood. Failing that, dimmer switches for the main overhead lights are a must. As for ventilation, it's very important in a kitchen-diner, so investing in a good-looking (or concealed), efficient cooker hood will be money well spent.
Home comforts, such as a stove, an armchair, sofa, pictures or even a low table with a lamp, go a long way to personalising a kitchen. Bear in mind that this room will be used a lot, so wall coverings or paints, fabrics and tabletops should be easily wipeable, chair and sofa covers removable and washable, and rugs easily cleaned.
Click here for more information on making yourself a kitchen-diner.
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