Want to Future-Proof Your Kitchen?

According to some reports, the average cost of a kitchen renovation in the UK is between £5,000 and £17,000

Photo by Aaron Huber on Unsplash

That means that every time you get bored with how your kitchen looks, you'll be paying a small fortune to help transform it. 

Since the kitchen is the hub of conversation and community for many households, it's something you can't afford to take for granted.

After all, you don't have to be a professional cook to enjoy time spent in your kitchen.

The room can be a place where you and your kids experiment with homemade cupcakes.

It can also be an environment where you catch up with friends over a cup of tea.

The question is, how do you make sure that you create a kitchen that stands the test of time, so you don't have to spend as much in the long run?

All you need to do is follow these five simple steps.

Think about the future

If you want to make your kitchen as "future-proof" as possible, make sure that you think ahead when you're planning your new construction project.

For instance, if you're thinking about having an extension or conservatory built near your kitchen in the future, how will you incorporate that design today?

Considering the changes that you may make five years from now will ensure that your home looks far more "open" and natural in the future.

After all, you don't want your brand-new kitchen to look like an afterthought when you build your extension or knock down the wall leading to your dining room.

Additionally, avoid anything that would be difficult to change in the future. If you decide to opt for a heavy marble feature in your living room, it can be very expensive to switch that out for granite later on.

Don't rely on trends

Some trends are great, like meal planning and eating healthy foods. Unfortunately, sometimes, following what's popular will just set you up for more headaches further down the line.

While it's tempting to get carried away with new trends when you're first decorating your kitchen, try to avoid anything that's just "hot right now."

Instead, try to visualise how you'll be using your kitchen in the years to come, and build an environment around that. For instance, if you want a family kitchen where you can relax with the kids, then having plenty of cupboards, counters, and even a breakfast nook might be in order.

Additionally, if you usually cook for a lot of people at once or you love entertaining, then you'll need plenty of seating space. You’ll also need room for all the appliances and gadgets you might want to experiment with.

Embrace the classics

When in doubt, it's always a good idea to consider the timeless design features that have endured decades of changes.

For instance, although there are plenty of colours that you can paint your kitchen today, the most obvious option is still white.

Remember, you can always add accents of colour throughout your room to transform the space; for instance, there are many colours available that you can paint your kitchen today.

Pots, pans, canisters, and even handles or door knobs in a specific colour will instantly give your kitchen a new theme. What's more, all of those things are much easier to change if you decide that you no longer like the colour a few years from now.

Plus, white make your kitchen seem a lot larger. It is a great colour choice for people who don't have a lot of space to work with.

Moreover, investing in good-quality flooring which has a neutral colour like white, grey, black, or wooden brown is also a great idea. Get your flooring and paint right, and then the rest can adapt to your needs throughout the years.

Try going digital

Technology is having an impact on almost every industry today. With a little bit of innovation, you can make each room in your house more intelligent.

There are even refrigerators that know when to order food when you're running out. Or you can experiment with coffee machines that start brewing your latte when you're on the way home from work.

A good way to make sure that you stay ahead of the curve is to find a digital hub for your kitchen that you can use to control all of your connected appliances.

Most tools will come with apps you can use on your phone but it's worth checking in advance.

You'll also need to ensure that your kitchen appliances are connected to the internet via Wi-Fi. This will give you more control over how you use your devices in years to come.

Some kitchen designers have even begun to offer wireless charging countertops that keep your devices powered up when you're using them in the kitchen. Imagine being able to charge your iPad while you're using it to track down recipes!

Eliminate all clutter

Kitchen styles may change over the years - but one thing always remains the same: everyone loves a clean and tidy room.

The less cluttered your kitchen appears, the more modern and stylish it looks. Fortunately, there are plenty of ways that you can keep your room looking spick and span these days. For instance, many modern devices come without any wires whatsoever.

If you do have cords on your appliances, you can always find tidy options to hide them, so you're not always dealing with a mess of tangled wires.

Another way to cut the clutter is to innovate with plenty of unique storage options. An example would be using magnetic racks to store pots and pans on the walls.

Talk to your designer about cupboards that can unfold in unique ways to give you accessibility to each and every space in your kitchen. You'll be surprised at what you can accomplish when you explore the possibilities of storage-focused design.

How do you plan on making the most of your kitchen in the years ahead? Let us know your forward-thinking and future-proof design strategies in the comments below, or share them with us on social media!