What are the main factors which influence people's choices when choosing a fitted kitchen? Is it the style, Versatility, Functionality or price which becomes the biggest influence? How do you arrive at your final decision and will it look like you imagined it would? The truth is that investing in a fitted kitchen no matter what the reason for doing so will probably be one of the biggest improvements you will make to your home; after all it has been proven that kitchens and bathrooms are the key sellers of any home.



Space of course is a factor when designing a fitted kitchen, for example if you have a galley kitchen you will be limited as to what you can do, especially if part of the kitchen is already dictated to a certain extent by placement of utilities and waste.

Price can also be an issue, but with major stores such as B&Q, MFI and home base selling kitchen units so cheaply or offering packages whereby you have appliances included and 30% off the rrp, do you get value for money or do you get what you pay for? There is after all a difference between a well built kitchen unit and a unit which is haphazardly thrown together. Saying that you can buy a cheap kitchen and put it together properly which will make it look just as good as a kitchen that cost a fortune but is fitted badly!

The kitchen is often the hub of the house, and certainly the busiest place especially if you have a family, a kitchen can also be a place to entertain, therefore a kitchen needs to be versatile whether it's large or small and regardless of whether you can cook!

One thing to bear in mind is the work triangle. This is the layout of where the sink, fridge and cooker should be positioned for the best access to all as these are probably the 3 most important utilities in the kitchen area.

Of course it goes without saying that the style of the kitchen you choose plays a big part too, it has to be aesthetically pleasing to you, and it makes sense to choose a design which will stand the test of time, this is achievable with many styles nowadays as traditional, contemporary, minimalist or classic all have their place.

One other thing to consider is that a fitted kitchen comprises of more than wall and floor units, you will have to choose worktops, appliances, flooring, select what kind of lighting you are going to have? Then you will have to choose appliances, unless you already have these? Which will almost certainly mean another set of questions to answer, will you have a built in cooker and separate hob, a range or a free standing cooker, what sink will you choose? Just a normal sink and drainer, twin bowl or butlers sink which have made a come-back in the recent years (although not so forgiving on crockery!) Fridge, freezer or fridge freezer, washing machine, tumble drier or washer drier? All of these decisions will ultimately affect the finished look, even down to such decisions as whether to include a breakfast bar etc.

Generally these days you can see how your kitchen will look as a finished result before you even buy it, most stores will have a design programme which if you provide the dimensions of your kitchen they will be able to fit the appliances you require in the kitchen you have chosen, this makes life much easier as you will be able to see whether or not it will suit your needs, fits your dimensions and caters for your appliances before spending a single penny! The wonders of modern technology, so with all that said it makes sense to look at all the options when buying a kitchen and always remember to ask how much fitting will cost too!