Your kitchen should be the centrepiece of your home, the room which impresses the most. You cook there, maybe you eat, study and socialize there as well when you have guests – so you want it to be an attractive room both for you and for your visitors. There’s just one problem: budget. A beautiful kitchen can be expensive. For that reason, in this article you’ll discover 5 simple, cost effective ways to make a budget kitchen stand out and rival the best. Read on to find out more.

#1 The Taller the Better

This doesn’t mean install your cabinets out of reach, but taller cabinets create more storage space for you, and they look much more pleasing. An obvious trait of a budget kitchen is having smaller cabinets, but by shopping around you can buy cabinets which are tall, sturdy, and pleasant to look at without spending a fortune.

#2 Let There be Light

Lighting is one of the most important aspects of any room. Get this wrong and no matter how well laid out and stylish your kitchen is, it will still look unappealing and feel uninviting – no good for you or your guests! With some strategically placed down lights, a few spots, and pushing the budget out slightly for a stylish main fitting above, you can significantly improve the look of your kitchen, while making it more functional.

#3 Think About Your Flooring

How many times have you seen a brand new kitchen where the owner has spent their budget on beautiful cabinets and fittings, but ignored the floor. Some stylish ceramic tiles will catch the eye as soon as you enter, especially if you have them laid out diagonally. Remember, your floor is not just something you walk on, it’s often the first thing you look at when you enter a room, so make sure it dazzles.

#4 A Dash of Colour

Using colour effectively without being garish about it is a great way to add a unique style to your kitchen. Most people play it safe with white, black, or wood finished units, but blues or reds with silver fittings can create a look which is stylish and unlike every other kitchen you walk into.

#5 More than a Kitchen

If your kitchen is big enough, try to think about it as more than where you simply keep food. It’s the heart of your home – a table or island to study at; a TV and some comfortable chairs to relax in. These touches can be added without blowing your budget. Just make sure it all matches and you’re good to go! Add some flowers and some little decorative details like books and ornaments, and you’ll have a fantastic kitchen which serves many functions.

Do you have any suggestions how to improve the look of a kitchen on a budget? We’d love to hear from you, so please do leave your comments below!

The best way to start is to have a clear out. You need to throw away everything that you don’t need. Why do I have 5 whisks? Do I really need all of them? Well if you are honest with yourself then you will see you can throw a lot away and in tern have a lot more space.

Another way is to prepare space for your cooking and chopping. The chopping usually were the wear and tear come from. Have a permanent place where you can fix a chopping board that folds around your granite. This will help prevent markings and wear and tear on the surface as studies show it’s the chopping boards create the most markings on the worktop

Try using cupboards for the use of appliances and also try fitting the appliances onto the kitchen. This will automatically generate a lot of space for you. This should also help generate more of the minimalist look in the kitchen.

Utilise the kitchen in a way that it doesn’t become a place where everything is cluttered and overwhelming. Reside in this place but always make sure to keep it uncluttered so your worktops and kitchen ware can stand out with out being compromised.

Click here to download our PDF

Magazine
Browse through magazines you like to read. Usually you will always find a sense of theme and moods on magazines which really tickle’s your fancy. I would usually recommend a home decorators magazine in light of vogue or other non related materials. In doing so it will open up the possibilities in which you can indulge in.

Controversial furniture

A lot of the time we have a piece of furniture which we love but always sticks out from the rest. It’s not a bad thing. This furniture or something about it must really demand respect. We think this maybe a starting point. Use that old armchair or that coffee to start you design process and design around it.

Explore as you walk
As you walk down the high street and visit all your favourite window shopping places. Make mental notes of what you like and dislike. This method allows you to determine a more holistic approach to design.

Trial and error

Most want to get it right in one go. Be brave to trial and test colours to see what suits best. It’s very hard to get it right first time.

Brave heart

Be sure to express yourself properly and not to be scared to try ideas out of the box. After all you will be living there.

Quartz is a common material found in the Earth’s crust. Despite its abundance, the crystals which are used to make each Quartz worktop are one of nature’s marvels. As a material, Quartz is highly durable which makes it the perfect choice for a kitchen surface. Its durability is matched only by its attractive appearance, and it is this combination which makes it one of the most popular choices for both country and contemporary city kitchen designs.

Although Quartz is a fantastic material, it was only in the 1980s that Quartz kitchen worktops became popular due to a simplified manufacturing process which made them more affordable. Each worktop is normally made of 90 to 95% of naturally occurring Quartz crystals. This is achieved by grinding larger chunks of stone Quartz into a fine material which is then combined with a small amount of glass and a binding agent made out of acrylic resin. Depending on the specific design, some worktops will have coloured materials included or even highly reflective tiny crystals to create a sparkling finish. This mixture is then shaped into large slabs through a moulding process, and in some cases is an antibacterial agent for more effective hygiene.

The resulting slabs are subjected to a huge amount of pressure, upwards of 100 tons, and are then put through a curing process in a specially designed kiln before finally being allowed to cool and solidify. Finally, the worktops are tested to ensure that the manufacturing process has been effective, before being polished.

What’s great about a Quartz worktop is that you can cater it to your needs and tastes. As manufacturing processes have improved, a huge range of colours is now available. Each colour is now applied with no visible variation. This means that if you use a colour for more than one worktop, or for an especially large slab, you can be sure that the appearance and presentation will be consistent no matter which viewing angle you take. Furthermore, you can have other materials included with the Quartz such as granite flecks which can will vary in a natural, organic way for those specifically looking for variation. Of course, the option to have a worktop that looks just like pure natural Quartz, complete with beautiful crystal-like translucency, is also a fantastic available choice. You’ll also find Quartz worktops with a variety of different finishes including polished, glossed, and matt.

Quartz worktops are not just beautiful to look at, but have huge advantages over other materials including being non-porous, hygienic, scratch and heat resistant, as well as being low maintenance and mould and mildew free.

If you’re looking for the best quality Quartz worktops and the highest standard of workmanship and installation services available, contact us today and let us build you the dream kitchen you truly deserve.

1. The first step to any fitted home kitchen is to find a reliable kitchen fitter. With so many different fitters out there it is best to take your time to do your research and be sure to take references of any of their previous works.

2. Simple is the new black. Keeping things simple will ensure your style of kitchen will never grow old. The best arrangements for cabinets usually consist of wide, deep drawers. You can also look into floor mounted cupboards but be careful not to mix the two in a single run. It can look very messy so it is best to avoid combining the two which can create a full height wall and floor mounted unit. Keeping the right symmetry will go a long way.

3. When it comes to selecting appliances for your kitchen, avoid the expensive brands. Remember, when on a budget you can still find basic appliances that work well.  Just be sure to find appliances with a good energy efficiency rating. Most appliances can be positioned behind cabinet fronts to match the style of the kitchen.

4. Extractor fans should never be placed between wall cabinets, this looks messy and clumsy. One method of preventing this is to conceal the extractor fan in a wall cabinet with no bottom. This will hide the fan while still allowing it to be used. Another method is to replace the adjacent cabinets with open shelves to create more space. The cheaper extractor fans are often made in the same place as the more expensive ones, so it may be best to spend less on one.

5. Concealment is the main concern when designing a modern kitchen. There are a few tricks to achieve this. Buying a cheaper stainless steel sink and then under mounting it into your worktop will make it look more expensive and stylish. Another trick is to push the plinth of the floor units as far back as possible.

6. Kitchen taps should be of a high quality but don’t break the bank buying them. Hansgrohe is a good place to start.

7. Look into getting the main parts of your kitchen fittings from DIY stores such as Ikea or kitchen specialists such as Howdens. They are much cheaper and ideal for any kitchen designer on a budget. You can also look into having them fitted with custom doors and drawers to really create a high class design.

8. In any kitchen, the most visible parts are the worktops. This is where money should be spent. Granite worktops are ideal as they look amazing and are durable. They last a lifetime and can be quite cost effective.

When it comes to creating a high design kitchen on a budget it is best to save money where you can. Choose the right appliances and materials while having the correct judgement of fitting and style. You can create a very expensive looking kitchen with the right tricks.

First choice / High quality

First choice is the highest quality of granite. These granite slabs usually have very high gloss and practically no visible imperfections. The first choice granites usually come in rare colours or have distinctive patterns that make it unique therefore increasing its value. However as stated before, this grade of granite does not necessarily have better strength of durability than the other grades. First choice granites contain veins and other imperfections which may make it difficult to work with when cutting.

Commercial Quality

Commercial quality granite has very obvious defects, such as veins, cracks, clouds or blotches; although many professionals with excellent knowledge in the trade can process commercial quality granites very well. The polish on the surface may not be as fine and glossy as first choice granite but some professionals can grind the granite to achieve a better gloss. Commercial quality granites are cheaper than first choice and can sometimes be more durable due to having fewer veins.

Second choice / Second quality

Second choice granite is the cheapest of the grades. These are usually less popular as they contain many natural imperfections and blotches. However, some professionals can repair these imperfections. This can save the manufacturer money on raw materials, although this will require more time and attention during the processing of the material. Most second choice granites are cut into smaller pieces. This is because of the high concentration of veins and quartz pockets in the material. Although if a piece that fits can be found, you could see yourself saving lots of money.

To summarise, the grades of granites are not universal. These are titles given to the granite slabs by the seller. Although the better grades look better, it does not particularly mean that they are stronger or more durable. So when it comes to choosing a granite worktop for a kitchen or other areas; pick the one you like without taking too much into account of its grade.

Natural Materials:

–          Granites and Marbles

Granite and marble are both natural stones and are commonly used in the kitchen. They look and feel great and come with many properties that will benefit any kitchen. Both stones have to be excavated from the ground in a quarry. This requires a lot of energy from machinery and transport which can cause problems like pollution and lots of noise.

–          Wood

Wood worktops have less impact in terms of pollution than granite worktops. Wood requires very little processing and only requires sawing and sanding. This requires very little amounts of energy. The main issue with wood comes from the environmental effects of cutting down trees. If the wood is not sourced from sustainable sources; habitats can be destroyed.

Manufactured Materials:

–          Quartz

Quartz worktops are great alternatives to granite worktops. They look and feel similar to granite but come with several different advantages. Quartz worktops are manufactured by combining quartz grains and colour pigments with a polyester resin. This is then poured into a mould to create a slab that looks very similar to granite. The environmental effect of quartz is similar to granite where both are quarried. This means pollution is created from the heavy machining required. However quartz is easier to source locally which reduces the transportation costs.

–          Ceramic

Ceramic requires considerable amounts of energy. This is because during the product process, the tiles are fired twice (sometimes more). When it comes to installing ceramic, the solvents used can affect the indoor air quality so it is advised to use solvent free mastics. Ceramic tile surfaces aren’t the best choice for worktops as they can create an uneven surface and are prone to damages.

–          Laminates

Laminate worktops are made of plastic coated synthetics. Most laminate worktops are made with high volatile organic compounds (VOC) papers and adhesives, but less harmful laminates are more available today. The environmental effects of laminates consist of slow release toxins which can have long term effects on your health. It can also cause allergic reactions and irritations.

Although the environmental effects of a kitchen worktop is important, there is not too much difference between each material. Each requires energy when collecting and transporting the material from its original location to a processing unit. The main thing to look into is its effects to your home. You don’t want a worktop that reduces the indoor air quality and can cause irritations or allergic reactions. The best thing to do is to pick a worktop that feels and looks great without causing harm to people who use it regularly.