How To Design A Beautiful New Kitchen With CAD Software

Short of moving house, getting a new kitchen is one of the most exciting things you can do to your property. Not just a place where food is prepared, the kitchen is the hub of many households; a place where the children hang out and chat whilst you are cooking or maybe everyone gathers for a more casual meal.


But whilst it’s easy to list the appliances you want to include, picking the perfect layout can be more challenging, especially if you have never designed a new room before. Below are some pointers of the facts you should consider.

The Triangle
This may be a concept you haven't heard of before but most good kitchen designers deliberately create a functional triangle when planning the layout of the kitchen. The cooker, fridge and sink are the three items which frequently need to be used in conjunction with each other, three perfect appliances combining to create the Work Triangle.

The amount of space lying between these three key points in the kitchen is crucial as if you have a big room, putting the appliances at opposite ends is really going to disrupt your rhythm when you are cooking. The exact nature of the Triangle will vary depending on the layout, shape and size of your kitchen but the end goal always remains the same; a three-pronged space which when the sides are added up should not come to more than 360-660 cm.

Think of safety
When planning where you want everything to go, it's very easy to forget about the practical day to day issues, including any health and safety hazards you could inadvertently create. Consider how you will use the space and try and cut down on any potential problems, such as having to carry boiling hot pans across the kitchen to the work surface. Another issue to consider is keeping the hob away from the window.

This could create either a fire hazard with any blinds or curtains or could cause an accident if you lean over a hot hob to open or shut the window. If you have young children, seriously consider if there are any ways you can reduce potential risks. This could mean choosing safety knobs for the cooker or checking to see if there are any handles or sharp corners which would pose a serious danger for smaller members of the family hurtling around.


The devil is in the detail
When planning your design, it's easy to overlook the smaller details which pull everything together. For example, keeping the washing machine and dishwasher close together will help to reduce the amount of plumbing work needed whilst making sure your power plugs are in the right place is another essential.

Thinking about which way the door will open is vital - have you left enough room? - Whilst preventing the handle from banging against the wall is another small detail that will drive you wild if you don't attend to it. Don't forget to leave plenty of space around the hob for pan handles which overhang; there's nothing worse than handles jostling for space because another appliance is in the way.

Using a software package such as Articad is a great way to design a kitchen, visit their new website for more information. With its innovative drag and drop function, you can create your own virtual kitchen within a matter of minutes.

And with the ability to enter your own dimensions, you will literally be able to create a miniature version of your own home online. Using Articad does not diminish your ability to design your dream home but will help you ensure that there is nothing you have forgotten.




Your perfect chance
Designing your own kitchen gives you the opportunity to create a dream space without any of the gripes and grumbles you may have about the existing layout. It's a good idea to come up with a list of the current problems you have with your kitchen such as not enough workspace, nowhere to store larger items such as mops or maybe you have taps that splash everywhere.

Using the Articad software is your perfect chance to play around with the layout of the kitchen, making sure you have maximised space and created the type of kitchen which will suit your needs.

Conclusion
Getting the wall sockets in the right place, the units lined up in the optimum positions as well as the right colour scheme can take a bit of planning. But by using the Articad software you won't have to imagine the end results and can instead visualise your new kitchen in glorious 3D right in front of your very eyes!

  Samantha Wood

About the Guest Author:

Written by Samantha Wood who’s thinking about designing her own kitchen with CAD Software right now!