Small details that will make a huge impact in your kitchen

Sometimes it’s the seemingly small kitchen details that can be the most frustrating when working in the kitchen day-to-day. We look at the changes you can make to see the biggest difference in your kitchen. 

The kitchen is perhaps the most hard-working space in your home. From the morning rush to get everyone fed before they dash out the door, to preparing weeknight dinners, and entertaining friends at the weekend, it needs to meet a lot of requirements.

What’s more, if something isn’t quite right, it’s a daily, rather than an occasional, inconvenience, and can actually affect not only your enjoyment of the space,  but how likely you are to put it to full use. An extractor fan that is so loud you find yourself shouting, for example, will make you think twice about using the hob.

Here are some details that you should definitely consider when planning a kitchen upgrade.

Soft-close doors and drawers

No matter how much you love the look of your kitchen cupboard doors and drawers, if they constantly bang shut your kitchen can quickly become an unpleasant place to be. When preparing a single meal you could open and close cupboards over 20 times, between taking out and putting away ingredients, knives, pans, utensils and plates.

Soft-close doors and drawers undoubtedly make a kitchen more pleasant to use, and they are included as standard at Cash & Carry Kitchens, unlike some other kitchen suppliers where they will cost extra.

Eye-level appliances

When installing a new kitchen, it’s a good opportunity to reconsider the placement of your appliances and not just their position on the floor plan. Frequently used ones such as ovens and fridges are much easier to use when placed at eye-level, preventing you from having to bend to lift a heavy roast out of the oven, or reach something at the back of your fridge. You can also incorporate an integrated microwave into a tall or wall unit eye level to free up much coveted worktop space.

All Cash & Carry Kitchens’ showrooms offer a full range of appliances from microwaves to ovens, extractors fans to refrigerators. Considering your appliances within the design of your new kitchen will add to the overall function and aesthetics of the plan.

Slide-out shelves

We have all had a kitchen with at least one awkward corner cupboard. The majority of the space in these cupboards is very difficult to access, requiring you to contort your arm into all sorts of strange shapes to try and find what you’re looking for. As a result, they are often wasted space, housing items we barely use.

This can be remedied by installing shelves that slide out, allowing you to easily reach everything inside. Cash & Carry Kitchen‘s expert designer Marie Browne explains: “It means you don’t lose a load of stuff at the back of the larger corners, which used to be a nightmare for people. Whereas if you have some of the storage units that move, for example, we have a kidney-shaped carousel that completely extends. It’s fabulous because all of your storage that was previously lost is actually now the easiest to access.”

Worktops

Marie explains that she always makes these a priority. “To me, the key to any well-functioning kitchen is worktop space. You use your worktop more than any other part of your kitchen, whether it’s unloading the dishwasher or cooking the dinner, the kids doing homework or you’re entertaining and laying out food. If you find yourself short on worktop space, it’s going to be uncomfortable to work in the kitchen. Where possible you should try to have at least
60cm left and right of the hob and sink. If you find space is tight, ask for special accessories like our chopping boards which fit nicely over the sink bowl and small spice racks to keep the counters clear.”

Bespoke units

If you’re buying standard kitchen units, sometimes you can be left with a gap at the end of a row of units – after all, no kitchen is a standard size. However, with a bespoke design, there are no such issues, as everything will be made to the exact measurements of your kitchen, ensuring every centimetre is put to good use, and you can request any details that you would like, such as seating or a wine rack.

Cash & Carry Kitchens design every kitchen specifically to your space as standard, and build it in their Castlemartyr factory, so you know that everything will fit exactly. What’s more, their kitchens come fully assembled, which saves time and money.

In recent times there has been a trend towards buying flatpack kitchens. On the surface this can seem like a clever, cost effective option but this isn’t really the case unless you enjoy having a kitchen fitter in your home for a few extra days with all the extra cost involved. Cash & Carry Kitchens’ cabinets are manufactured in their 130,000 square foot facility in East Cork. They arrive fully assembled, saving the customer time, money and hassle. This also ensures the quality of the product itself.

Quality appliances

It can be tempting to go for the cheapest possible appliances, but considering they are products you will use daily, this is definitely a place to invest in quality. An extractor fan that is relatively quiet and slim in design will make cooking a pleasure, as will an oven that has a larger capacity. Look for at least 65-75 litres or upwards if you find yourself cooking multiple dishes at a time.

Marie Browne explains that high-quality appliances make a kitchen function better because of the ease of cooking and moving around the space. “You may recognise the scenario, you have a low-quality oven and it’s not cooking the pizza and the kids are getting antsy. Whereas if you can set the timer before you come in and maybe you pick the pizza function that has a crisp plate and in nine minutes it’s done, to me, those minutes are invaluable.”

Cash & Carry Kitchens is Ireland’s leading manufacturer and retailer of fitted kitchens. They have over 40 years of experience in designing, making and delivering units for the Irish public. The business is Irish-owned and has a 130,000 sq ft manufacturing facility located in Castlemartyr, Co Cork. There are 15 Cash & Carry Kitchens showrooms located nationwide where customers will find their beautiful collection of kitchens on display. Book a free design appointment and request a free brochure at cashandcarrykitchens.ie.

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