Cabinet appointments

Kya deLongchamps gives a submission on how to serve up a champagne kitchen on a ginger beer budget.

IT is wildly bandied about that acquiring a new kitchen can add as much as 20% to the value of your house. This presupposes the inclusion of a top flight Italian, German or handmade timber kitchen in a colour and style that will drive the potential buyers into a contractual frenzy. Where you do upgrade — create a kitchen first and foremost for yourself. If money is tight, there are subtle compromises, decorating insights and smart shopping adventures to bring home a champagne kitchen on a ginger beer budget.

Stay on point: Carry out a kitchen survey based on your highly personal needs and consider what you can retain. Consider mixing up freestanding pieces (that you may already have) with builtin units for bespoke individuality. Relentless terraces of cabinets can suffocate a kitchen, so don’t buy in more than you need. Examine what you’re using right now, estimate what extra storage is lacking and add another 10-15% in volume for the natural evolution of domestic detritus. Don’t move plumbing positions unless it seriously impacts your needs. Putting a bend in a water pipe or waste pipe to accommodate a few centimetres is one thing, but crossing the kitchen with dishwashers and sink can mean taking up the floor.