Before you start shopping for a new kitchen you need to get your measurements right. This will help you get accurate quotes and make the whole process much more straightforward. Here's how you do it the right way.
Before you start planning the details of your new kitchen, you need to get your tape measure out to discover what space you have to work with.
Whether you’re hiring a professional designer or putting your DIY skills to the test, no big kitchen revamp can begin without accurate measurements - even an inch error in measurement can cause real headaches later down the line.
Before you begin, make sure you have the right tools. Measurement doesn’t require a specialist kit, but you’ll need a tape measure, a straight edge and grid paper as a minimum. If you’re tech-minded, laser levels and laser distance measures exist – they’re extremely precise and easy to use, but by no means necessary.
Firstly, draw the outline of your kitchen and take the following base measurements. These should all be noted down on a large sheet of grid paper in a clear, legible fashion.
back of the shelf? It’s taking up valuable space, so chuck it out or find somebody who wants it.
Follow the same process with windows – from the corner of the walls to the edge of the window trim, the width and height of the window (including trim) and finally, the distance from the floor to the bottom of the window trim.
Pipes, switches, vents and outlets also need to be marked. Measure from the corner of the wall to each specific item that will impact on the layout, functionality or design of your kitchen – this time, measure to the centre of the item and note the dimensions on your plan.
If you’re only renovating part of your kitchen, for example fitting new cabinets and countertops along one wall, then you only need to measure the relevant areas – although if you’ve got the tape measure out, it’s a good idea to measure up the rest of the room. After all, it’s sure to come in handy and save you time at a later date.
If you’re using a professional designer, they’ll be able to use this skeleton plan to begin designing your new kitchen. If this is the case, make sure to note the position of the sink, cooker and electrical outlets – unless you want major plumbing and gas works, these might not change too much!
If you’re designing the kitchen yourself, this is where the creative part comes in. Sketch in the desired locations of appliances, sink(s), countertops and furniture. Use the measurements you’ve taken earlier to estimate the space available – this can always be tweaked when you find the exact appliances, fixtures and fittings you’ll be ordering.
Once you’ve sketched in your dream kitchen, it’s time to make sure the reality will match the picture that’s in your head and check your design against accepted standards. The important things to check are as follows:
- Is it appropriately lit? A well-lit kitchen will include a mix of ambient lighting for atmosphere, task lighting for practical tasks and accent lighting to highlight the showpiece areas of the room. Let our in-depth guide to choosing the right kitchen lighting be your guide.
- Is there enough space for preparation, cooking, cleaning and handling? There’s no point in cramming every appliance and feature under the sun into your kitchen if you don’t leave enough space to work in.
At a minimum, you should allow:
Where countertop space intersects – e.g. if the landing space for the oven and microwave are the same piece of countertop – then you should add a minimum of 12 inches.
These are suggested minimum guidelines, not hard-and-fast rules – if you frequently cook for groups of people or create complex multi-stage meals, for example, you may wish to allocate more countertop space. On the other hand, if you live alone and never have much washing up to do, the countertop space to one side of the sink can be reduced.
- Is the ‘work triangle’ suitable? The primary work triangle is the area covered between the sink, fridge and oven/hob. This area should be minimised to make meal preparation more efficient. You should also make sure that no ‘traffic’ comes through the work triangle, to avoid people walking through your meal prep area.
- Is there space for bins? Bins aren’t glamorous, but you’d soon miss them! Make sure there’s a waste receptacle within easy reach of the sink, and another for recycling in a convenient spot.
- Are there enough electrical outlets? Not being able to find a spare plug is a real frustration that can be minimised with careful planning. Make sure to consider all likely uses – where will household members charge their phones? What appliances will be plugged in regularly? Will you have plug-in LED lights in cabinets? If in doubt, nobody regrets having too many spare outlets.
