Cook for yourself like a chef

Let your kitchen ideas simmer

Adapting to volume
Designing a kitchen requires a great deal of thought. As the heart of the home, this room must above all be functional. Its layout should not be based on your imagination, but rather on the shape and surface area available. U-shaped, L-shaped, I-shaped... there are many different types of layout. For example, the kitchen plan can be :

• I. Adapted to long, narrow kitchens (also known as hallways), the I-shaped kitchen aligns the various workstations and is fairly simple to fit out.
• Parallel. In fact, it's the same configuration as the I-shaped kitchen, but with units on 2 walls facing each other, with a door and window at the end. For your comfort, there must be at least 1.20 m between the 2 rows of units. This face-to-face arrangement provides a large work surface and maximizes storage space.
• U-shaped. Best suited to square rooms or open kitchens. In terms of functionality, it's ideal for having everything within easy reach, and limiting the number of trips you have to make.
• L-shaped. This is the most common configuration, perfectly suited to medium-sized kitchens. It occupies only two sides of your space, allowing free and easy circulation. For example, you can create a dining area with a table or island in the center of the kitchen.

Open kitchens are always on trend! The central island acts as a link between the kitchen and the living room. It's this conviviality that certainly explains the popularity of this type of kitchen.
You can draw your own plan by hand or, for the more experienced, there are software programs that are relatively easy to use. To avoid mistakes, however, ask a professional to produce one or more 3D plans, so that you can better visualize the different layouts.

Distribute activity hubs evenly
In order to optimize your travels: the famous "triangle of activities"! The aim is to minimize the distances between the three strategic areas of your kitchen:

• the cold zone with the refrigerator,
• the cooking zone with the oven and hob,
• and the water point with the sink and dishwasher.

Planning the technical side
Who hasn't said to themselves: "I should have had a socket put in here, it would have been more practical!" When you're building a kitchen, you need to think ahead on the electrical and plumbing fronts. Once the furniture has been installed, it's difficult to intervene. Electricity must comply with French standard NF C15-100, which regulates low-voltage electrical installations. For a practical kitchen, we recommend one or two fixed light sources (depending on the size of the room) and at least four to five 16-amp sockets; with at least two installed above the worktop for small appliances (coffee machine, for example). Your lighting must not only set the mood, but also be efficient. Don't forget the built-in spotlights in your cupboards!
The same goes for your water inlets and drains: all this needs to be thought out in advance. You'll need to think carefully about the location of your sink and dishwasher, which should theoretically be close by.

The height of your worktop

The ideal height for the main users of the worktop should leave no more than 15 cm below the elbow. The installation of the sink should allow you to touch the bottom of the bowl with your fingertips.

No lack of taste with a style that suits you

The kitchen adapts to your every whim and plays an essential role in your life, especially since the health crisis. As a result, kitchen sales have exploded! In 2021, kitchens are stylish, with an emphasis on "made in France".
Dark tones are still the order of the day, and open kitchens with central islands are still in vogue. Functionality is also a key expectation, with plenty of room for clever features that make everyday life easier, such as selective-sorting bins instead of the classic garbage can, or a bread rack with integrated chopping board.
A safe bet for some years now, black continues to win us over in the kitchen. Synonymous with "chic", black is now available in anthracite, graphite or midnight blue, but always with a wooden kitchen. Natural wood is also in the spotlight, in a variety of colors. As solid wood is not affordable for everyone, melamine remains the leading material for kitchen fronts. Kitchen designers are increasingly offering materials that imitate marble, stone or wood, creating a perfect illusion of grain. Lacquered furniture is still in vogue, even if glossy fronts are giving way to matte ones. More modern, lacquered kitchens add design and light, enlarging your room.
Laminate worktops are all the rage! It offers many advantages: easy cleaning and shock resistance. And when it comes to budget, there's no comparison: it's far more economical than wood, and comes in a wider range of colors.
Now you're ready to cook up a storm in France's favorite dining room.

Coordinate your craftsmen

Be sure to coordinate your various tradesmen: tiler, electrician, plumber, kitchen fitter, carpenter... For impeccable implementation, you need to keep to the schedule!

Stéphanie Swiklinski