Anna Ryder Richardson is back with another great blog post for us, this time on the varieties of lighting to consider before starting to design your kitchen. Read on for ideas on transforming your kitchen…

Lighting really is one of the most versatile design tools you can have when creating your kitchen.  It can highlight, disguise, create atmospheres and act as a piece of art all within your space.

UP, DOWN

Ceilings in kitchens should be peppered to your own taste, with small down lights, flush to the surface to create the required room light. You can then add other functional pieces to give the ‘wow factor’, like the amazing ‘Elica Collection Star’, a stunning chandelier style cooker hood.

Be adventurous with your lighting choices. The obvious option is lighting under wall units but don’t forget there are areas all around your kitchen that can make use of interesting lights – tubes; rope lighting as fine as spaghetti that can be used on plinths, around the bottom of wall units or under worktops as a continuous outline of light; or wall washing with coloured light as a feature wall.

IN THE MOOD

Your kitchen needs to have many different looks, from day to night, social to study and, not forgetting, romantic.

This is where your mood lighting takes centre stage. Ideally the lighting should be changed at the touch of a button so as not to interrupt the mood you’re creating but of course this isn’t available on all budgets.

Let us never forget the power of candlelight, from the humble tea lights lining a windowsill to a floor standing giant tear-drop shaped candle. How candlelight changes the ambience in a room, with their endless flickering, makes them almost a living part of the evening.

REFLECTION

Mirrors have always been used to bounce light around rooms to make them appear bigger but now, coloured glass worktops stretching into seamless splashbacks gives reflections a whole new meaning.  Could drive you mad with fingerprints but it’s so worth it! Finding an unusual reflective surface personalises a room so why not build it into your design from the beginning.

High-gloss, lacquered kitchen cupboards are stunning whether in black with dark wood or white gloss doors with coloured handle insets. The shine effect adds limitless dimensions with reflection and can be used in contemporary and more traditional schemes wanting a twist.

To help with planning your dream kitchen, we thought we’d take you through what happens when you visit a Magnet showroom…

Before going into a showroom, it’s best to have an idea of the space you have to work with and your budget. Once you’re with a member of our team, they’ll talk through your ‘Wish List’ of requirements and the amount you want to spend. This usually takes around 40 minutes, as we need to be very clear about your requirements so we can design the perfect room for your needs.

Next, one of our specialist kitchen designers will carry out a home survey, taking measurements and noting any odd angles or spaces in your kitchen.

Once this has been completed, you’ll pop back in to see us so we can show you the exciting part – the 2020 images and 3D visual of your potential new kitchen! This is created as per the unique measurements of your kitchen and exact specifications – we’ll give you a printout and total costs for you to take away to consider. Of course, if there’s anything you’d like to change such as the worktop or appliance positioning, your designer can amend it at this stage.

Once everything is perfect and you’re completely happy, your kitchen will be made up. This takes between 4 and 6 weeks as each one of our kitchens is made to measure.

If you’ve chosen to have your kitchen fitted by one of our Government TrustMark approved fitters, they will carry out a pre-fit survey while the cabinets are being made to get a thorough understanding of what the job entails. If required, our installers will also remove your old kitchen before starting to fit your new one.

The last step once everything has been fitted is for your designer to give your new kitchen a final check to ensure everything is running smoothly as planned. Then we’ll give you a 15-year cabinet guarantee so you can get on and enjoy your new space!

As part of Magnet’s Smart Care service, your designer will visit your home a year after installation to conduct a thorough check and make sure your kitchen is looking and performing exactly as it should be.

Would you like to book a design appointment at your local store? Talk to us at facebook.com/MagnetKitchens or on Twitter @MagnetUK

Continuing our month of expert advice on the three main kitchen layouts, we’re looking at the L-shape. Our tips should help you with any design plans…

The L-shape is one of the most popular and versatile kitchen layouts as it creates plenty of workspace. It incorporates the shape of the room, importantly utilising the corner area.

This layout works well in small and large kitchens and in homes where two people will want to work simultaneously, as they won’t keep bumping into each other.

With the L-shape, it’s worth considering adding an island unit or dining area into the centre of the room (or by the third and fourth wall) without disrupting the traffic to work areas. Not only will this give you additional work surface – it makes this layout perfect for entertaining. It’ll also come in handy if you have children, they can sit and read or do their homework while you prepare dinner!

Under-counter cupboards help to create a large amount of storage space, which can be increased even further with multiple wall units. L-shaped kitchens also have the advantage of a corner unit, giving a great opportunity for incorporating storage solutions such as the soft closing pull and swing corner unit and utilising otherwise wasted space.

The key to this layout is to maintain practicality. Each main working station should be within a couple of metres of one another with the fridge, sink and cooker making up a working triangle. These areas are vital in the cooking process so therefore need to be within easy reach, which can be more challenging in an L-shaped layout.

A good idea is to have all your cooking appliances – fridge, cooker, hob – along one wall, and washing appliances – sink, washing machine, dishwasher – along the other. Grouping the facilities in this way make it easier to get activities completed efficiently.

Are you unsure how to plan an L-shaped kitchen? Ask for advice at facebook.com/MagnetKitchens or on Twitter @MagnetUK

Continuing our month of expert advice on the three main kitchen layouts, we’re looking at U-Shaped kitchens. Hopefully our tips will help you with any design plans…

The U-shape design is great for large rooms. Try adding a breakfast bar to one side of the ‘U’, to create a family area in the kitchen that will transform the room into an area for entertaining.

Go wild with chunky appliances such as range cookers and American style fridge freezers as they’ll fit perfectly in this style of kitchen due to the size of the room. You can also install an island unit into this shape of kitchen to maximise the space in between the ‘U’.

A big consideration with U Shaped kitchens is to ensure that workstations aren’t too far apart in the kitchen design as this isn’t practical. If placed correctly, U-Shaped kitchens can easily support the working triangle and divide the kitchen into multiple work sites. The working triangle places the oven, fridge and sink in a triangle shape for an efficient and practical way of cooking.

Corian worktops look great in U-Shaped kitchens, creating one continuous, seamless worktop, sweeping through your kitchen and even incorporating the kitchen sink – great if you’re looking to make a statement.

If choosing a ‘U’ shaped kitchen, bear in mind that they are generally higher budget due to the large space, increased number of cupboard units and appliances.

Are you unsure how to plan a u-shaped kitchen? Ask for advice at facebook.com/MagnetKitchens or on Twitter @MagnetUK

It can sometimes be difficult to think about a new kitchen design if you’re unsure of the best layout for your space.

This month we’ll be sharing some expert advice with you on the three main kitchen layouts. Hopefully our tips will help you out a little with any design plans…

First up are galley kitchen layouts. Perfect for small spaces as the placing of units against the walls maximises a narrow space and keeps appliances close together without appearing too busy.

Small appliances will make the room feel bigger – a large farmhouse sink won’t work in kitchens short on space – you’ll need things on a smaller scale to make the space appear as large as possible.

In small kitchens, too many wall units can make the kitchen feel cluttered as this is where the eye is drawn first. Instead, choose tall wall units that provide plenty of space without taking up too much room.

The colours and materials used in a galley kitchen can make a huge difference to how spacious it feels. For example, using reflective surfaces is a great way to create the illusion of more space. Light colours work in a similar way. Cream, white and pastels will all bounce light around the room to make it look larger.

What do you think of galley layouts? Let us know at facebook.com/MagnetKitchens or on Twitter @MagnetUK

Have you ever wondered what our kitchen designs will look like 20 years from now? Which gadgets will be on every work surface and what futuristic trend will be sweeping the nation?

Well here at Magnet we’ve made some predictions…

In 2032 green issues will be higher on everyone’s agenda so we’ll see stylish spaces within the kitchen for growing herbs and vegetables, as people develop a ‘grow-your-own’ mentality. It goes without saying that recycled and eco-friendly materials will be used throughout the room too.

With technology moving at such a fast pace, the advance in kitchen appliances will rocket. Focus will turn to energy efficiency and traditional appliances, such as the kettle, will be a thing of the past. Everyone will have a steaming hot water tap instead. We can say goodbye to cords as well, all we’ll need to do is place an appliance on a specially designed surface and switch it on.

Appliances will also respond to commands in the future, for example ovens will be able to interact, switching on and adjusting their temperature depending on what we say to them and what’s cooking! Likewise, the fridge will be able to tell you what’s left in it and what’s out of date, as well as suggest recipes.

Kitchens will also be able to match your moods through advanced sensor techniques. If you need to relax, lighting will automatically adjust to create a more serene ambience and your favourite chillout tune will begin to play. And whether you’re singing your heart out to Lionel or rocking around to Kasabian, there’ll be no CD changing as in-built multimedia players will be set into work surfaces and units. Everything within easy reach!

It will be more important than ever for our kitchens to be a multi-functional family space rather than just for cooking. Kitchens will still very much be the heart of the home.

Are there any kitchen ideas you think will take off in the future? Let us know at facebook.com/MagnetKitchens or on Twitter @MagnetUK

MAGNET SAVANNAH – 50% OFF

600mm single floor unit was £433. NOW £216.50

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If you’re looking to kick start spring, why not refresh your home with a new kitchen? Magnet is offering some great discounts, including the Essentially collection from under £3,000^ so there’s never been a better time to design your dream kitchen.

This sophisticated and elegant kitchen works well in either traditional or contemporary homes. Curved end panels on kitchen units complement the warm, cream tones that are a key feature of the design, and a solid oak worktop lends a rustic, country feel to the kitchen.

From nature inspired wallpaper to patriotic patterns, these top styling tips will bring your home to life this season.

Pop Art Feature Wall

The time has come to move beyond the plain white wall and there are so many options out there for those seeking a modern wall décor. Pop Art feature walls will help you maximise the visual benefits of the artwork and create a space that you love. A feature wall of this nature injects personality and excitement without overpowering the rest of the room. A feature wall also adds a focal point to the room and brings in a strong, vibrant colour but with minimal effort.

Cool Britannia

With the Olympics and the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee not far off, it’s hard to get away from the Union Jack, so it’s a good job it is now officially a hot decorating must-have. The pattern has become increasingly popular, and with so many different ways to inject the patriotic print into your home, there are no excuses for not waving the flag!

Floral Prints

From bold leaf prints to feminine flowers, a hot trend for this year is to find your inspiration from your garden and inject a splash of nature into your home.  Floral prints come in a variety of different colours and themes, from regency glamour, gender neutral and oriental floral so there is a style to suit everyone. Floral prints are an effortless and effective way to pull a room scheme together.

A quirky re-working of traditional English country style is right on trend this season, a prediction we made for the trends of 2012. It’s all about creating a ditzy vintage look, a hint of classic English print with a sprinkle of cream tea elegance.

Bold prints

Black and white interior design styling has been a popular trend for some time now as the timeless appeal suits a lot of modern tastes. A piece of boldly patterned wallpaper in one area adds interest and dimension to the room – especially, if like this roomset, your colour scheme is monochrome. Did you know that monochrome doesn’t necessarily refer to black and white? Try experimenting with different colours for lots of different looks.

From our 2012 trends predictions, we saw this being a big trend for the year as it’s about making a statement with the use of bright colours, flashes of neon and retro patterns.

What’s your top trend for 2012?

Talk to us at facebook.com/magnetkitchens or twitter.com/magnetuk

Last Friday the Magnet team attended the first day of the Ideal Home Show at Earl’s Court, London.

The show has been going on for a staggering 104 years now, last year attracting 270,000 visitors across the 17 days.

Having been chosen as the kitchen supplier for the Ideal Home Magazine Room Sets, we were really excited to be a part of this brilliant show and work with our good contacts at the magazine who did a fantastic job styling each of the concepts.

The kitchen was made up of Magnet’s latest kitchen ranges Pura and Lila, combined with stunning Midnight and Arctic Ice Corian worktops and the Deco Glaze worktop.

Our favourite aspect of the kitchen was the sociable island unit in the centre, which would allow for families and friends to relax and enjoy the room as well as utilise the functions. Others attending the show commented on the seamless curved kitchen units and complementary colour combinations.

Not only was the kitchen a hit with members of the public but we also had a royal visitor – Prince Charles! HRH attended the show to celebrate a five-year partnership with The Prince’s Foundation, the inspiration behind an eco home built entirely from low carbon materials.

Quite the day for ‘celeb spotting’ the team bumped into Ulrika Johnson, who was there to open the Swedish house and Laurence Llewlyn-Bowen who was a show spokesperson and demonstrator.

We caught up with the lovely Amy Cutmore, Consumer Editor from Ideal Home Magazine who had just attended one of the fantastic demonstrations happening throughout the show, in the sunken stage area surrounded by water.

In next week’s blog we will be revealing our favourite trends from the show from the other stands.

Have you attended or are you planning to go to the show? Let us know your favourite stands at facebook.com/MagnetKitchens or on Twitter @MagnetUK

The kitchen is the heart of the home. It’s now a room that has a social function where families meet and spend quality time with one another.

Recent Magnet research discovered that Brits spend 752 hours in the kitchen every year, or 5.2 years in a lifetime. In short, the kitchen today has gone beyond functionality and evolved to being a key meeting point.

The new OXO advert – back after 13 years – reflects today’s modern family which although still gathers together when possible, utilise 21^st Century technology to make the most of the kitchen.

Original ‘Dad’ Michael Redfern is seen offering his son recipe advice via an internet phone – showing that men are more prevalent in kitchens today.

With a rise in stay-at-home-dads, the boom of male TV-chefs and more men spending time in the kitchen than ever before, the traditional roles within the typical British family seem to have changed.

Who’s in charge in your kitchen? Let us know at facebook.com/MagnetKitchens or on Twitter @MagnetUK