How to choose a kitchen set

The kitchen is one of the main rooms in the house. In a small apartment, this is a place to relax with friends. In the big one, the whole family most often gathers around the dining table. But this becomes possible only with the correct selection of kitchen furniture. After all, furniture should make the cook’s work easier, be spacious and, at the same time, leave enough space to organize a dining area.

Choosing a kitchen unit - preparation

To use the furniture comfortably, it must be adjusted to the height of the owners. But a kitchen set is not only bedside tables and a work surface. Before choosing it, you should focus on the water supply and sewerage pipes, on which the location of the sink depends. Gas supply or power lines are key points for installing an oven, hob and refrigerator. Also, don’t forget about the hood.

Measurements

To make the right choice when ordering headset modules, it is important to plan their placement in the kitchen with an accuracy of the centimeter. To do this, first measure the dimensions of the room (sometimes the actual figures differ from the values ​​​​indicated in the registration certificate of the house). It is advisable to measure the length and width of the room along the floor, under the ceiling and at shoulder level - this way it will be possible to identify distortions, if any.

The next step is to measure all objects in the kitchen:

• windows;
• doors;
• pipelines;
• heating devices;
• hoods;
• sockets and switches.

The measurement results are plotted on a schematic drawing of the kitchen indicating their location (for example: the socket is located at a height of 50 cm from the floor and 85 cm from the near corner). This will be needed in further preparation for purchasing a kitchen set.

Layout

After the room has been measured and the corresponding marks have been applied to its schematic representation, you can begin the most important thing - thinking about comfort.

Designers and experienced chefs recommend that the kitchen set should occupy no more than 20% of the kitchen volume. Reducing the free space is possible only if the rule of the “golden triangle” is observed, when the refrigerator, stove and sink are located at equal distances at the vertices of an imaginary figure.

Knowledge of the planning features will help you cope with this task adequately. There are kitchen sets:

• L-shaped is a good option for small square spaces;
• U-shaped - suitable for a large rectangular area (one of the variations is G-shaped furniture);
• linear diagram designed for narrow kitchens;
• double-row - good for an area of ​​more than 9 m2 and a width of at least 2.5 m;

Island and peninsular options are considered only if the room area exceeds 20 m2

Project

Focusing on the layout diagrams of the kitchen unit modules and looking at the floor plan prepared by yourself, you can begin to develop the project. It is important to consider such parameters as:

• the amount of food stored (in a large family there will be a lot of them);
• space for household appliances and dishes;
• the presence of work surfaces near the refrigerator and stove;
• ease of connection of communications (gas, electricity, water, sewerage and exhaust);
• organization of the dining area.

After rough outlines, it would be good to make a schematic sketch of the desired placement of individual modules, indicating their approximate sizes.

Selecting a headset

It would seem that after such large-scale preparatory work has been carried out, the only thing left to do is go and buy. But there are some subtleties here too.

Design, style

Manufacturers focus on only two main design directions - classic and modern. The first is distinguished by imitation wood or emphasizing the structure of natural wood, rounded corners and placement of accents on fittings. Art Nouveau is characterized by rectangular, laconic forms and a lack of decoration.

Material

The most widely used sets are made of chipboard and MDF. These materials differ not only in structure and performance characteristics, but also in their level of safety.

Chipboard is made from wood chips with the addition of synthetic resins, which may contain formaldehyde. Therefore, it is important to ask the seller to provide accompanying documentation indicating the environmental label:

• E-1 - safe material;
• E-2 is prohibited for use in the manufacture of children's furniture - the conclusions suggest themselves.

It is also worth paying attention to the moisture resistance of the material - the kitchen is not the place for a set that is made of chipboard or MDF, which cannot withstand high humidity.

Functionality, ergonomics

The kitchen should provide maximum convenience for the cook working on creating an original dish.To do this, you should focus on work surfaces. The required minimum is one each near the refrigerator and stove.

The second most important point is drawers and grids. This little trick makes it easier to fully utilize the space under the countertop. But this is where it is customary to store large-sized dishes, which are easier to get out of a drawer adapted for them than from a shelf.

Manufacturers

In furniture showrooms, you can increasingly find cost-saving furniture from domestic brands. It costs a little less than the European one, but is rarely inferior in quality. The secret of this phenomenon is simple: often a local manufacturer uses materials and systems supplied from abroad.

If the furniture is too cheap, you should definitely ask for accompanying documentation and find out the origin of the materials. In pursuit of profit and the opportunity to beat competitors, a factory can produce furniture from low chipboard that does not meet European standards.

Tips for choosing

The durability of a kitchen set depends on the quality of its assembly. Therefore, when you see ordinary self-tapping screws, it is better to refuse the purchase. Euroscrews and minifixes, especially if used in pairs, are a sign of quality furniture.

The working surface is the most worn element of the headset. It is better to select options from wear-resistant materials - this will protect against premature loss of aesthetics.

The external finishing of the furniture body is selected in strict accordance with the overall interior style of the apartment. But too bright or multi-colored headsets quickly become boring. But soft tones of one or two shades are a sign of a kitchen that will be pleasant to be in, regardless of how long ago it was filled.