Join my kitchen design course!
It’s not too late! A design course for beginners wanting to save money on a new kitchen.
Last Sunday I launched my new kitchen design course for beginners. It’s been a great success so far and I’m so pleased so many of you have signed up and joined in. It’s not too late to join. Stage Two will be this Sunday, so there’s plenty of time to catch up. The entirety of Stage One can be found here.
At 3pm GMT tomorrow ( Thursday 22nd Feb) I’ll be opening up a kitchen chat thread for paid subscribers on the Substack App so that we can all discuss things and I can answer your questions. Look out for an email that says: ‘Kitchen Design Chat’.
‘Chat’ is a conversation space in the Substack app that I set up exclusively for my paid subscribers — kind of like a group chat or live hangout. I post short prompts, thoughts and updates that come my way, and you can jump into the discussion. You can find it directly on the app, or on my website in the top menu bar.
To join our chat, you’ll need to download the Substack app, now available for both iOS and Android. Chats are sent via the app, not email, so turn on push notifications so you don’t miss conversation as it happens.
Below is a teaser of Stage One of the design course. If you’ve already read it then you can skip the rest of this post.
If you’ve been investigating the possibility of having a new kitchen recently, then you’re probably in shock at the price of everything. I know we were. The events of the last few years have doubled if not tripled the cost. It doesn’t seem to matter whether it’s the high end of the market, or something from your local DIY store. By the time you add everything up, including the installation, the total is enough to make your eyes water. Some of the companies we looked at were so ridiculously priced we’d have needed a second mortgage! That’s why we resorted to designing, building and fitting our own again. For our sins, we’ve done it many times now. If you haven’t already, please read the precursor to this course: A Victorian Renovation - The Kitchen.
It’s totally possible to create your own fabulous cucina of dreams on a tight budget. You just have to know what to do and where to look. In this series I’m going to tell you everything we have learned. You might not want to brave doing everything yourself. Indeed, it is imperative that you are honest about your capabilities. But, it is still possible to save money by doing a lot of the groundwork yourself first. Even if it’s just a case of putting your ideas to paper before you bring in a professional designer/installer. It’s good to know what you want.
Stage One is more of a discussion. It’s the most important stage and will just involve you writing things down and doing a lot of contemplation. It’s a bumper edition. The following stages will be shorter, but possibly involve more work from you. I know a lot of you will want to get straight on with choosing finishes, but it’s way too soon for that. We will discuss the pretty things another week. Promise! In Stage Two next week, I’ll be telling you all about the fundamentals of kitchen design and how to get a layout that suits your lifestyle. We’ll be talking about function, flow and getting the basics right.
I also do just want to point out that I am not a professional kitchen designer. I have absolutely no qualifications whatsoever in the subject. If you’re wanting a text book course, then this is not for you.
What I do have though is 26 years of experience in ‘having’ to do all of our own renovation and design work, including the build and fitting of all of all our kitchens, whether they be flat packed, or bespoke painted wood. We do everything except fit stone or composite worktops. Although, we have been known to fit laminate worktops in our time.
I say ‘having’ to because we’ve never had the money to pay other people to do something we could possibly do ourselves. So, we’ve learned on the job. It’s the only way these days to climb the property ladder without going bankrupt. So, whenever all of our other friends were out at a swanky lunch, or partying in a club, we were covered in dust taking down lath and plaster ceilings, or working out how the hell we were going to fit a 90 degree angled cupboard into an 87 degree angled corner! The point is, I know a lot. So, I just thought it was time to share it with you.
Right, let’s get down to business! Are you ready? I’m so excited for this!
A kitchen in 2024 is much more than simply a place to cook. It has become the beating heart of a home. It’s where everyone hangs out. If you’re lucky enough to have the space for a kitchen-diner, then it is most probable that the whole family could be utilising the space at any one time. Homework is being done on the dining table. Your partner could be sitting on one of the bar stools typing an email. Someone might be playing Nintendo in the chill-out zone, whilst you are cooking up a storm for this evening’s supper. So, you see, it’s not just about the triangle of stove, sink and fridge. It’s so much more than that. By really homing in on the purpose and function of each area, or zone and by making sure that the flow from each space is easy and natural, you’ll create a harmonious space for all the family to thrive.
What do you want?
Let’s start at the very beginning. Take a wander around your current kitchen. What do you like about it? There must be something, surely? Which bits work, which don’t and why? Is there a natural flow, or does it feel awkward? Are there any spaces that are hard to reach, or work in? Do you have difficult corners? Is your sink too small? What do you definitely want to change?
Write this all down. No, I mean it, write it down, where’s your pen? This is a process and you’ll only get it right if you actually follow the steps. No slacking here! 🤣
Make a list of the things you have to change, or improve upon. Then, make another list of what you really want in your new kitchen, baring in mind your budget and space.
Read the rest here to find out how to get the basics right before you start designing. Should you extend? Is your kitchen even in the right room? There’s so much to talk about! If you’re currently a free subscriber, or you’ve just stumbled on my little space on here, you can get full access to this post and the upcoming series by upgrading to a paid membership. You’ll also get access to my archive, audio recordings, planned tours for 2024, be able to comment and join this wonderful, friendly community.
What a fabulous idea!!