EXPERT INSIGHT

Jim and Susan Gettings of J&S House of Design share their top tips for the key decisions that need to be made before you start updating your kitchen

It’s always worth getting a good understanding of how the flow of a property works before embarking on any renovating.

If you’re renovating to sell, it’s best to keep things neutral in terms of colour, unit style and worktops. For forever homes, don’t get hung up on designing around small children, who grow up very quickly. Decide what appliances you want – a lot of the time these can only go in certain places, which will dictate the overall layout of your kitchen. Technical advancements have moved on a lot over the last few years, so make sure you do your research.

The style of kitchen is hugely important – but you don’t have to match the architectural look of the house; it’s more crucial that it’s to your taste.

If your existing furniture consists of a glass dining table or a modern sofa, then you should be looking at a contemporary kitchen finish. If you have an antique dining table or a chesterfield, then a traditional look would go much better.