Top considerations when planning a kitchen renovation

Kitchen renovations can be a point of contention for even the most experienced renovators, with so many options from the finishes to the technology it can be hard to find your way through. Here’s what you need to factor into your decisions before you even step foot into a store.

Who will be using it?

This is definitely the most important consideration. If you’re planning your own dream kitchen, you’ll have a better understanding of your cooking habits and the dream appliances or functions you’re looking for. However, if you’re planning a kitchen renovation with the aim of renting out or selling a property you’ll want to pick more standard appliances that will be impressive, but with a broad appeal.

So while you might need two ovens, your standard renter might only use the one. Renters and new home buyers also love to see the latest appliances before they sign on the dotted line, with most saying that a functional dishwasher is a must-have.

1. Cooktop solutions

Your cooktop setup can help to direct the rest of your kitchen planning and give you an indication for the available bench space. This applies to the size and even the type of cooktop you will need.

Nowadays, there are many cooktop options available. If your cooktop is against a wall, an induction or gas cooktop may be a good choice. But if you have room for an island benchtop, the vented cooktop – which combines a rangehood and induction cooktop into one appliance – is a great option. This way you can achieve unobstructed views of your kitchen and living space, without the need for an overhead extractor fan.

2. Oven needs

Do you need two ovens or one? Will a compact oven fill your needs or do you need to search out something full-sized? Your cooking habits are important to factor in choosing the right oven – do you like baking sourdough bread each week? Or maybe you’re more of a Sunday roast kind of person. Working out what type of cook you are can help you choose the right appliances to suit your needs.

You should also consider how much vertical space is available in your kitchen plan. We also recommend having your oven at eye height rather than under your benchtop – this makes for easier access to taste and baste and monitor your cooking, especially if you choose to have a NEFF Slide & Hide® oven.

If you’ve got limited space, a wall-mounted oven may be the solution. You’ll also have many more options available to you, with many built-in microwave and combination microwave oven solutions on the market. In fact, NEFF’s range of microwaves include multiple options for vertical ovens that take up minimal vertical space, and help prepare delicious meals with faster and easier cooking.

3. Your floorplan

Ultimately, the floorplan of your home will play a huge role in how you can plan your kitchen. A narrow kitchen walkway will not only make a floating island pretty difficult, but will benefit from further space saving solutions like our Slide&Hide® oven doors. While some renovations will give you wiggle room to make a kitchen more spacious, often it is the floorplan that guides the planning.

A well-planned kitchen considers your cooking flow, with bench space for food preparation that has easy access to your appliances so you’re not running around to add ingredients to your cooking, and so that clean up doesn’t have to seem like a trek to the other side of the house.

Want to see why NEFF appliances are a must-have for any home cook?

Make sure you book in a free product demonstration to see how the NEFF range can be a great way to elevate the cooking experience. Our NEFF kitchen experts will show you how easy it is to use our appliances to turn an ordinary kitchen into something extraordinary.

About NEFF  

NEFF is a German-engineered kitchen appliance brand, with a product range that includes ovens, cooktops, rangehoods, coffee machines and dishwashers designed to make life in the kitchen a daily pleasure. For people who love to cook, NEFF gives you the tools to creative meaningful connections, express your creativity and make memories. Because real life happens in the kitchen.

Learn more about NEFF here.