Fitted kitchens first became popular in the 1950’s as more and more people started to like the idea of uniform look for furnishings instead of the eclectic look that had been popular before. Fitted kitchens are constructed with cabinets that match and generally are wall length. The sink and appliances, including the stove, oven and dishwasher are generally build into the cabinets so they all appear to work together. The whole idea is that the kitchen appears to be an integrated place with everything matching.
The kitchen has been called the heart of the home and by using fitted kitchen units you will be able to make this area inviting and peaceful. Many people do not like the clutter that is associated with an unfitted kitchen in which pieces are mixed and matched with less emphasis on a particular design theme. Often time, major items are purchased at different times which means the woods and colors may not match like you would expect in a modern kitchen. You may even find items from garage sales and flea markets if the item caught the fancy of the home owner. Fitted kitchen units, on the other hand, have everything matching nicely and flowing together like a whole.
Fitted kitchen designs will usually start with the classic triangle approach. This is very important when laying out the kitchen to be as efficient as possible. Basically, the three most important elements are the sink, stove, and refrigerator. The most effect way to place these is in a triangular pattern with the sides of the triangle all being equal. This limits foot steps when in the preparation and cooking stages of meals. Once the basic triangle is laid out the remaining area is filled in with fitted cabinets that, again, have an efficient use of space. You will often times see a lazy susan to take advantage of a corner and pull out drawers for some of the bigger cookware.
Another big draw to this type of kitchen is the décor can match that of the rest of the house. It is really pleasing to the eye to carry on a design theme from the living space to the kitchen as it makes the home feel more comfortable. One big improvement lately has been the facing of appliances. You can now order panels to put on the stove, refrigerator, and dishwasher that matches the wood of the cabinets. This really ties all the items in the kitchen together.
Kitchen fitting is really a skill that takes an artists eye. You need to pay attention to color blending, lighting, and space utilization. In bigger kitchens a utility island has proven to be very effective. Often times the sink or cooktop is placed in this island in order to get the desired triangular lay out.
The UK seems to find these spaces very enticing so fitted kitchens UK are very popular. Of course there are all levels of prices for these designed kitchens. You can spend tens of thousands of dollars or you can find cheap fitted kitchens that really look good.
If you are going to redo your kitchen then look into fitted kitchen designs.