Most people will only buy a new kitchen once, maybe twice in their life. So it’s important to make the right choices for you and your needs.

With all the home improvement programs on TV and to ever changing trends it becomes more and more difficult to make a choice.

When choosing your new kitchen you need to consider that you want and what you need.

Check the kitchens in the showroom for weaknesses in areas that will receive the most wear and tear (the edges, hinges and seams). Carefully consider Worktops, flooring and appliances.

WORKTOPS

Look at the various materials used for worktops, which is best for your kitchen, consider its durability, hygiene or cost.

Laminate – Not very expensive, comes in a variety of colors and textures BUT not very hard wearing and can get scratched or burned, gets dirty very easily, not built to last.

Granite – Variety of colours and patterns, each slab is unique for a great character and look, it’s highly durable, it doesn't scratch or burn, and it keeps its color. BUT Granite is a very expensive.

Stainless Steal - Very stylish, highly durable, the backsplash and the sink can be made out of the same piece of steel, hygienic and is the only surface that can be safely bleached.

Wood – Looks great and won’t damage your knives BUT highly susceptible to scratching, burns and l marks, unhygienic if meat is prepared on it.

Quartz - great natural look, highly durable, resistant to scratches, stains and heat, very hygienic. BUT very expensive.

Corain -  Solid plastic very hardwearing, wide range of colors and styles, resistant to scratches, scorching and heat, can easily be repaired. BUT can expect to spend about three times more than you would for laminate, and twice as much for wood.

FLOORING

The same kind of considerations need to be made when deciding upon a floor as when choosing a worktop, durability, hygiene, cost and style.

Vinyl – Lots of colours and patterns, resists scuffs and stains, easy to clean BUT stain resistant not stain proof (spills need to be cleaned straight away) could peel up, pointy heels make viable dents.

Laminate – Won’t damage as easily as real wood, long lasting, extremely durable, easy to clean and reasonably priced BUT can be prone to chipping and if not installed properly could be uneven.

Stone – Very Tough, durable, looks very stylish, variety of colours and shades and can be used with under floor heating BUT if you don’t have the under floor heating it can be very cold underfoot, will need a sealant to prevent stains and stones may chip.

Tile – Lots of styles, patterns and colours, durable and stain resistant if glazed BUT Tiles may crack, can be slippery, and may need a sealant to prevent stains in not glazed.

Wood – Looks great, easy to clean BUT water could cause warping, easily scratched and could fade in the sun.

Linoleum – Smooth finish, lots of colours and patterns, doesn’t dent easily, durable and environmentally friendly BUT not as much choice as tiles and standing water could cause damage.

Concrete – Very durable, lots of finishes and colours BUT Requires a sealer to prevent staining,  very hard under foot and if an elderly person or child slipped.

Carpet – Comfortable underfoot, lots of colours and patterns, warm BUT very hard to in kitchen due to food spills etc, not stain resistant, not easy to dry if liquids are spilled.

APPLIANCES

There is a lot to consider also when buying appliances for your new kitchen - Space, size, necessities, style and budget. Will they be freestanding, built in or paneled?

Ovens - A conventional oven would probably be the least expensive option, but Convection ovens work and have a lot of benefits over the convectional oven. If you have a larger budget you could go for a combination oven which is a conventional oven with a convection option.

Hobs – You could go for gas burners, glass ceramic surfaces or electric coils. Gas allows you to turn the heat on or off immediately but electric coils won’t cause indoor air pollution. Glass surfaces are the easiest to clean.

Refrigerator – Choose between a fridge freezer or side by side fridge and freezer. Some can be bought with extras such as wine chillers and ice makers.

Dishwasher – Consider where the dishwasher loads, where the controls are, its size and noise level.