If you want an entirely new kitchen, think about the layout and how you use your current kitchen. Ask yourself these questions:
What elements do you want to be close to together, such as the fridge and cooking station, so you don't have to make too many trips around the kitchen?
Where will you want most worktop space? Next to the hob and oven , perhaps?
How much storage do you need? Think about whether you need more than you currently have and what you need to store.
Do you use your kitchen for dinner parties or do you have kids to accommodate? Do you therefore need space for a table or for someone to sit to talk to you while you cook?
Where do you want to keep the utensils, dinnerware etc that you use most?
Do you have a lot of gadgets, and will you want these out so you can use them quickly or stored away?
What appliances do you want, and will there be room for them? For example, you might want an American-style fridge freezer instead of a slimmer fridge?
Thinking about how you use your current kitchen now, and how you want to use the new one, will help ensure that your day-to-day needs will not get overlooked in the planning process.
You then need to look at the constraints in your kitchen, such as size and the positions of doors, windows and sockets. Our guide to planning your kitchen offers more advice on choosing your new kitchen, but in the meantime here are some of the most common kitchen layouts:
