Our advice for a successful kitchen

Ideally, you will also need to equip yourself with a kitchen hood , an essential element for evacuating smoke laden with grease and odors. Kitchen hoods generally exist in two widths (60 or 90 cm) and are to be installed approximately 65 cm above the hob.

The kitchen, a diversified living space

Our satisfaction survey shows that 51% of kitchens are open and that they are mainly located between two walls (42%), L-shaped or parallel. Next come U-shaped kitchens, which use three walls, for 33% of respondents. Only 9% of people use a single-wall kitchen. Finally, 16% have a central island.

Design

Many kitchen designers offer 3D design software that allows you to do a project simulation on the Internet. It’s a great way to start planning your kitchen and get a clearer idea of ​​the result. A step that can also save time and sometimes provides an estimate of the cost.

Watch out for clutter

When a piece of furniture, low or high, must be placed at an angle against a wall, be careful not to stick the piece of furniture against it in order to have enough space to open the door. For a low unit, it is then preferable to opt for a cabinet with drawers, which are easier to open. Similarly, if you position your sink under a window, pay attention to the tap model so that it does not interfere with the opening of one or more leaves.

Prefer low cabinets with drawers

Admittedly, they are more expensive, but kitchen cabinets with drawers avoid having to kneel down to retrieve the jar of jam that ended up at the bottom of the cabinet.

Some drawers are equipped with pedals that allow you to operate the opening of the foot, practical when you have the bins inside. Some brands offer sorting bins to the dimensions of the drawer in order to collect waste, glass, cardboard and plastic.

Is an expensive kitchen better finished?

This is generally true. On top-of-the-range models, the finish of the doors is often of better quality, the worktop is cut from a more noble material (granite or resin), the furniture generally all has drawers (it is much more practical to access to all the content) and the accessories are ubiquitous (cutlery trays, supports and other hooks). The furniture is of better quality because it is thicker. Finally, some brands offer, for their high-end furniture, tailor-made manufacturing, down to the centimeter. Conversely, the standard range is generally only available in fixed formats: 40, 60, 80 or 120 cm.

Kit or factory assembled furniture?

Many manufacturers offer two choices of furniture: kit or factory assembled. The former are the cheapest but are generally of lower quality. For example, at Cuisinella, the furniture offered as a kit is 16 mm thick against 19 mm for those assembled in the factory. In addition, the range and possibilities offered by kit kitchens are often less complete.

Delivery times and installation

If it can be almost zero in some brands (you leave with your boxes), the delivery time is generally between a few weeks for kit furniture to several months for factory-assembled furniture. It is therefore wise to address the question of the delivery time from the first discussions with the seller so that he can direct you to the most appropriate equipment and organize the installation if you have to call on the installation service of the dealer.

Respect the environment

Furniture components are usually made of painted particleboard and can emit VOCs, volatile organic compounds, such as formaldehydes, and generate indoor pollution . Similarly, the PVC facades (material designed based on phthalates) used for twenty years have disappeared from some catalogs.

Manufacturers, such as Schmidt or Ixina, are sometimes PEFC certified. Affixed to a wood or wood-based product, the PEFC label provides the consumer with the guarantee that the product comes from responsible sources that respect sustainable forest management. Finally, the recycling and use of old particle boards is an axis in the process of development.

Guarantee

Depending on the brands, the range of furniture or even the levels of finish, the warranty period is not identical. Even household appliances are covered by a warranty ranging from 2 to 7 years, depending on the brands and brands. It is therefore difficult to find it. It is advisable to be well informed before signing. One thing is certain, the warranty period starts from the signing of the purchase order (effective date) and not from that of the installation. You can thus lose up to 6 months of warranty.