The kitchen is the heart of the home and often the first room people notice when they enter a home. There are many quick and simple ways to remodel your kitchen without making a huge dent in your savings. Here are few important things on how you can plan and design your dream kitchen.

1. How to plan and design a dream
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2. The kitchen is the heart of the home and often the first room people notice when they enter a
home. Industry professionals always emphasise the importance of having a well-designed and
functional kitchen to impress guests and potential purchasers alike.
There are many quick and simple ways to remodel your kitchen without making a huge dent in
your savings. From investing in some new accessories to changing your kitchen layout,
achieving your dream kitchen doesn’t have to cost a fortune.
In order to make your kitchen a dream space, there are a few things that you can do to plan
and design this hub.
How to plan and design a dream

3. CONTENTS
YOUR BUDGET
THE LAYOUT
DREAM KITCHEN SPACES
THINGS TO REMEMBER
KITCHEN RENOVATION CHECKLIST
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5
6
8
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4. First things first, you need to consider your budget. Any kitchen renovations should fall within
a pre-determined budget to ensure that you will not spend more than you can afford and
more than what is reasonable for your home.
Your budget for your dream kitchen is comprised of many elements and is often something
that many people struggle with! To help you out, we’ve highlighted a few key elements that
you’ll need to consider in order to achieve your dream kitchen within budget!
SELECT YOUR SIZE AND SCALE
All kitchen renovations fall within three categories and the experts agree that there are three
distinct price brackets to go with these:
1. $10,000 to $22,000 for a small or budget kitchen
2. $22,000 to $35,000 for a mid-range kitchen
3. $35,000+ for a high-end kitchen
Of course, these are ranges and if you need your renovation to be at the lower end, there are
ways of achieving this. It’s recommended that you choose a budget with the maximum
amount that you are willing to spend. Then, put aside an extra 10-20% to pay for unexpected
or hidden costs.
CHOOSE THE STYLE
Once you have the scale of your renovation
in mind, you need to choose the style of
your dream kitchen if you don’t have it in
mind yet.
According to a recent Houzz study, 30% of
homeowners opt for a contemporary style
and 25% choose a modern look. The style of
your kitchen can affect your budget as
certain appliances, fixtures, fittings and
accessories will cost more or less depending
on what you choose.
To help you select a style, search your
favourite magazines, jump online and
research the latest in kitchen styles or even
go to a store like IKEA to see few examples
in person.
YOUR BUDGET
Contemporary
Modern
Traditional
Country
Other
Industrial
30%
25%
7%
6%
4%
4%
Among the 82% of the homeowners
who updated style.
TOP KITCHEN STYLE CHOICES
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5. PLAN YOUR KITCHEN ACTIVITIES
Something that can help you define your kitchen style, and your ultimate layout, is asking
yourself the following questions:
• What other activities is the kitchen used for
(eg: eating, kids doing their homework, laundry)?
• How many people use the kitchen at once?
• How often do you cook?
• Where are the power outlets?
• Where is the water outlet?
• Do you need a lot of bench space near the cooktop?
• How many people will sit in the kitchen at one time?
YOUR BUDGET
SELECT A CONTRACTOR
Finally, you need to decide who will develop
your ideas and create your new kitchen!
Whether you want to complete the build
yourself by keeping the project simple or by
contracting a cabinet-maker to build your
design, one thing is certain: for some things,
you need to hire a professional. Always hire
a licenced plumber to complete your
plumbing, an electrician for electrical works
and a builder for larger structural changes.
With your cabinets, you can get several
estimates from different cabinet-makers to
compare prices, and you can also shop
somewhere like IKEA and Bunnings for a
ready-made kitchen.
To help you budget, below is a rough guide of
how your kitchen costs are broken down. From
here, you can see where you can save money.
• Design fees: 4%
• Installation: 17%
• Appliances and ventilation: 14%
• Cabinetry and hardware: 29%
• Countertops: 10%
• Lighting: 5%
• Flooring: 7%
• Doors and windows: 4%
• Walls and ceilings: 5%
• Tapware and plumbing: 4%
• Other: 1%
Contemporary Modern Traditional Industrial Country
Image source: houzz.com.au Image source: houzz.com.au
SOME KITCHEN STYLES
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6. FUNCTIONALITY AND THE KITCHEN WORK TRIANGLE
As the heart of the home, your kitchen needs to be as functional as possible. It is a place
where you spend time chatting, eating, playing, working and occasionally…cooking!
The best way to plan your new kitchen is to consider the layout. When thinking about your
layout, keep the kitchen work triangle in mind. The kitchen work triangle is used to determine
the most efficient kitchen layout by drawing an imaginary straight line between the three main
DIFFERENT TYPES OF LAYOUTS
The layout of your kitchen is undeniably the most important part of the design and planning
process. The layout of the space affects everything! It determines how easy it is to cook, eat
and even socialise in the kitchen.
When renovating, you have the advantage of choosing your kitchen’s layout and ensuring that
everything meets your requirements.
When planning your layout, keep in mind that there are ways to achieve whichever design you
want, even if it seems difficult because of existing hardware, such as plumbing. Saniflo offer an
innovative plumbing solution, which means that you can easily move the entire layout of your
kitchen to a new location if you wish!
There are 6 mains layouts:
1. The one wall kitchen
2. The L-shaped kitchen
3. The galley kitchen
4. The U-shaped kitchen
5. The G-Shaped kitchen
6. The L-shaped with island
THE LAYOUT
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FRIDGE
SINK
WORK
TRIANGLE
STOVE
kitchen elements – the sink, the fridge and the
stove. Why? This ensures that these three
main elements are within easy reach of each
other, which ensures functionality of your
kitchen. You will also need to consider the
location of your cupboards and bench spaces,
ensuring that these are also easy to access,
with adequate storage available below and at
shelf height!
1 2 3
4 5 6

7. When you’re planning and designing your dream kitchen, remember to consider all possible
options.
BUTLER’S PANTRY
A common trend that is rising in popularity
is the Butler’s Pantry, and it’s clear to see
why! The ability to have a separate space
just off your kitchen to stash dirty dishes, do
your meal prep and store large benchtop
appliances, such as a Thermomix, is such a
luxury. This space means that there’s no
need to rush your cooking and preparation
before your guests arrive as they won’t see
the mess! With Saniflo, you can even install
a sink and a dishwasher to really make this
area complete.
DREAM KITCHEN SPACES
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ISLAND BENCH
A popular kitchen layout includes the island bench. This central countertop makes cooking
and socialising a breeze. With an island bench, you can place high bar stools around the
bench to create a breakfast bar or for guests to sit at while you prepare the meal.
Image source: houzz.com.au
Tip:
Allow an overhang ofbetween 30-50 cm at theback of the island benchto account for seats and
leg room.

8. DREAM KITCHEN SPACES
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ALFRESCO KITCHEN
An ultimate in luxury and entertaining is to have an alfresco kitchen. This outdoor addition
means that you never have to miss out on the fun while entertaining friends and family
outdoors. The best alfresco kitchens include a small bench to preparing meals, a sink to wash
veggies and hands, a mini fridge to store wine, cheese and meat for the BBQ, and a BBQ or
induction plates to cook the meals. To achieve the plumbing for your alfresco kitchen space,
consider using a grey water pump from Saniflo, such as the Sanivite. This small pump fits
easily inside a cupboard and can pump waste water up to 50m back to the main drain line,
giving you the flexibility to include an outdoor kitchen anywhere in your garden.

9. THINGS TO REMEMBER
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Now that you have your budget, style and layout in mind, here are a few additional key
things to keep in mind when designing your dream kitchen.
RESEARCH
It’s during your planning and design
process that you want to do the most
research and change your mind if necessary.
Once you start renovating, it’s much harder to
change things!
When researching and planning your
design, make sure you ask your friends and
family what challenges they faced when they
renovated their kitchens. This way, you’ll be
more prepared for your own renovations
should an issue arise.
BENCH SIZE
If you’ve selected an Island Bench, allow
for a bench overhang and create a breakfast
bar with high stools. This space will also be
where the kids can do their homework and
guests can relax while dinner is cooked.
Make sure your benches allow for at least
1,000mm of floorspace between them. This
will ensure that you can open drawers and
cupboards and still be able to move!
LIGHTING
There’s nothing worse than a dimly lit
kitchen, so make sure you have adequate
lighting. Pendant lights above an island
bench not only make a beautiful feature but
also ensure that you can see while you
prepare your meals and wash your dishes!
LED strip lights are a great option for
inside cupboards and above benches to
ensure maximum visibility.
Image source: Ikea

10. THINGS TO REMEMBER
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POWER OUTLETS
Does your kitchen have enough power
points for all your appliances? Remember
your dishwasher, oven, Saniflo pump, coffee
machine, blender, toaster, mixmaster, fridge
etc all need access to power. Not all small
appliances will be plugged in at all times,
however you still need to account for enough
power outlets.
Install some powerpoints
in your cupboards as many
homeowners now opt to
have their kettle and
toaster in the cupboard
instead of taking up
precious benchspace.
DISHWASHER PLACEMENT
Place your dishwasher and sink near each
other so you’re not dripping water and food
on the floor.
Don’t locate your dishwasher next to a wall
as this significantly limits accessibility.
RUBBISH
Your bins need to be located in a spot
where everyone can reach them. Inside the
cupboard under the sink is always a popular
choice for rubbish bins – just make sure your
bin is large enough for food waste, packaging
and general household waste.
If you have a compost bin, make sure it’s
easily accessible from your main food prep
area as you don’t want to carry your waste
across a large distance and accidentally drop
it on the floor.Image source: Ikea
Image source: Ikea
Tip:Allow for a few additionalpower points under theoverhand of your islandbench for the kids to plug intheir laptops while doinghomework, or to easilycharge mobile phones and
tablets.

11. KITCHEN RENOVATION
CHECKLIST
Identify your available space
Get in touch with your tradespeople and suppliers
• Plumber:
• Electrician:
• Architect:
• Interior Designer:
• Stone mason:
• Cabinet maker:
• Appliance provider:
• Other:
Consider what style of kitchen is right for you:
Island bench Galley kitchen U shape L shape In line kitchen
Outline your kitchen work triangle and mark where your appliances will go
Outline your storage and bench space
Does your selected style meet your functional needs? Y/N
Plan your budget
Set out a renovation timeframe for your kitchen project
Arrange an inspection with your tradespeople to assess technicalities and any
potential difficulties that could blow out costs
Discuss available options to stay within budget and suit your needs
Discuss alternative solutions (if necessary) to achieve your ideal space
Consider ways to save on plumbing works. A Saniflo pumping system is worth
considering here
Go shopping! Select your bench tops, appliances, fittings, fixtures and flooring
Check that your chosen style and colour palette will last at least 10 years
Schedule your maintenance and have a backup plan for where you will cook and
eat in the meantime
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My plumber is

12. How to plan and design a dream
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