Keep the footprint or rethink the flow
Some kitchens need better storage and updated finishes. Others need a different connection to the dining room or outdoor space. Tell us whether the room feels cramped because of its size, its layout or the way people pass through it.
Sketch where you unpack groceries, prepare food, cook and wash up. Mark the route other people use while you are working. This gives the layout discussion a practical starting point alongside the style you like.
Coordinate cabinetry and appliances
Choose appliance models with their installation drawings in mind. Fridge doors, dishwasher doors and oven doors all need space to open and be used. Cabinet fronts and handles also change the available clearance.
- List appliances you will keep and those you plan to replace.
- Record the storage you use most often and what currently has no home.
- Note charging, lighting and power needs at the places you use them.
- Bring finish samples or a small selection of reference images.
If an island is part of your plan, use our kitchen island dimensions guide to test the footprint before making it the centre of the design.
Look beyond the cabinets
A kitchen joins several parts of a home. Flooring, wall finishes, lighting and services need to meet the new joinery cleanly. Opening a wall or relocating a sink changes the scope beyond the cabinetry itself.
Identify what should remain, including character details, existing floors and adjoining-room finishes. Our kitchen renovation budget guide helps separate the visible selections from preparation and finishing work.
Plan the household routine
Tell us how the household will manage cooking and washing up while the kitchen is unavailable. Discuss a temporary food-preparation area, appliance storage and the route for materials and waste.
Keep deliveries and trade access separate from everyday family movement where possible. If you plan to remain at home, our renovation occupancy checklist gives you the questions to raise before the programme is agreed.
Bring your kitchen brief
Send a plan or approximate measurements, photographs of each side of the room and your three main priorities. Add the appliances you hope to retain, the layout changes you are considering and any deadlines that matter to your household.
Look through our completed renovation work for kitchen and joinery details. We can then discuss how your Wellington kitchen could work better and what the next planning step involves.