Rowan will be taking his team of designers to join all the other finalists at the exquisite Titanic Hotel in Liverpool tonight (18th November) for a gala dinner to celebrate the very best in Northern Design. The awards cover a range of design feats from architecture, hotel interiors and kitchen design.

We’ll have all of our fingers crossed here at Kitchen Design Centre that Rowan and his team can bring this award home with them, and add it to the ever-growing collection of accolades that we’ve collected over our 36 year history. Good luck guys!

Whatever the outcome, you can always count on us here at Kitchen Design Centre to keep doing what we do best: offering a fully bespoke service, designing fitted kitchens from concept to completion. We simplify communication by giving you your own personal project manager, who provides a single point of contact throughout the entire process.

Our mission is simple – we’re passionate about helping to make your dream kitchen a reality.

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Above all, it’s a design that focuses on flow, and helps to create a more functional living space – and one that we have more than 35 years of experience with here at Kitchen Design Centre. Whether you’re looking for a more versatile space that allows for both cooking and socialising, more freedom of movement between your kitchen and dining area, or you simply want a greater space to put a more personal touch on your kitchen design, our designers are here to help.

Why would an open-plan kitchen suit you?

When considering what an open-plan kitchen can offer, it’s important to keep in mind what you want from it. We design kitchens that are uniquely suited to you and your lifestyle, whatever that might entail. For example, if you’re a keen cook who enjoys whipping up a storm in your kitchen, we can offer specific styles that focus on practical elements like easily accessible appliances and plenty of counter space.

If you’re more of a social butterfly, we can provide you with a space that gives you a fantastic blend of open-plan practicality and social space, where you can enjoy the company of your friends and family. Perfect for dinner parties and Christmas get togethers!

The point is; the way you choose to use your kitchen will have a direct impact on its design. For example, our customers Sarah and Heath were in need of a contemporary family kitchen for a narrow space, so we gave them exactly what they needed to suit their busy, family orientated life.

Open-plan kitchens let in the light

Natural light is a key element when it comes to improving the brightness and feel of your designer kitchen, and open-plan designs are much better suited for taking advantage of this. By opting for an open-plan kitchen, you can really maximise the amount of natural light that flows through the space, giving it a more welcoming, breezy feel that’s sure to lift the mood of the room.

Why is this important? Well, we’ll spare you the detailed science lesson, but basically humans are daylight creatures. That means we’ve evolved to be happier, more energetic, and healthier in direct sunlight. It’s why small, windowless rooms can make us feel quite so uncomfortable, and equally it’s why natural light is such an important factor of your kitchen to ensure that you’re able to maximise your enjoyment of the space.

If your kitchen backs on to your garden for example, consider adding some sliding, or bi-fold doors to give you easy access to it. These doors add so much more light to your space that it’ll appear more roomy than it actually is. If roof lights are a practical option for your space, you may find them a great way to achieve the same effect.

They provide options for clever design possibilities

We understand that a small kitchen space can present challenges when it comes to having ample room for all your equipment, appliances and so on. Open-plan kitchens are all about making the most out of the space in your home. Here at Kitchen Design Centre, we do this by incorporating a range of clever design ideas like integrated appliances, and hidden storage, ultimately helping you make the most out of your designer kitchen.

We have plenty of open-plan designs for you to peruse in our customer case studies, where you’ll find kitchens with sleek, contemporary looks from things like handleless pull-out units, as well as integrated appliances like Neff multi-function ovens. These cutting-edge appliances possess a stunning versatility to match their intuitive controls, and our status as a Neff Master Partner means we’ve got a great depth of expertise when it comes to smoothly integrating it into your kitchen design.

The options are endless, and depending on your specific requests, we can tailor these design features into any kitchen style, so it’s completely up to you to decide what you’d like!

Open-plan kitchens utilise islands in a fantastic way

Open plan kitchens are perfect spaces for the much-coveted kitchen island. In an open-plan kitchen, the island plays a vital role in separating the kitchen from the living room, while also connecting the two spaces. It does this by creating a place for the cook to interact with the rest of the room, providing an engaging, social atmosphere.

Of course, you’ll need to keep in mind what you’ll spend the most time doing on your island! If it’s cooking, consider placing a hob on top of it. If you’re thinking of it as a cleaning space, maybe install a sink, or think about integrating a dishwasher. The balance between practicality and aesthetic pleasure is really what makes an open-plan kitchen worthwhile. For us, they’re the quintessential option for anyone who wants to create the perfect kitchen-diner combination.

With 35 years of experience behind us here at Kitchen Design Centre, our designers are passionate about helping you get the kitchen of your dreams. If you’re in need of some extra inspiration though – drop by our Blackburn kitchen showroom (or our other designer kitchen showrooms in Manchester or Barrowford) where you can sit down for a chat to let us know exactly what sort of requirements you have. We’re here to help!

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Here at Kitchen Design Centre, we’re very proud of our status as a Neff Master Parter. Not only does it allow us to guarantee truly top-of-the-range kitchen appliances for our customers, but it also makes us eligible for the Neff Master Partner Excellence Awards, held every other year right here in the UK. This year, we were finalists for no less than three categories, and we’re thrilled to announce that our designer Maxine Hutchinson was this year’s recipient of the award for Best Use of Small Space!

Wonderful aesthetics and unrivalled functionality

Since the client in question was a second-time customer of Maxine’s, she already knew what sorts of results she could expect from our talented designers at Kitchen Design Centre. So, after a discussion with Maxine in our Barrowford showroom, she was happy to give her plenty of creative freedom with the design. The kitchen is in a former schoolhouse, which has now been converted into duplex apartments – resulting in a space with a very distinctive feel, thanks to its high ceilings and tall windows. While the open-plan living area already had a dining table, Maxine’s new design incorporated this table more completely into the kitchen area, enhancing the functionality of the space.

Naturally, Maxine’s keen eye for increasing functionality and versatility was one of the main reasons she was awarded Best Use of Small Space. As well as repositioning the dining table, she also incorporated a breakfast bar for two, a fridge freezer, and excellent storage in tall larder units, which were easily accommodated thanks to the kitchen’s high ceilings and windows. Maxine also infused the kitchen with a varied and beautiful range of textures, including natural wood, Corian and marble quartz. Finally, she added a few high-tech gadgets to make food preparation even easier – such as the Quooker tap, which is capable of providing boiling water at an instant’s notice. The result is a compact but highly efficient space that looks truly amazing!

We were finalists for multiple awards in 2019!

As we touched on above, Best Use of Small Space wasn’t the only award we were in the running for. Alongside Maxine, our designer Suzanne Carter was one of the other finalists for Best Use of Small Space, while the talented Simon Thomas was a frontrunner in the competition for Best Kitchen Under £25,000. Meanwhile, our Barrowford Showroom was a strong contender for Best Showroom.

As you’d expect, there were some truly stunning designs in the running. As one of the most prestigious kitchen design events in the UK, the awards are held every other year and hosted by Neff, one of the world’s premier manufacturers of quality kitchen appliances. Only companies which hold the status of Master Partner are eligible to enter – so as you can imagine, we were up against some very fierce competition, in the form of magnificent designs from some of the UK’s leading kitchen designers.

The ceremony was a fantastic experience, as you’ll know if you’ve been lucky enough to catch any photos of it! Held in the O2 InterContinental Hotel in London, it was a beautiful black tie affair, with some wonderful food, and fantastic live music. We’re already looking forward to next year!

Of course, we always love to win awards, but it’s they’re a welcome bonus to pursuing our true passion; helping you achieve the dream kitchen you’ve always wanted. We’ve got designer kitchen showrooms in Barrowford, Blackburn and Manchester, so feel free to pop into your nearest one and have a chat with one of our experienced designers. We’ll be only too happy to help you start making your dream kitchen a reality!

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