How to design a kitchen starting from a limited budget

Having an unlimited budget to furnish the kitchen is a dream that everyone would like to achieve. But in most cases it is necessary to make choices, both in economic and organizational terms: just a few fundamental points and a good designer are enough to have the perfect kitchen at home.

1. The choice of materials

The first step to contain costs is to move towards materials with a good "value for money". For example, for the doors, a good solution, as an alternative to lacquer and essences, is to opt for a laminate, matt or glossy, or for a melamine. Also for the top, the laminate is the best choice, as an alternative to the more expensive marble, steel and synthetic materials. We often tend to think that the laminate and the melamine are the same thing, however, in addition to the different production process, the laminate is thicker and, consequently, more resistant than the melamine.

• The laminate is the ideal choice for those, who want a hygienic, easy to clean, with high characteristics of resistance to abrasion and scratches, waterproof and cheap material in the kitchen. It is a synthetic product made up of sheets impregnated with thermosetting resins, glued together and then fixed to wooden supports (plywood, chipboard or MDF). In some cases, it is also used as a structural function without the aid of any support. The laminate is available in a restricted range of colors, ranging from white to grey, from taupe to dark grey. The best laminate today is the HPL (high pressure laminate).

Poliform - Example of laminate finishes

• The melamine is composed of a layer of chipboard covered with a paper impregnated with thermo-setting melamine resins, that is a very thin resin made of synthetic material. The characteristics are similar to laminate, as it is a resistant material that does not fear moisture, and it is hygienic, economical and easy to maintain. It is available in a wide range of colors, glossy or matt, and in numerous versions that perfectly imitate the characteristics of other materials, such as the wood veining.

Poliform - Example of melamine finishes

2. The choice of components

When choosing the components, it is necessary to limit the use of baskets, not too cheap, in favour of drawers and wall units, also made of laminate or melamine. These accessories, thanks to a wide selection of internal equipment, are very useful for organizing space in a simple and functional way.

Poliform - Example of drawers

3. Avoid special processing

To contain costs, another very important rule is to avoid tailor-made processes in favor of standard modules.

4. Choice of appliances

As for appliances, the market offers an infinite number of models. The rule is not to be attracted by too low prices to the detriment of quality. First of all, it is very important to evaluate the energy class, given the impact of their consumption on the overall one. An appliance of lower energy class costs less but consumes more, it is therefore appropriate to arrive at a fair compromise. Secondly, the number of functions available greatly increases the cost: before proceeding with the purchase it is good to understand what functions we actually need. Orienting the choice towards the best "value for money" and taking advantage of any opportunities will allow you to have excellent appliances at affordable prices.

Our project

In this project the clients' request was to create a kitchen with a budget of about 4500/5000 euros. Tomassini Arredamenti has created an extremely functional project that takes into account the needs of the owners without renouncing to the aesthetic component. The kitchen is almost 8 square meters large, following an "L" scheme.

Next to the entrance there were made columns as high as the ceiling, they host a series of containers and the oven. This solution is also perfect for those, who have the necessity to sort out a large amount of objects in a limited space. For the finishes, it was chosen an opaque laminate for both the top and the bases. The project fits perfectly in the customers' requests, thanks to the use of standard modules, and the chooice of materials with a good "value for money".

If you want to know all the available kitchens, you can find the most beautiful collections by Poliform and Arrital in our dedicated section.