KITCHEN GUIDE
Tips to your dream kitchen
the kitchen is where the heart is
Home is where the heart is, or at least that’s how the old saying goes. Here at Noremax, we think it’s time to update this phrase and hone in on what’s actually happening in homes up and down the UK – and across the globe. We believe the saying should really be the kitchen is where the heart is. Not as catchy perhaps, but it certainly seems to strike at the heart of how people have been using their homes in recent years. And thankfully there’s no sign of this trend changing any time soon!
The kitchen has changed with the times we live in. Once upon a time, the kitchen was solely for preparing and eating meals but it has certainly changed. It’s now an all purpose room where everyone muddles in and gets involved. It’s the hub of the home; it’s the place where family life is concentrated and where socialising is the norm. In essence, the kitchen is a room on which we’ve painted a new normal.
If you are looking to transform your kitchen, Noremax is here to help you. We appreciate that many homeowners are overwhelmed by the task of remodelling their kitchen so we are on hand to help you in your quest. Please see below for some of our top tips for people who plan to buy new cabinet fronts for their kitchen through Noremax.
KITCHEN GUIDE
Begin with the design of your kitchen furniture
The search for the design of your dream kitchen should begin at the stage of building a house or renovating and connecting electrical, water supply, sewage or ventilation installations. Thanks to this, the choice of the project will not be limited by, for example, the location of water outlets, electrical sockets or lighting.
At the beginning of the design and development of the floor plans, you should remember that the kitchen is not just a random binding of a series of furniture and appliances, but is made up of modules that must follow a manufacturing logic. If the design is not clear or doesn’t follow certain reasonable building parameters, it can generate conflict between the architect and the furniture manufacturer.
To avoid problems, modulation should be a design condition that way no appliances can be placed incorrectly. The appliances must be fitted into a single module, to avoid placing them between two different modules. For example, you can’t put a dishwasher, an oven or cooktop in between two modules. If this is done, you won’t have anywhere else to place them (since there wouldn’t be support), and that makes installing other elements like plumbing and electrical conduits more difficult.
Household appliances
Consider your choice of household appliances
Once you’ve discussed the various solutions you want your kitchen to deliver, you should consider your choice of household appliances. With this in mind, we advise you not to buy any household appliances before making a decision on your kitchen project. The reason we say this is because there are clearances, dimensions and other requirements which need to be checked for comparability with the design. For example, the purchase of a large freestanding fridge will rule out the possibility of its construction. When you buy from Ikea AGD’s, you can rest assured that it will fit perfectly with Ikea heads. However, if you choose to buy other household appliances from an alternative manufacturer, be certain to make sure they will fit into your existing cabinets.
Adapt your kitchen to your lifestyle
The kitchen is the home’s new epicentre, so it is important to plan it around the individual needs of your family. With this in mind, think about your needs and adapt the style of your kitchen to your lifestyle and habits of the household as a whole. At best, a kitchen should be a reflection of you. Therefore, before designing your dream kitchen, plan how you will use the space.
Do you need floor to ceiling cabinets for storage? Do you have children and have concerns about safety and access? What are your culinary preferences? If you are a keen cook, excessive soft furnishings and detail will only take up precious work space and collect dust and dirt. However, if you are more interested in the entertaining side, rather than hands-on cooking, you can afford to be more decorative.
Space and functionality
Creating a modern kitchen that’s both functional and user-friendly is key to any design. While the right decor, style and finishes go a long way, it’s the layout and user-friendly features that make the real difference to homeowners. From the optimal layout to multi-purpose furniture, we can help you to create the dream functional kitchen.
As we’ve described, the kitchen is above all a work place and we spend a lot of our time here. The sophisticated design cannot therefore undermine its use value and be contrary to the principles of safety and functionality. For example, the design of a kitchen must take into account the fact that the appliances we use most often – a refrigerator, a sink and a stove – should stand side by side in accordance with the principle of the triangle. We draw it in the imagination in such a way that its tops are a sink, a stove and a fridge.
The distances between the three devices should not be too small, so as not to hinder free movement (at least 120cm) or too large, so as not to overcome unnecessarily large distances (up to 210cm). What’s more, it is advisable that communication routes do not run through the triangle, in turn reducing the risk of accidents.
Obtain your kitchen measurements
To kick start your kitchen planning, it is important to measure the space you have to play with, noting what can and can’t be moved. Errors made at this stage may not only be very costly, but it could also negatively affect the final design of the project. With this in mind, it is important to record accurate measurements as soon as possible as the size of your kitchen will indicate how much space can be allocated to individual areas.
If you are confident in taking your own measurements, please do so. However, if you’d prefer to get professional help with the planning of your new kitchen, a number of kitchen fitters or carpenters/joiners offer planning services and tools. Once you’ve got these details, you’ll be armed ready to make more decisions about your new upcoming kitchen project.
Prepare for measurement
Good measurement is the basis for later work. Prepare a card, a pen, a measuring tape and an angle; they will be useful in the next stages. You will also need a sketch of the kitchen including its projection from the top and a drawing of each wall to which you will apply dimensions.
Measure the circuit
At this stage, each wall should be measured. The measurement is carried out with an accuracy of 1 mm, so the task requires a lot of focus. Firstly, it is important to measure the entire wall, then the fragments – minimum distance from the corner to the window on both sides, the width of the door or alcoves. At this stage, it is very important to put a window recess on the sketch. The exact dimension will allow kitchen cabinets to be adjusted to the appropriate height so that they do not block the possibility of opening the window. Importantly, when making a measurement, check that the wall is even.
Check the angles
The third stage is to check the angles of all corners. To do this, use an angle or element with straight angles (e.g. a shelf) and apply it to every angle in the room.
Add important elements
The last step is to add the remaining elements shown on your previously completed sketch that may interfere in the standard setting of the cabinets. Here at Noremax, we suggest you add elements protruding from the wall to the prepared drawing – radiators, ventilation grilles, pipes, electrical sockets and light switches. Of course, it should be remembered that you cannot forget about marking the place of water supply and its outflow.
Keep a record of your existing kitchen
This stage is recommended for technical reasons; it will become a great source of reference as your kitchen project progresses. With the photograph at arm’s reach, you can always return to your existing kitchen along the process of planning a new, more functional kitchen. What’s more, when your dream kitchen is in place, you’ll be able to cross reference your new and old kitchen and see how far you’ve come in completing your new kitchen goals.
Balancing harmony, unity and aesthetics
Balancing harmony, unity and aesthetics Kitchen design requires a balance between aesthetics and functionality. It is a room that we use for many years and so every detail needs to be refined. Symmetrically decorated interiors soothe the senses, calm down or restore balance. The human eye loves what is harmonious and proportional. Though unity and harmony may sound similar, they each play distinct roles in the way we experience kitchen design.
Aesthetics is a crucial element in kitchen design. In essence, it is a set of principles concerned with the appreciation of beauty and artistic taste, which of course is subjective. Alongside aesthetics, efficiency and economy of movement should always be equally key philosophies. By following key design principles, however, you can have it all; a good-looking kitchen that’s efficient and functional too.
Harmony is the sense that all of the elements of your design fit together. They may fit the same theme, aesthetic style or mood. The important takeaway is that each distinct piece seems to belong together in some way, even if it is not identical to anything else. Unity, on the other hand, refers to the repetition of particular elements throughout your design — whether they’re colors, shapes or materials — to pull the look together.
Combined, these principles are used to create a sense of cohesion in your kitchen space. Think of how you can incorporate them, not only in your kitchen, but throughout your house as a whole. In truth, sticking to one unified aesthetic in a home rather than having distinctly themed rooms is one of the tools professional interior designers use to take their work to the next level. With this in mind, this advice could turn out to be very useful to you when designing your new kitchen.
Ordering Noremax products
The easiest and quickest way of placing your order is to contact our experienced and knowledgeable team here at Noremax. But before you do, we suggest that you obtain a list of products from Ikea. Based on this list you’ll be able to see exactly what sizes of fronts, side panels and plinths you need, and in what amount. Please note: it is important that you inspect and review all details and requirements before placing an order with us as once you’ve placed your order, it will not be possible to edit.
Next, before we are able to process your order, you will need to open an account with us. This will allow you to continue with your order until it is despatched to you.
Throughout your experience with Noremax, please do not hesitate to get in touch. If you have any questions, problems or enquiries, get in touch by email, telephone or via any of our social media platforms. Interested in ordering replacement kitchen cabinet fronts for your Ikea kitchen, or fronts for a custom-made kitchen? Let Noremax bring your vision to life.
Choosing the right color for you
Here at Noremax we offer an unlimited choice of colors for your replacement kitchen cabinet fronts. For convenience and complete flexibility, our varnished fronts, side panels and plinths are available in all colors from both the NCS and Jotun systems. What’s more, there are three gloss levels to choose from: Matte (10), Satin (20) and Semi-gloss (40).
If you aren’t aware, the NCS Natural Color System® © is the most widely used color scheme in Europe. Since 1984 it is the only color system that describes colors visually exactly the way we see them. For ease of reference, it is simple and logical to understand with every color easily identified and encoded within the NCS system. Moreover, everyone who is concerned with their home knows how important it is to choose the right color. Using extensive resources, research and innovation, with the Jotun Color Safety system you are assured to get the color you want, each and every time.
Struggling to decide which color is suitable for your project? We suggest visiting your local paint stockist to look at the endless array of color choices available. The hardest part is deciding which color/s you like the best but once you’ve made a decision you’ll be one step closer to creating your dream kitchen.
Of course, if you’ve got an architect planning your kitchen for you, you’ll have no issues in selecting the right color for your interior. But should you want to, you’ll be able to order a sample in any color through them. This will allow you to make the decisions about the color scheme in the comfort of your own home.
Assembly
If you want to complete your upcoming project yourself, follow the instructions attached to flat packs of furniture, or head over to the Ikea website where you’ll find step by step instructions on how to install your new replacement kitchen cabinet fronts. To do this, you’ll need some basic DIY skills and some time set aside to complete.
However, for a hassle-free experience, it is advisable to order transport and assembly direct from Ikea or a local tradesperson such as a kitchen fitter, builder or joiner who will be able to help you mount your Noremax fronts. For ease, Noremax fronts are assembled exactly the same way as Ikea fronts. The assembly of furniture holders should be performed when all the cabinets and fronts are installed. This process usually requires drilling holes and should be done thoroughly and carefully with respect to symmetry to achieve the perfect look.
Payment
Payment must be made in full on the day of ordering. For convenience, payments can be made to Noremax via card, Paypal or bank transfer. Once the payment has been received by us, your order will be sent for processing.
Delivery
From our head office and distribution centre in Norway, our typical delivery timescale is 6 weeks. For peace of mind, as soon as your order is enroute to you we will send you tracking information. This will allow you to follow your shipment from Norway to your delivery address. It is important to note that you will need to have access to the contact telephone number you provided when ordering as the shipping company will need to contact you to arrange the details of your upcoming delivery. Please note, all deliveries will be delivered to street level; they will not be brought inside your property due to insurance reasons.
In case of damage during delivery
Despite the use of good packaging and the efforts of everyone involved to always provide you with goods in perfect condition, transport damage can unfortunately still occur. It is therefore extremely important that you inspect your goods for damage when received.
If you receive damaged products, it is essential that you immediately report them to the driver. Furthermore, take photos of the damaged packaging and the damaged product/s and send through to our email address: [email protected]. For reference, all complaints must be sent to us within 3 days from the date of delivery.
Principles of Care
Fronts, sides and lacquered pieces
To keep your kitchen fronts, sides of cabinets and other lacquered elements looking their best we advise that you use a soft, damp cloth to clean. If required, a mild detergent such as soap maybe suitable. After cleaning, wipe dry immediately and thoroughly. It is important that you do not use any other chemicals; these can cause discoloration and act as an abrasive which will irreparably damage your fronts.
Wooden legs
Wooden legs from Noremax should only be washed with a damp, soapy cloth. After cleaning, dry thoroughly.
Metal handles and metal legs
For metal products, clean using mild soap and water. After cleaning, let the metal elements dry thoroughly to avoid rusting and discoloration. Across time, handles made of copper and brass may show signs of patina; a thin layer that forms on the surface produced by oxidation, age and wear. If you prefer perfectly polished handles, we recommend polishing agents for copper and brass.
Leather handles
Our range of leather handles are made of leather from Tärnsjö. On the skin, a patina will quickly appear and the aging process will become visible. To reduce discoloration and increase resistance to moisture, we recommend conditioning the leather using products you would use to protect leather shoes. Designed to be readily absorbed, the treatment will nourish and restore the flexibility in the fibres for a longer lifetime. Please note: once treated, the leather handles will appear slightly darker than before you applied the treatment.
Feedback
Customer satisfaction is important to us. We value your feedback and welcome your comments, photographs, and your individual experience with Noremax. If you’d like to share your feedback, do not hesitate to get in touch with us at [email protected].
We would love to see photographs of your new Noremax kitchen or wardrobe – share your pictures with us by sending an email or posting on one of our social media platforms.
Collaboration
Interested in working with us? Whether you are an architect, interior designer or entrepreneur, if you are interested in collaborating with Noremax, please get in touch. Simply send an email to [email protected]; we look forward to hearing from you!