1. Measurements

At Zen Living, we offer a full service from beginning to end. Although having rough dimensions and pictures for your initial consultation will help estimate and design your project, a Zen Living design expert will be happy to come and measure your space as we begin planning your renovation.

Here are the steps if you choose to measure your space out yourself:

Step 1: Gather your materials

A steel measuring tape, paper, and a pencil to record the measurements you take.  

Step 2: Sketch the kitchen floor layout

Create a floor plan by drawing a rough outline of your space, including doors, windows, walkways, and any openings you have in the room, plus the direction in which they open. A clear diagram with exact numbers is the top priority here. It is useful to take photos that help your design consultant visualize your room.

Step 3: Label each on your floor plan

You’ll need to mark each wall, including any doors and windows, electrical fittings, gas cooker points, radiators, air vents, and any other fixed objects that will be necessary to work around.

Step 4: Now it is time to start measuring

Start by measuring between each fixed point in the room. This means measuring the distance from the edge of the doorframe architrave to the corner of the room. The corner of the room to the window reveals and so on.
- Remember always use inches and measure to the nearest eighth of an inch, recording all measurements on your floorplan.  
- Working from left to right, or clockwise to make sure that you do not miss anything out (else), measure the full length of each wall.
- If there are doors measure the width nd of each door. If there are windows, measure the location of each window by measuring from the wall to the center of the window on each side, also measure from the floor to the bottom of the window and the ceiling to the top of the window. Make sure to include the trim or casing for doors and windows in the overall measurements that you record.  
- For the room height, measure the from the floor to the ceiling. Be sure to measure the ceiling in a few separate places and if your ceiling is uneven, record the measurement at the lowest point.  
- Measure the location, height, width, and depth of each appliance. You will want to note the appliance brand and model if possible.
- Measure the location of electrical, gas, and plumbing outlets as closely as possible, measuring from the wall to the outlet on each side.  
- Measure all vents, radiators, or floor registers from the wall to the edge of the vent or register.  
- Finally, measure the length and width of each countertop and add those dimensions to your sketch.

Now that your existing kitchen is measured and recorded, it is time to design your new kitchen.

‍2. Layouts

A properly laid-out kitchen will determine how quick and efficient you are in the kitchen. The primary tasks in a kitchen take place between the refrigerator, stove, and sink. This creates the work triangle. We recommend the sum of all three sides of your work triangle not exceed 26 feet for maximum efficiency.

• U Shaped Kitchen - This layout creates a compact work triangle, plus plenty of counter space with appliances within close reach.
• G Shaped Kitchen - A kitchen with an additional countertop area used for bar and dining.
• L Shaped Kitchen - Ideal for both small and medium homes and allows efficient use of corner space. Work zones in this layout work well with multiple people.
• Single Wall Kitchen- An open space concept that makes efficient use of a small kitchen space.
• Galley Kitchen - A single wall kitchen with an additional island open on both ends.
• Island - A popular addition to any layout, allowing placement of stoves, sinks, bar, or dining area.