Kitchens

10 tips for designing kitchens

There are many important features we look for in a kitchen, the main ones being the surface of the worktop, the aesthetics of the doors and the choice of kitchen covering. But when we design our kitchens we pay attention, above all, to ergonomics.

Kitchens and ergonomics

Ergonomics is a discipline that teaches how to design objects and spaces based on the physical characteristics of human beings. In the case of the kitchen, which we know is where food is prepared and eaten, we try to make life as easy as possible for you so that you have everything at your fingertips when you are cooking and can move around the kitchen without the risk of banging or hurting yourself, without straining in uncomfortable positions. 

If furniture is designed more to be easy to produce and pack and the physical needs of the user are not respected, you end up with a kitchen that may look good but is uncomfortable, which makes you assume incorrect and, in the long term, harmful positions.

Kitchen worktop heights

Evaluating the ergonomics of a kitchen means taking into account your height and the height of those who will be using the kitchen with you. If you buy a standard kitchen, you will have to adapt to the average height of the worktops, perhaps bending over or taking up positions that are uncomfortable and harmful in the long run. Suffice it to say that while the average height of people has increased, the dimensions of the furniture have remained the same, so that many companies are forced to place a plinth 10 centimetres high to achieve a height of at least 85-86 cm.

Pellizzari proposes different heights of worktops, adaptable to your height or to those who will be using the kitchen and therefore able to meet everyone's needs.

Depth of kitchen worktops

Even in the case of the depth of the worktops, there has been no evolution, or rather we continue to use the 60cm depth simply because this is now the universal standard. But with this "traditional" depth the wall unit is too close to the face and causes a feeling of closure and poor visibility of the worktop. If we want to achieve sufficient visibility of the kitchen top, the height of the wall unit should be at least 60 cm from the top. It is unfortunate that this makes it difficult to see the objects contained in the wall unit and to pick them up. 

That is why we recommend a higher shelf depth of around 80 cm. In this way we obtain more working space, a perfect view and the possibility to lower the wall unit up to 40/45 centimetres from the top in order to make its content visible and easily accessible. 

What mood in the kitchen: colours, combinations, contrasts... 

The kitchen environment is also important from an aesthetic point of view, and anyone who chooses a kitchen does so by paying close attention to aesthetic aspects. It is an environment in which we spend a lot of time, where we host friends and acquaintances, so it must be studied carefully also in terms of aesthetic aspects, such as colour combinations. 

What colour do you have in mind for your kitchen? 

Keep in mind that we do all kinds of colours, both RAL and customised. You can choose light colours such as light yellow, acid green or ivory-white, which have high light reflection indexes and dilate spaces. Each one will have different levels of "protagonism". A neutral colour will give a completely different result to a raspberry-coloured kitchen. 

The choice of colour is very personal and also depends on the surfaces of the kitchens we are going to colour: the result is different if we use lacquered colours on the doors, or if we use them for the worktop or on the glass.  We can then decide to choose colours in a matt or glossy version and we can decide to match them with the various colours of the wood.

Kitchen: What material to choose?

Almost all kitchens on the market have a melamine-faced chipboard housing. This material has good resistance to scratches, abrasions and stains, but little resistance to water and humidity, as it is made from a chipboard panel.

Are all melamine veneers the same? No, there is a melamine that is much more water resistant than traditional melamine and is classified as P3. However, its water resistance is not absolute: continuous infiltration can ruin it over time. 

Another very important difference is the emission of formaldehyde that melamine-faced melamine continues to emit for many years even after purchase. Melamine-faced casings strictly comply with the limit values set by the strictest regulation in the world, the Japanese "F4 star" regulation. Melamine-faced cabinets can perfectly imitate wood and can be a source of possible cheating. It is therefore necessary to ask for the technical data sheets to ascertain the real nature of the material. 

Kitchen worktop

The worktop is an important cost item in kitchens, but on the other hand it is important for the function it performs and the stress it is subjected to: saving on this could mean that your kitchen will not last very long. The durability of the top and its resistance to stains, heat and scratches are important to ensure that the kitchen will last over time.  

In this article we will talk about the materials that can be used to create a kitchen worktop, including differences, advantages and defects:  the best kitchen worktop!

I will spoil it for you by saying that for us the best material for kitchen tops is porcelain stoneware: a high-performance material with immense durability, resistant to scratches and heat (you can put hot pots and pans directly on the top!). 

We'll tell you all about it in this article: stoneware kitchen top

Kitchen cladding

It seems like a minor aspect, but the wall covering on which you will place the kitchen has a decisive influence on the final effect of the room. One of the advantages of purchasing a "Pellizzari kitchen" is our experience with surfaces that allows us to propose, recommend and combine different materials. 

Here we will mention just a few possibilities from which you can choose. For example, you may wish to use the same material you have decided to use for the kitchen top: 

• Corian wall cladding: if the kitchen worktop is made of Corian, the top and cladding can be joined by welding the edge between the horizontal and vertical portions to obtain a pleasant and practical monolithic effect. We certainly gain in cleanability, we will have a bright and pleasant-to-touch workspace. Beware, however, that Corian has the disadvantage of being sensitive to heat, so this cannot be done behind the cooker where the high temperatures would ruin it! 
• Wall tiles in ceramic or stoneware. They can be used in the small 10x10 format for the top and wall tiles to create masonry kitchens with a rustic look, or in the "large slabs" format for modern, futuristic kitchens. If you decide to make a kitchen top with a large stoneware slab, you could use the exact same slab for the wall tiles: the rule always applies: the fewer colours and materials you mix, the better the result. Stoneware is not afraid of high temperatures, nor does it stain or absorb, so placing it both on the top and as a wall covering is a great idea! 

You may, however, decide to use different materials between the kitchen worktop and the wall tiles. In this case, great care must be taken when matching them. The colour of the doors, worktops and other elements with different colours (e.g. the fridge) must be taken into account. The ideal thing to do is to create a render that combines all the elements to see what the kitchen will look like and whether it will have the style we want.

We will talk about this in an article dedicated to the various solutions and styles in kitchen cladding: the styles in kitchen cladding

Designing your kitchen: choices to be made

When it comes to choosing the shape of your kitchen, you will be faced with several choices. Corner kitchen? Kitchen with an island? Is the table integrated or separate? Kitchen with a counter or without a counter? Kitchens can be arranged in different ways: we can design a kitchen with separate blocks or a linear kitchen with a single top, you can choose a kitchen with a separate island, a peninsula or a corner kitchen. 

The block kitchen, for example, has the advantage of being able to be reassembled in different ways and to facilitate moving, even if nowadays it is only used in restaurants or in a professional context. In fact, a kitchen built in a single block and with a single worktop allows you to avoid points of overflow and infiltration of liquids, which can cause swelling, mould and dirt. The kitchens you will see in our projects all have a single worktop and are equipped with watertight anti-drip systems at the sink and hob. Kitchens designed in this way will provide you with better aesthetics, thanks to the continuity of the worktop, and greater aesthetic cleanliness. 

Below are two articles that will help you understand the structure you want to give your kitchen, a choice that will be determined by the space you dedicate to the kitchen and your personal needs:

Kitchens with plinth, feet or suspended? 

Another interesting question concerns the lower part of kitchens, which can be made with a plinth (the most common solution) or suspended (rarely seen) or with feet to support it. Let's look at the differences:

• The plinth offers a fairly clear advantage: it hides the sight of dust and dirt that is created underneath the base units of kitchens. The presence of the plinth does not hinder the insertion of built-in appliances, such as dishwashers, but it has other kinds of disadvantages. The main one is that it creates an environment that is difficult to clean and where, due to the humidity that can be created inside, there will be poor hygiene. In addition, if oversized, it makes the kitchen look unsightly;
• The main advantage of wall-hung kitchens is that they are easy to clean under the base units. But it must be said that the kitchen becomes more beautiful, more elegant and 'lighter';
• The kitchen with feet, which we see mainly in industrial kitchens in restaurants, ensures easy cleaning and hygiene of the space underneath, but aesthetically is not the best. 

The choice between one or the other option depends on personal taste and intended use.

Kitchens: base units with doors or drawers?

 One of the many choices you will have to make is how to organise the base units in your kitchen: doors and shelves or pull-out drawers? 

Door openings in kitchen base units will force you to bend down to find and pick up objects that may be located behind on shelves that are difficult to see. Full-extension baskets, on the other hand, allow you to see all the contents immediately and access them quickly without having to bend down or stick your head into the furniture.

What's more, kitchen baskets can now be fitted with various accessories to make them even more convenient. Some accessories allow you to lock the contents, others allow you to store materials in perfect order. Even if you choose a large pot-and-pan drawer, e.g. 90 or even 120 cm wide, you will still get hinges and runners that allow it to slide silently, support heavy loads and include the necessary accessories: e.g. waste bins or plate holders. 

Kitchens: the doors

Kitchen doors are the part of the kitchen that most personalises its appearance and, together with the worktop, are the element most subject to wear. It is therefore necessary to carefully evaluate their quality before purchasing them.

Doors are one of the most difficult elements to choose because there is a wide range on the market and there is no correct information on the advantages and disadvantages of the different materials used. In our many years of experience we have identified the most frequent defects and researched the best way to eliminate them: just think, for example, of the stress to which the doors under the sink or those near the dishwasher are subjected, which can swell with water and humidity, or the doors near the oven which, due to the heat, can be damaged. 

Lacquered doors 

The type of door we like best is the lacquered door which, when produced using a medium density base panel coated with polyester or polyurethane varnish, offers a guarantee of durability and resistance, as well as being beautiful. Attention, however: a lacquered door requires a certain amount of care when it is made, otherwise it will not be very resistant to scratching, abrasion and impact.

Types of lacquering for kitchen doors

Lacquering can be matt or glossy, and in both cases there are numerous effects. Today there are super matt lacquers that are very attractive and soft to the touch, but the more matt the lacquer, the more it tends to retain dirt, so be careful not to overdo it. Matt lacquers also tend to polish by rubbing, creating unsightly halos. High-gloss lacquering is certainly more effective and can be carried out in two ways: 

1. Direct gloss: Use a varnish that is already glossy. There is no perfect flatness and there may be small imperfections due to dust incorporated into the paint during the drying process;
2. Brushed polish: the paint film is sanded with ever finer grits until perfect flatness and specularity is achieved. 

If the lacquering is carefully executed, it has good resistance to water or heat.

Kitchens: construction options

When you build a made-to-measure kitchen, the limits of customisation are practically zero. You can determine each shelf, drawer or column according to your own needs and preferences.

For example, we offer our customers a range of optional extras that make cooking easier and the workspace more convenient, such as:

• Customised cutlery drawer;

• Retractable doors;

• Open compartment with customised panelling;

• Removable spice trolley.

Discover all the optional extras we offer our customers: Custom kitchenour options and accessorie

Kitchen appliances

If the furniture in a kitchen is important, the choice of appliances is just as important.

This article will answer some of the questions you may be asking yourself if you are buying a kitchen, such as: is it better to have a normal cooker or an induction cooker? Is it better to have a ceiling-mounted extractor hood or a Bora hood integrated in the hob? What type of oven do you recommend? Gas or electric? And so on... For each appliance you will find useful advice on positioning. 

Read the article: kitchen: placement of electric aplliances

Kitchen: the perfect tap

Thanks to our experience in the world of bathroom taps and fittings and kitchen design, we can also give you the best advice on taps for your kitchen. We generally advise our customers to opt for modern steel taps, which are much more durable, hygienic and aesthetically pleasing than brass taps.

From the steel base, then, we can work on the finishes: copper, anthracite or chrome? There are so many possibilities, so we must be careful not to exaggerate. Looking for uniformity between the sink, wall units, appliances and the style of the house will take you in the right direction.

We discuss this in this article: kitchen tap: how to choose it?

Kitchens and hygiene 

The kitchen is the place in the home where food is prepared and eaten: it is both the most prone to getting dirty and the one that requires the most care in terms of cleaning and hygiene. Even kitchen furniture, if properly designed, can be a receptacle for dirt, grease and bacteria that are difficult to remove. 

What should be avoided? To make cleaning easier, the first thing to avoid is the meeting of two (or three) surfaces at right angles, as it is difficult to reach the point of union with the mop to completely remove the dirt: 

• Sink with a raised edge on the worktop: dirt is deposited around the perimeter;
• Sink recessed on the worktop: remains perfectly "flush" with the worktop and facilitates cleaning around the perimeter;
• Recessed handle with protruding edge: dirt settles along the perimeter;       
• Recessed handle with "flush" edge: it is easy to clean;
• Union between front profile and worktop at right angles: difficult to clean;
• Union between front profile and worktop with a right angle: easy to clean.

Elimination of the door frame:

Doors made up of an aluminium frame containing an aesthetic panel are often used. These doors have an edge between the frame and the panel which is difficult to clean.

Eliminating cracks:

Cracks in the kitchen are a breeding ground for dirt and bacteria. Check that there are no cracks, for example between the shelf and the front profile;
Insert a silicone rubber element that keeps the surface of the top perfectly adherent to the aluminium profile, avoiding the risk of infiltration;
In equipped walls and back panels, dirt can enter and settle inside the profiles for attaching various elements without being able to be removed;
Close the gaps in the equipped wall with an aluminium profile that prevents dirt from entering. 

Kitchens and mistakes not to make 

This is one of the articles you absolutely must read: we tell you what mistakes you should not make when buying a kitchen. These are valuable tips, the result of our experience, which will save you from making rash choices. Unfortunately, some of these mistakes are common, much more so than we think.

Avoid these mistakes in your kitchen: 10 ERRORs in designing a kitchen

Kitchens: quality marks

One thing that can help you understand the quality with which kitchens are produced is the presence of certain national or international marks, which are issued after a series of rigorous tests and then certified as certified and safe products. 

The marks can be divided into five categories:

1. Process quality marks
2. Product quality marks
3. Self-certification marks
4. Trade marks
5. Environmental marks.

What do the marks guarantee? And who issues them?

The product quality mark analyses the real quality of the product and is therefore the mark that should be of most interest to the consumer.

They are issued by specific certifying bodies, independent of the manufacturers, after tests and checks on the quality of the product, which must comply with specific technical standards.

IMQ: issued by the Italian Quality Mark Institute. Does not cover the furniture sector. Widely used in the electrical sector.

NF: French quality brand. It only deals with the electrical sector.

VDE: German quality brand. Covers the electrical sector. European. Not intended for the furniture sector.

CE: It is a mark of conformity with European Union directives. Not intended for the furniture sector.

 ECOLABEL: It is the best-known environmental label established by EU regulation. It is applied to environmentally friendly products.

 LA CERTIFICAZIONE FSC: CERTIFIED WOOD​​: It ensures that the wood used comes from responsibly managed forests by ensuring a balance of felling and reforestation.

Kitchen installation

Installing a kitchen requires experience, precision and attention to detail. We usually work with pre-installation in the workshop in order to anticipate problems and not have to deal with them on site. 
The assembly of our kitchens in the customer's home takes about a day's work. In the time lapse video we see the assembly of a kitchen, from the first stages of preparation to the finished work. 

Kitchens: important in the home and in the budget

Before going into the issues in depth, I think we should talk about the budget. To do this, it is important to remember that all the research conducted into the relationship between people and the home environment confirms that kitchens are the favourite spaces of Italian families. The room dedicated to food preparation is the room in which the most is invested and where the most time is spent. Not only with family members but also with friends, relatives and acquaintances (Covid permitting...).

This is why the choice of kitchen furniture is an important choice, which certainly weighs on a family's budget when it comes to renovating the house. And it is a choice that must last for a long time. 

Our Pellizzari kitchens, produced in Vicenza, have many small details, which we will explain to you, capable of surprising and satisfying you. But how much do they cost? In every single article that you will find below, and which will go into detail about individual creations in the homes of customers in Vicenza or Verona, you will also find the price that the customer spent on the kitchens purchased. 
But you can also consult the prices of the various kitchens directly by clicking here:

the prices of our kitchens

As you will see, by clicking the button above, there are three most important cost items in kitchens: the furniture, the appliances and the worktop. It's up to you to decide how and where to invest the most...