Plan your kitchen according to your lifestyle. A family will have different expectations from a kitchen than a young couple. Keep this in mind when planning your storage.

Keep the existing service points in mind when planning the kitchen as rewiring and re-plumbing takes a lot of time and money.

Think about the ventilation points when planning your kitchen. Don't plan cupboards over them.

Decide where your sink, drainer and dishwasher need to go first as this will be the biggest unit to fit in.

Plan the main areas (sink, food preparation and hob) close together. This will make your kitchen more efficient.

When measuring the size of the kitchen, make sure that the exact shape of the walls is known. If there is an inwards corner in the room it will influence the shape of the worktop and the place of the wall-cupboards.

If you decide for a two-way galley kitchen, leave enough walking space between the two galleys.

If choosing a U-shaped kitchen, consider the floor space you will have left and maybe decide to use one of the legs of the U as a breakfast bar.

If you like to cook with a lot of fresh vegetables or you need a big freezer, consider a big fridge/freezer at the end of your worktop for loads of storage and easy access.

In a small and narrow kitchen you can create more space by making the wall-cupboards taller rather than having them protruding outwards. You will create more headspace and the kitchen will look wider.

Store heavy items in the cupboards underneath the worktop

Store rarely used items on the highest shelves of your cupboard to keep easy accessible space free for daily use.

Kitchens will always have drawers with all sorts of goods in it, like pens, buttons, matches and sandwich bags. To create more order, use little plastic boxes or special drawer organisers. You will find what you need much quicker.

Store your utensils near to where you are most likely to use them. This will make your kitchen more efficient.

Keep your worktop clutter free for a tidy look.

To disguise a boiler you can build a spice rack in front of it. This will not take a lot of space and will be an attractive display for all your spices.

Think about where you want your main bin to be situated. Try to integrate it in the area below the worktop to keep outlook of the kitchen clean and clutter-free.

Don't forget to give your cookery books a place in your kitchen!

Choose cabinets you want to look at for quite a number of years.

Durability and low maintenance have to be the key to your choice of kitchen cabinets.

Use different materials for your kitchen cabinets to break the monotony of your kitchen.

If you choose to use stainless steel for any of your surfaces (worktop, cabinets or backsplash), make sure you combine it with a warmer material. Beware of a clinical look.

When you choose tiles for your worktop, make sure you use a grout that is resistant against heat, dirt and water, like epoxy grout.

Just as for your kitchen cabinets, combine different worktop materials to break monotony.

If you've got a small kitchen, keep the details simple and uncluttered, as this will make your kitchen look bigger.

Make sure paint and wallpaper are made for your kitchen, as they have to be resistant against grease and heat.

Fresh and bright colours lighten up your kitchen. This is especially helpful when your kitchen lacks natural daylight.

Install track light above your worktop, so that you'll always have enough light to work with.

Look for companies that are specialised in the construction you choose, whether it's flat pack, rigid construction, custom-built or non-fitted.

If you choose for flat pack units, check if the company delivers a fitting service.

Check if your kitchen supplier is a member of a trade body such as the kitchen specialist association (KSA).

Check whether the company offers a full after sales service and inspection when fitting is completed.

Make sure that you get a fully itemised costing.

Make sure you know the terms and conditions when you are going to pay in terms.

Check the showroom kitchens for possible weaknesses in areas that will receive the most wear and tear.