Expanded Horizons: 7 reasons for a kitchen extension

With home extensions in the UK on the rise, people are choosing to remain in their home and increase their existing space rather than move to a larger property. Expenditure to do this is lower and you don’t have the inconvenience of moving. To some extent, where you choose to extend your property depends on the available land space that you possess. However, there are several reasons choose a kitchen extension.

1. It’s where you spend a lot of time

Whether your home is a busy family space or a practical professional residence or somewhere in between, a lot of the time that you spend at home is spent in your kitchen. Love or hate to cook, the kitchen is a space that increasingly means more than a zone of sustenance. More and more people are choosing to position televisions, audio systems and comfortable seating within their kitchens. When you extend the space of your kitchen, you will find that the time spent in your kitchen can become more about comfort and less about function.

2. Make it more social

When you increase the space that is dedicated to your kitchen, you are able to make that room a far more social space. By extending a narrow galley kitchen into a wide open plan area, the world of the kitchen island opens up to you. An island allows a space to become more inclusive and social. Guests can lean on a kitchen island worktop and informal dining or drinks can be accommodated there. This is why it’s important to choose a beautiful and tactile material such as marble or granite within your kitchen.

3. It’s multifunctional

With increased space comes increased function. Perhaps you will use your granite topped kitchen island for the kids to do their homework while the adults cook dinner. Alternatively, space on your marble worktops may be integrated with hot plate studs or hidden power points that make your kitchen processes more straightforward and simplified. A well designed modern kitchen becomes a space where you can relax, study, work and socialise. Not just cook and wash up!

4. Bring the outside in

A kitchen extension differs from a kitchen refit in the sense that it opens up structural possibilities for you. Many clients choose to make the most of the Great British Summer and insert bi-fold doors to their extended space. This trend works wonderfully well with stone worktop designs such as quartz as it increases the natural light in a space which is reflected in these stone worktops.

5. Make it a long term investment

If you have made the decision to extend your kitchen, make it count by choosing the durable, low maintenance and timeless material of a stone work surface. Whether you prefer natural granite, a glistening quartz or stark marble, your kitchen will become not just a talking point but also a selling point.

6. Increase your utilities

As part of a kitchen extension, you may choose to relocate your utilities into a kitchen island, for example, making the centre of your kitchen a cooking zone. Stone worktops work wonderfully here as not only are they highly heat resistant, but they can be cut and fitted to mask the functionality of a space. With more space comes more scope to add utilities such as dishwashing, tumble drying, microwave or even barista utilities. 

7. Impact on your lifestyle

The most important way that your kitchen extension will impact your life is in your everyday lifestyle. A more relaxed and increased food preparation space makes preparing fresh food more manageable. Meanwhile, the space for more labour saving devices takes the effort out of domestic chores. In addition, choosing a lounging zone is a great way to maximise the time that you can enjoy in your light, bright and modern kitchen.