If cooking is your forte then the kitchen is a particularly important room in your household, and one you will want to contain certain features and appliances, both to make life easier when preparing meals, and to look good. So, when it comes to renovating and updating the existing design you will probably want some level of input when planning the layout and style.

An ideal kitchen is modern, large and spacious, and has separate areas for preparation, cooking, and entertaining. Here are some pointers towards achieving a unique look for one of the most used rooms in a house.

We all want our kitchens to be stylish and smart so when thinking about your design consider how you can combine a great look with functionality. It's important that the layout is convenient for easy movement with access to all store cupboards and appliances unhindered, and organization is a major issue for every well-designed kitchen. Although your budget will dictate exactly what you can afford, it's still possible to get a kitchen custom-made with good quality materials at an affordable price if you take the time to shop around.

Designing your kitchen is an exciting project and there are lots of places you can find inspiration for your new kitchen – home design magazines, books, do-it-yourself warehouses, homeware stores and the internet. One of the first decisions you need to take care of is the layout, this will mainly depend on the size of the area and how much you actually use the area. If you have a large family and spend a lot of time cooking, or the kitchen is a place where people congregate and chat about the day, then your needs are going to differ greatly from someone who spends most of their time eating out and just uses the kitchen to prepare a quick breakfast or snack.

So, back to the layout. Most of us will have heard of the kitchen triangle although we might not necessarily know what it means. Basically the most used appliances in any kitchen are the oven, fridge and sink which make up the 3 corners of the working triangle. The distance between them needs to ensure the cook isn't running marathons going from one to the other, and the route between the 3 flows smoothly. The oven should have a countertop next to it enabling you to put hot items down quickly, as should the refrigerator so it's easy to get vegetables and groceries when needed, and the dishwasher should be located near the sink for convenience.

Safety is another important issue that can be achieved during the design process. Just a few safety aspects include fitting cabinets with magnetic locks to prevent young children from helping themselves to the contents, easy to clean, non-slip flooring, well lit preparation areas, and storage cupboards within reach.

Look online and you'll find various companies that deal in kitchen design and installation. Book a free design consultation where they'll visit you at your home at a time convenient to you, order a brochure, or just have a look at the range of kitchens on offer and get inspired. A design consultant will measure up you space, and have a chat in order to learn about your lifestyle to get an idea of how you use the space you have, before devising the perfect layout. Their job is also to advise and help you experiment with ranges, colours and swatches and put together an individual and unique styling design that suits your space.

Bespoke kitchens have a reputation as being one of the leading players in handmade kitchens. Quality craftsmen are accomplished and can give your kitchen a complete new makeover, an essential quality when you consider how much time you spend in there. They will be able to help with every aspect, from the basic planning and design, to building, fitting, decorating, and adding the finishing touches.

If you have the funds and want your kitchen to be totally unique and impress anyone who steps foot in it, then there is nothing to beat the quality of workmanship and service offered from a custom-made kitchen design.