Tell us a little bit about yourself, Tim...
"I've been working in the kitchen industry in one form or another for 30 years. I first served an apprenticeship as a Plumber with my local council, Salford and achieved City and Guilds status. Following 20 years as a kitchen Installer, in the last 10 years I worked as a Kitchen Contractor, heading a team of installers on sites and in showroom displays across the UK. I was then commissioned by Granada TV to act as Project Consultant for Home Improvement Programmes including Better Homes, 60 Minute Makeover. However, there's one project I'm most proud of - a Tonight Special with Trevor McDonald "New Homes for Old" about the regeneration of homes in the inner cities.
So, tell us what the key ingredients are for a great kitchen design?
Space, Practicality, Aesthetics, Creativity and Ergonomics or, if I'm being clever - SPACE. By this I mean making the best use of the space available; the hallmark of great design.
What common mistakes do people make when they design and plan their kitchens?
Good kitchen design is about having awareness of the practicalities of a design and to use this as a core foundation when drawing up plans. Lack of ergonomics and a tendency to fill every nook and cranny with cabinets make for poor design. A good quality carcass and clever interior organisation behind the kitchen door will ultimately determine the longevity of a kitchen. Likewise, appliances are the engine room of a kitchen so good product knowledge is more essential than just buying for good looks, which is a common mistake.
What are your three tips of the trade for making more of your kitchen space?
- Utilise more of the cabinet space with clever accessories such as carousels and pull out baskets, particularly in hidden corners.
- For small designs consider a portable workstation trolley if you don't have the space for an island. I don't think it will be long before we see more ceiling mounted accessories - the use of ceiling areas has not yet been fully exploited by accessory manufacturers, so for now we have to make do with what is available and ceiling mounted utensil racks are a great space saving accessory.
- Introducing light wall colours if your door finish is a dark design and making best use of or incorporating more natural light gives the impression of greater space in a kitchen. If your kitchen door finish is a dark design ,introduce light wall colours or incorporate more natural light to give the impression of greater space.
If you had £500 to spruce up a kitchen, where would you start?
What about £1500? With £500, consider painting the visible fascias such as doors and end panels. I once worked with a company who predominantly used paint finishes for their designs. The finished projects looked superb and it remains a relatively inexpensive method of refreshing a dated or tired looking kitchen.
With £1,500?
I would perhaps invest in an induction hob, which is more energy efficient than traditional gas or electric hobs and a double oven. How people manage with a single oven is beyond me given the varied temperatures of certain recipes. The space traditionally utilised for a single oven can now house a good choice of built under double ovens available to buyers.
What do you enjoy cooking most in your kitchen?
I do a mean Seafood Chowder accompanied by slices of Irish Soda Bread and if anyone wants the recipe then feel free to contact me.
Do you have any tips of the trade for keeping a kitchen clean and tidy?
One of my favourite websites is run by June Jackson who describes herself as a plump, grey old wrinkly living in the South East of England. June's website hintsandthings.com has a huge following and is full of the great tips and advice for all. Generally we don't associate the over 60's as an age group that embraces the internet and I really admire the fact that June's online efforts serve as a great example of wisdom and experience being transferred to cyberspace. So I will refer to June's experience on this as my kitchen often resembles the aftermath of the Battle of Hastings so what would I know?
What makes a kitchen flow better? Is it all about layout or the kit you've got?
I do think layout is the more important - it really is no good having some state of the art juicer for instance, if the space it takes up in your kitchen can be better utilised. This brings me back to your first question - kitchen design: allow for what kind of things you will use regularly on your work surface rather than just falling for what may look good but spends most of the time unused in a corner cupboard.
In your opinion, how much does a new kitchen add to a house's value?
Is it the best thing to change when you're thinking of moving? A kitchen is second only to a mortgage in terms of home investments and so is a huge factor in determining the value of your home. The kitchen the eye catcher or the deal breaker for most people viewing your house. Altering things before moving on to rejuvenate the appearance is to be encouraged. Even if the potential buyer is not a big fan of the design of your kitchen - a fresh, clear area allows them to evaluate at least, what changes they would make in the future.
Do you always wind up in the kitchen at parties?
If you do, can you resist taking a look round with your 'work' hat on? Yes, as the Jona Lewie song goes, "you can always find me in the kitchen at parties". More often than not I'll be strumming a few songs on my guitar hopefully with a couple of good singers joining in! I avoid work chat however, and am always respectful of any kitchen I sit in, regardless of how it might look. If I do see something amiss then I keep it to myself because there's nothing more boring than some know-it-all pulling your home to pieces. Quite frankly, I'm happy in a scullery if the atmosphere is right.
Tim Foley is a columnist on Kitchens, Bedrooms & Bathrooms (KBB) Review, the leading industry magazine, Consultant to Institute of Kitchen Bedroom Bathroom Installers (ikbbi); Consultant on ITV's 60 Minute Makeover and is founder of www.kitchensfitted.co.uk
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