But if you need help planning-

-book an appointment with a member of staff at your local IKEA store-

-or contact us for details.

Here are some things you need to think about when you start planning your kitchen.

You should be able to move quickly and easily between the cooking area, the fridge and the sink.

This is sometimes called the working triangle.

The shape of our kitchen will usually be dictated by the shape of the room-

-but just because your existing kitchen is one shape-

-doesn't necessarily mean your new kitchen has to be the same.

Here are a few layout options:

A line kitchen is good for small spaces but not so good for bigger rooms.

If you have the space, you can add an island-

-which not only gives more storage-

-it can also act as a serving area, a hang-out and a room divider.

An L-shaped kitchen creates a good working triangle and gives you lots of storage space.

A U-shaped kitchen gives you loads of storage and worktop space-

-but you'll need a big room.

A parallel kitchen gives you two work and storage stations on opposite walls.

It doesn't need that much space and works really well in rooms with a door or window at the end.

When it comes to worktops-

-space on both sides of the hob will give you somewhere to put hot pans-

-but if you're short on space prioritise the space between the sink and the hob.

In a parallel kitchen make sure there's room for two people to work without bumping into each other.

A distance of at least 120 cm will let you open drawers and doors on both sides at the same time.

Place wall cabinets at a height that won't block the view of the counter tops.

Make sure you follow the manufacturer's recommendation-

-when it comes to the height of the fan above the hob.

Placing your oven at eye-level means less bending and keeps the oven out of reach of the kids.

Counter space beside the oven will give you somewhere to put hot trays.

Keeping your cooking utensils and pots and pans close to the hob-

-means they'll always be within reach when you need them.

Storing your glasses, cutlery and porcelain close to the sink and dishwasher-

-will make loading and unloading the dishwasher easier.

Leave space for a filler piece between the last cabinet and the wall.

This will give you enough room to fully open the door-

-which is especially important if you have pull-out baskets.

Here are some things to avoid:

Putting your oven or dishwasher in a corner will block the adjacent drawers and cabinets.

Placing a sink next to a wall will disrupt your workflow and reduce your counter top space.

Placing the oven next to a wall will expose the wall to heat and fat splashes.

Placing drawers in a corner will block the adjoining cabinet and may damage its door or handle.