A kitchen renovation is the project most households postpone the longest, and the one they are happiest with once it is done. The trick is deciding everything before the first cabinet comes off the wall.

Start with how you cook

Count the people who cook at the same time, the appliances you actually use and the storage you are short of. That list, not a catalogue, sets the layout.

• Measure twice, including door swings and window sills.
• Keep the sink and the drains where they are if the budget is tight.
• Order appliances first: their sizes fix the cabinet run.

With the plan on paper, the work itself takes two to three weeks.