The seven R’s of sustainable kitchen design

In these sustainability-aware times, ensuring your home has a minimal carbon footprint is important for many of us. It not only reduces your impact on the environment, but can also help reduce your energy bills. To achieve this, smarterBATHROOMS+ can design you an affordable, sustainable kitchen that marries social responsibility and award-winning interior design.

Here are our Seven R’s to designing a sustainable (and aesthetically pleasing) kitchen:

1. Review energy efficiency. Not only should you consider the embodied energy of everything in your kitchen (the energy consumed to manufacture your materials), but also the energy it takes to use the product. Ask your supplier for the greenest option. At smarterBATHROOMS+ we host a wide range of materials in our showroom, including eco-friendly treated wood and bamboo to create a sustainable and attractive space.

2. Ratings, ratings, ratings. There is a large number of energy-saving and water-saving devices available on the kitchen market. Water-saving dishwashers can save thousands of litres over a lifetime. Your smarterBATHROOMS+ designer can help pinpoint the most energy-efficient models on the market and select one that is appropriate for your particular home.

3. Redesign. To get the most out of your space, we recommend that bench runs are designed to be straight, either as a galley or a galley with an island bench. A galley kitchen is easy to remove and relocate, giving the kitchen inherent value much like a piece of furniture.

4. Reinvest for a lifetime. Choose quality items that you can remove and take with you to a new home, or that you would consider keeping if you renovated. For example, a solid timber island is a lifelong investment, as is a top quality stainless steel sink.

5. Repurpose old materials. Cabinet bodies or cabinet carcasses, can be reused and upcycled with a fresh coat of paint and new handles. If you don’t have any cabinet carcasses, select new ones created to offer super low formaldehyde emissions. Source materials from other places in the house too, such as tiles from the bathroom and old floorboards. Take inventory of the materials you wish to use and smarterBATHROOMS+ can incorporate your repurposed materials into your new build.

6. Remove obstacles. Recycling is more likely to become a part of your daily life if it has been considered in your design and layout. Make recycling bins accessible and easy to use by placing them within throw’s reach of your bench. Slide-out bins placed under the bench tops are functional and keep the bin area concealed.

7. Renegotiate light. Natural light costs nothing and makes the most impact in your home. Wherever possible, remove light fixtures in favour of sunlight, which will automatically improve airflow and cultivate a feeling of space – ultimately saving you money.

Speak with a smarterBATHROOMS+ award-winning designer to discover how you and your family will benefit from creating a 21st century sustainable kitchen. Call 1300 662 838.

Find more information on our kitchen renovations here.