For those of us who cook, the kitchen will probably be the biggest focus and investment of the entire home. You need to pay attention when planning your kitchen and to spend wisely to avoid costly rectifications if the area does not perform. Here's a quick guide to planning a contemporary and practical designer kitchen, taking note of the kitchen layout, space and materials to use.

To begin, bear your needs in mind - depending on how much you cook, the design can even be strictly functional or aesthetic.

With careful planning, you can pack a lot of function into even a small kitchen. While space for food preparation and storage can be created using clever sliding surfaces and tall cabinets, the main focus is the cooking area between the worktop, sink and appliance. By creating a working triangle that is just small enough for cooking comfortably, you'll be gaining on work flow efficiency.

The use of space is an essential consideration in the kitchen. Planned correctly, the kitchen may hinder its user instead of facilitating workflow. It seems obvious, but the most common mistake made in the kitchen is not allowing enough room for refrigerator or swing-out cabinet doors to open fully.

With regards to materials, one should not skimp on worktops since that's an area we use most often. There are five main types of worktops: 1) High pressure laminated worktops (HPL) 2) Solid surface made of acrylic, polyester, or mixed 3) Natural stones like marble 4) Granite semi-natural stones like silestone 5) Stainless steel Of these, HPL is the most affordable and comes in a wide variety of color. But it is susceptible to delamination and peeling as well as heat scars. A hardier alternative is a solid surface, such as Corian, which is moldable and comes with no visible joint lines. One idea is to use glossy, pristine white laminates and Corian work surfaces combined with glass and stainless steel elements to create a space that's practically glowing - visually enlarging a small kitchen. If this is combined with an open-concept design, the idea can expand to include a half glass wall to open up the room and allow interaction between the cooking and dining area.

Natural or semi-natural stones are more durable but are also more costly and fairly difficult to install. Marble for example, is very beautiful and heat-resistant, it is also very expensive, especially the Italian and Greek varieties.

The most hygienic and germ-resistant surface is stainless steel, but it comes with a few maintenance drawbacks. It scratches easily and needs a lot of cleaning to maintain its sheen.

With respect to color, one suggestion is to go for bold color combination of glossy black and white, which matches appliances in steel. The right choice of appliances also means a world of difference in terms of kitchen efficiencies and aesthetic.

Finally, if you lack the confidence to plan and install a kitchen by yourself, hire a kitchen specialist to do so. A properly done layout can mean a lot of time saved, ease of use and ergonomics.