Not only is the kitchen the heart of the home, the centre of warmth from where the delectable smells of home emanate, but it is also a highly functional area. While most of the rest of the house is used for rest and recreation, the kitchen is all about where everything happens. There is a fine balance between comfort and purpose that everyone is trying to achieve when they putting together a kitchen. Take a look at the various types of kitchen units to help decide how you are going to create that perfect equilibrium.

A kitchen can easily be customised by carefully combining a set of free standing, pre-designed kitchen units. Each unit is sold separately and sets are created in a myriad of different designs, colours and styles.

Corner units

These are designed to maximise the spaces in the corners of the kitchen. This can also be achieved by placing an appliance in the corner. Corner units can come in a top and bottom bikini outfit or as a long cupboard extending up the full height of the kitchen wall. These make for much larger cupboards and can be strategically placed to cover a circuit board. While the first instinct may be to use this as a broom cupboard, the large amount of space makes it ideal for use as a pantry.

Long cupboards

These extend the length of the typical kitchen wall and usually come in two panels. An essential hiding place for brooms, brushes, pans and even vacuum cleaners, it cannot be left out. These make perfect end units fitting neatly against a door frame or next to an appliance, for example a fridge.

Sink units

Where your plumbing is situated will decide for you how long your sink unit can be. A larger space means an additional sink and more cupboards beneath. While cupboard space is rarely highly sought after in this area being used mainly for detergents, consider instead a suspended drying rack above.

Bottom units and drawer units

While there are bottom units without drawers, there are only drawers in bottom units. Drawers can either be spread across with each cupboard having a drawer above it, or they can have an entire panel dedicated to a set of drawers. This has become the more popular option in recent years.