Kitchens have evolved a lot over the years. Once found only in the rear of the house, today’s kitchen design takes the kitchen out the background. The challenge for kitchen design is in creating a more open concept kitchen, that is part of a dining area, a family room or a great room.
In deciding on how to design your kitchen, you must take into consideration such things as: will your kitchen have an island? Will it be of a modern or traditional design? What kinds of appliances will you need for your new kitchen design? What kind of lighting design?
1. Kitchen as ‘Great Room’
Whether you are redesigning an existing kitchen or planning a new kitchen in a new home there are some design considerations to keep in mind, such as including in an island or peninsula as part of the kitchen design. These can be used to connect the kitchen to a nearby dining area or family room thereby creating a ‘great room’. A kitchen island or peninsula will allow the cook to keep in visual and conversational contact with family members or guests in the adjoining family or dining room.
2. Using Kitchen Cabinet Color to Set Tone of Kitchen Design
Kitchen cabinets will help set the tone for the whole room. The choice of wood/color will influence the overall look of your cabinets. To create a light look, use a light wood such as ash, beech, birch, oak, maple, or chestnut and light paint colors, like white or light grey, if using color. Light look is recommended in smaller kitchens as it tends to open up the room.
3. Plan Out Use of Cabinets and Drawers in The New Kitchen Design
Plan out in the kitchen design blueprint just how your cabinets and drawers will be used and how much space and storage you will need before you start your new kitchen design. The first thing to examine is the counter surface area. Look at where you put everything in your existing kitchen and where in your new kitchen design will these things will go in the new space. Will there be more than one person cooking at a time. If so, will there be enough room for two cooks in the kitchen to work together?
4. Use the Galley-Type Kitchen Design
As for counter arrangements, many kitchen designers agree the galley-type design to be the best in terms of efficiency with its single aisle and counters to either side, making it easy to turn around to go from sink to cooking range.
5. Under-Cabinet Kitchen Lighting
Kitchen lighting can be an overlooked area of kitchen design. Even if the kitchen has generally good lighting, the counter areas can be somewhat dark. For these areas’ under-cabinet lighting can help provide more light to work in. By using good lighting a smaller kitchen can be made to look larger.
6. Looking at Countertops
Granite, marble, and limestone are all popular natural materials for use in countertops are available in many colors. Solid surface countertops provide seamless acrylic faces. Solid surfaces also come in almost limitless colors, patterns, and styles and are stain and heat resistant. Concrete countertops are known for versatility, as well as strength. Wood countertops are long lasting and easy to clean and repair, but the wood will not withstand exposure to water and household chemicals. Stainless steel countertops lack the elegance of granite or quartz. These countertops do not absorb stains.
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