6 Tips on Creating the Kitchen of Your Dreams
The heart of every house is the kitchen.
Whether in a starter apartment or a home you're building from scratch; there's not a room in the house that will host as many important activities and have so much demanded of it as will the kitchen.
So as you contemplate how to make this room all it can be, take a few ideas from a design professional who has created more than a few kitchens.
From slick city galley's to vast, complex cook's kitchens in large complicated estates, my experience designing unique and functional kitchens might spark an idea or two that will set your kitchen apart and make it a favored room in the house.
Here are my 6 Tips on Creating the Kitchen of Your Dreams 1.
Make Your Kitchen Yours.
Unlike in years past where resale was king, there is a trend today among homeowners that's less interested in "resale" and more interested in getting what they want in the here-and-now.
While I don't advocate being foolish when it comes to design or construction decisions I do encourage homeowners to put into their kitchens exactly what will make them happy.
Don't worry about what the next owner will want; figure out what you want.
2.
Make Your Kitchen Comfortable.
Find a way to incorporate an unexpected sitting area in your kitchen.
A banquet, small sofa or grouping of upholstered club chairs around a table set at tea-height (27 inches) provides an intimate and memorable place to gather that is neither breakfast nor dining room but becomes a unique experience all on its own.
3.
Make Your Kitchen Glow.
And the best way to do this is with natural light.
Small adjustments to windows, like extending them down to counter height or pulling cabinetry back away from window openings just a bit goes far in amplifying the reach of natural light.
If windows can be added; by all means do so.
If glass fronted cabinets don't frighten you (there is an implied commitment to neatly organized cabinet interiors) then add one or two to further lighten the impact of your new kitchen.
4.
Give Your Kitchen an Unexpected Edge.
I find that kitchens trying to replicate historical periods often fall into theme-park mode, where everything seems just a little too perfect, a little too expected.
I prefer to stir things up a bit by adding an unexpectedly modern material in an otherwise purely English, French or Italian inspired kitchen.
This mixing of materials keeps things from looking like a movie set and establishes your kitchen as uniquely yours.
5.
Make Your Kitchen a Workhorse.
No amount of quirky design or rule-breaking will mask a poorly laid out kitchen.
Elements of efficiency and ergonomics cannot be ignored.
A poorly placed stove or refrigerator will make daily life problematic and negate any perceived value of having done something that "looked good".
No matter how well it may look, if a kitchen does not function with all its parts where they should be you have missed an opportunity and the space will never function correctly.
6.
Give Yourself Time to Design.
Good design evolves over time; rarely is it born fully formed.
Allow your eyes and mind to be exposed to varied ideas.
Trust the team with whom you are working to bring new and unexpected ideas to the table and then give these ideas the space and time to either take root or not.
There is nothing wrong with rejecting an idea after careful consideration.
What is a shame is to never have had the idea to consider in the first place.
Whether in a starter apartment or a home you're building from scratch; there's not a room in the house that will host as many important activities and have so much demanded of it as will the kitchen.
So as you contemplate how to make this room all it can be, take a few ideas from a design professional who has created more than a few kitchens.
From slick city galley's to vast, complex cook's kitchens in large complicated estates, my experience designing unique and functional kitchens might spark an idea or two that will set your kitchen apart and make it a favored room in the house.
Here are my 6 Tips on Creating the Kitchen of Your Dreams 1.
Make Your Kitchen Yours.
Unlike in years past where resale was king, there is a trend today among homeowners that's less interested in "resale" and more interested in getting what they want in the here-and-now.
While I don't advocate being foolish when it comes to design or construction decisions I do encourage homeowners to put into their kitchens exactly what will make them happy.
Don't worry about what the next owner will want; figure out what you want.
2.
Make Your Kitchen Comfortable.
Find a way to incorporate an unexpected sitting area in your kitchen.
A banquet, small sofa or grouping of upholstered club chairs around a table set at tea-height (27 inches) provides an intimate and memorable place to gather that is neither breakfast nor dining room but becomes a unique experience all on its own.
3.
Make Your Kitchen Glow.
And the best way to do this is with natural light.
Small adjustments to windows, like extending them down to counter height or pulling cabinetry back away from window openings just a bit goes far in amplifying the reach of natural light.
If windows can be added; by all means do so.
If glass fronted cabinets don't frighten you (there is an implied commitment to neatly organized cabinet interiors) then add one or two to further lighten the impact of your new kitchen.
4.
Give Your Kitchen an Unexpected Edge.
I find that kitchens trying to replicate historical periods often fall into theme-park mode, where everything seems just a little too perfect, a little too expected.
I prefer to stir things up a bit by adding an unexpectedly modern material in an otherwise purely English, French or Italian inspired kitchen.
This mixing of materials keeps things from looking like a movie set and establishes your kitchen as uniquely yours.
5.
Make Your Kitchen a Workhorse.
No amount of quirky design or rule-breaking will mask a poorly laid out kitchen.
Elements of efficiency and ergonomics cannot be ignored.
A poorly placed stove or refrigerator will make daily life problematic and negate any perceived value of having done something that "looked good".
No matter how well it may look, if a kitchen does not function with all its parts where they should be you have missed an opportunity and the space will never function correctly.
6.
Give Yourself Time to Design.
Good design evolves over time; rarely is it born fully formed.
Allow your eyes and mind to be exposed to varied ideas.
Trust the team with whom you are working to bring new and unexpected ideas to the table and then give these ideas the space and time to either take root or not.
There is nothing wrong with rejecting an idea after careful consideration.
What is a shame is to never have had the idea to consider in the first place.