How to design kitchen to increase it's functionality & update it's look? Read this article and don't forget to book a free call to get a kitchen renovation estimate.
Due to the frequent changes in how everyone uses kitchens, kitchen design is an ongoing learning process. Nowadays, kitchens are utilized by families not just for cooking but also for entertaining, dining, working, and even relaxing.
The kitchen will undoubtedly be a room in the house with a lot of traffic. However, there are methods to avoid turning the kitchen into a storage area for mail, bags, and outerwear.
A skilled specialist should design your kitchen only in conjunction with you because your design choices are heavily influenced by how you utilize your kitchen. The best course of action is to work with a skilled general contractor, such as KS Renovation, to create your kitchen.
So, meticulous planning is required from the beginning of a kitchen project. Below, KS Renovation walks you through each phase of the design process so you can combine your innovative kitchen ideas with real-world considerations to produce a harmonious space.
How to Design Kitchen - The Essentials
The most excellent kitchen designers will work closely with you on your project, though. This is because the design decisions you make for your kitchen will significantly influence how you utilize it.
Our step-by-step guide will show you how to design a kitchen the way a pro would, but you should always consider if each step is in line with the layout and usability of the completed space. You may combine your final list with all the images of your collected kitchens to make the ideal room.
Make a Wish List and Establish a Budget for Kitchen Design.
This list may be expanded to include more abstract concepts that your designer can assist with, such as cabinets made of various materials, countertop treatments, etc. Start by creating a mental map and writing down every component of your ideal kitchen.
The kitchen price must be detailed at the outset of your project.
Your financial situation will determine how far you can go with your wishlist. You must decide on your realistic spending limit for the project. Be careful to account for plumbing, wiring, lighting, appliances, flooring, decoration, labor, and any finishing design elements in addition to the kitchen itself. Additionally, you should include an additional 10% as a safety net in case any other expenses arise.
Establish A Kitchen Design Budget
The kitchen price must be detailed at the outset of your project.
Your financial situation will determine your wishlist. Determine the maximum amount you can spend on the job. Be sure to account for plumbing, wiring, lighting, appliances, flooring, decoration, labor, and finishing design elements. An additional 10% should be included as a contingency.
Look at the Ideal Layout
Putting aesthetic preferences aside, the practical process of creating a kitchen should begin with kitchen layout ideas.
Time spent in the kitchen maybe even more delightful by strategically creating an ergonomic kitchen layout and making the most of the available space. Try to arrange your sink, refrigerator, stove, and oven so that they are all easily accessible in your plan before deciding what storage to place here.
Cooking utensils, pots, and pans are often best stored in cabinets and pull-out drawers next to the oven, while dishes should be placed closer to the sink.
When planning your layout, keep in mind natural light and traffic patterns. For instance, resting places should be placed next to windows rather than the primary cooking area being the central path between the hallway and the garden through the kitchen.
Select The Right Cabinets
Planning a kitchen is fascinating, especially when looking for cabinet designs.
Thinking about how you want your kitchen to feel and appear is a good place to start. Consider how it might link to the living and dining spaces, especially if it is a component of an open-concept area, and how it might relate to your overall house plan.
Collect pictures of kitchens that inspire you, then start to refine your concepts while considering how they might fit your space, the joinery throughout the rest of the house, and the architectural era of your home.
More ideas for kitchen cabinets can be found in our article - Ideas for Kitchen Remodeling
Take Measure
A good kitchen layout and enough storage are more important than ever when planning a kitchen because the kitchen is under increasing pressure to serve various essential functions, including family dining, relaxing, working, and entertaining. However, accurate measuring is necessary before visiting a design professional; if they come to you, you can delegate this responsibility to them.
Be careful not to overextend yourself while arranging your kitchen's freestanding components.
Make careful to take the measurements of your floor to ensure that an island will fit appropriately in your area. If positioned in the middle, there should be enough room on the floor for you to move around and access the other areas of the kitchen.
The kitchen island's countertop space is crucial since it provides room for storage and kitchen necessities like low refrigerators and deep drawers.
Visualize Kitchen Colors
Today, in keeping with general household trends, there is a greater need for kitchen color schemes and rooms with patterns and individuality, which is undoubtedly another factor contributing to the Shaker style's popularity.
The interior of a glass-fronted cabinet may be painted in a specific color, and you can alter the knobs or the color of the door frames as you choose. To give the space some personality, I also advise including an antique china cabinet or sideboard, which will keep the fitted cupboards from being too "samey."
Bright, warm, eye-catching wall colors may function nicely in the kitchen because it frequently serves as the home's hub of activity rather than a calm setting.
Alternately, subtle accents of lighter hues may provide a neutral kitchen environment with depth and charm. It is both affordable and straightforward to infuse a distinctive flash of personality into a cabinet front, bar stool, or shelf unit by using paint to add a dash of color.
Kitchens provide many color options, from cabinetry and flooring to window treatments and appliances. Decide how much of a long-term commitment you are willing to make first.
Painting a wall that can be readily changed if you get bored with it is one of the simplest and least expensive solutions.
Appliances Factor
While Standard built-in ovens, refrigerators, and dishwashers are 60 cm wide, there are more expansive appliances that may need to be taken into consideration when designing a kitchen, including 76 cm wide ovens, 90 cm wide fridge-freezers (wider if you plan to create a cooling wall with side-by-side refrigerator, freezer, and wine cabinet), and range cookers that can be up to 1.5 m wide.
In addition, you might want to think about using a warming drawer that can be used to slow cook food, a steam oven, a combination microwave, a vacuum drawer to prepare food for sous vide cooking, fridge drawers in place of or in addition to an upright fridge, dishwasher drawers, a wine cooler, and a variety of 40cm-wide barbecue grill, teppanyaki, gas, and induction domino hobs in place of a "standard" 60 or 90cm.
You may pick between wall- and ceiling-hung hoods, stealthy flush-fit ceiling designs, hoods hidden in cabinetry or a chimney breast, downdraft extractors fitted beneath a hob, and hobs with integrated extractors thanks to significant advancements in extractor system technology.
Estimate Enough Countertop Space
However, it is always vital to have a countertop space of at least 600mm on either side of the sink and stove to wash dishes and prepare meals. The quantity of countertop space varies on individual needs. A location for hot meals close to the oven is also crucial.
Given that it has such a significant visual influence, the choice of countertop material is critical. To choose the fabric that best suits your lifestyle, you should also consider the various qualities of each type of material.
There are no more rules; follow your instincts. Balance in your design is crucial. Avoid using too many bold styles because some heavily veined marble impression materials are excellent. Mix a strong Verde Green granite for the island surface with a more subdued material for the other countertops.
When looking for kitchen countertop ideas, the choice of material is critical:
Quartz
Quartz surfaces are more durable than most real stone and heat- scratch-resistant, easy to maintain, and contain quartz combined with colors and polymers.
Quartz has an abundance of fantastic marble effects available, so what you see in the sample is typically what you will get in your house. This is beneficial if you have a big kitchen and want a flat top. Some of the newer products contain recycled materials.
Marble
Marble is a more expensive natural stone with fewer color patterns than Granite. Marble is porous and soft, making it less stain-resistant than Granite. Learn more in our article.
Granite
Granite – as a natural material, each granite slab will be unique, ideal if you want a unique look with a timeless sense of beauty. It is also durable and relatively low maintenance once it has been sealed by your supplier.
Solid surface
A solid surface, like Corian, is constructed of minerals and acrylic resin. It is smooth, warm to the touch, resilient, and non-porous. Additionally, it provides a significant deal of design flexibility because it can be seamlessly molded into organically curved shapes, unlike quartz, granite, and porcelain, which need seams for sizes more significant than their maximum slab dimensions, such as 1200/1400x3020mm for a "normal" quartz slab.
Timber
Timber - a lot of our kitchen worktops are made of various materials, frequently including wood. Although it is a natural material and will need maintenance, its warmth, wide variety of wood species, and variety of washed, oiled, and stained looks make it a perennially popular choice.
Our article - The 10 Best Kitchen Countertop Materials- can find more materials for the hundredths.
Schedule a Kitchen Island
Kitchen island ideas may be a perfect addition to any kitchen if there is enough room for one. They may be used for various things, including extra prep space, a location for the sink and stove, a place to put drinks, and a place to prepare food in front of guests.
A good-sized island can be between 2 and 3 meters long and 1.1 to 1.4 meters broad (any wider tends to create wasted space in the center).
If you have seating at the island, keep in mind that not all bar stools tuck right in, so consider this when measuring from the back of the island to the next wall or cabinet. Leave at least 1 m of space around the island if the path is to be utilized as a walkway.
Determine How Much Kitchen Storage You Require
It is essential to consider the type and amount of storage you require from the project's onset to make the most of your kitchen. Cooking will be more fun if you can find what you need quickly and readily because this is the house area where you will likely spend most of your time. I believe that being in a well-organized environment promotes serenity and happiness.
Think of your room as being divided into zones for different purposes, with storage space planned for each zone and a clear path for people to follow around the space. In larger rooms, you can consider placing a dresser between the kitchen and dining areas to connect the two holes and provide storage for china and cutlery at the dining table as well as a dishwasher, possibly integrated into an adjacent island.
Ideas for a pantry - A pantry or larder cupboard is invaluable for keeping dry and canned goods organized the way you live. For instance, at home, we use the shelves for beans, nuts, and seeds in repurposed glass jars and the cupboard door racks for various herbal teas. Making clear, attractive stickers for each container is simple with a handheld label printer.
Utilize every square inch of the room, especially if it's tiny. While base unit cupboards are generally 540mm deep, you may install smaller ones that are only 380mm deep to use the area behind bar stools on the "non-working" side of an island for storing occasionally used goods.
Plan ahead for kitchen lighting.
From low light for a dinner party to brilliant light for cleaning and working, kitchen lighting options set the mood and the setting. The kitchen has evolved into a visually appealing and functional place, and the proper lighting can make or break a design.
Start considering the lighting as the arrangement takes shape, not only for wiring reasons but also to help you solve issues as they arise. As an illustration, I typically put LEDs under the wall cabinets to illuminate the worktop. I might alternatively include wall lights on swing arms that can be tilted to suit, as, without them, another lighting solution is needed.
Dimmable ceiling downlights are an increasingly common option for general illumination in a kitchen. When you want to clean the space, turn the lights right up; when you want a softer mood, turn them right down.
Also, think about adding functional lighting to wall cabinets, breakfast dressers, and pantries, preferably on switches that turn the light on when the door is opened and off when it is closed. While a straightforward table lamp on a console or dresser helps link the kitchen with the dining or living areas in an open-plan home, lighting inside glazed cabinets can be used to highlight glassware.
Find out some more light tips in our article - Ideas For Kitchen Remodeling.
Choose Kitchen Flooring
Kitchen flooring ideas are another element of designing a kitchen that must be considered at the planning stage.
Although a kitchen floor should be sturdy and ideally simple to maintain, it may also be a feature that improves the success and design of your space. The material you choose will depend on your budget and how you feel about character, beauty, and utility.
Porcelain Tiles
Because they are durable, non-porous, highly stain and scratch-resistant, and work well with underfloor heating, porcelain tiles are the most popular material used today. They also come in various designs, colors, and forms. Porcelain tiles mimic stone, wood, concrete, and terrazzo perform well; some replicas are amazingly accurate!
Stone-look Tiles
Stone-look tiles are becoming increasingly popular on kitchen floors because they give off a cozy, at-ease atmosphere. Soft, matte porcelain tiles with a limestone texture fit the bill nicely. Compared to polished or highly textured tiles, this finish is simpler to maintain clean. If you want to add drama and a sense of scale to a space, even with a neutral tile, consider using large format tiles, such as those that are 1.2 x 2.4m.
Wood-like Tiles
Another common type of tile is the wood-look or timber-effect plank-shaped porcelain tile, which is liked for adding character and movement. Before this, the planks' completely flat printed surface served as a giveaway that they weren't made of natural wood, but now that a woodgrain has been pushed into the tile's surface before it is printed, the texture of the planks is also realistic.
Encaustic-look Tiles
Encaustic-look porcelain, like Puzzle, is a good option if you want the powdery, soft hues and pattern of encaustic (concrete) tiles without the upkeep requirements. A triangular format in various colors allows you to construct an astounding number of designs, or you may combine shapes to create a custom floor.
Real Stone
Natural stone: If you choose to use real stone for its natural beauty, such as limestone, you must accept that it is porous and subject to staining and weathering over time. This requires constant upkeep to keep it looking its best.
Real Wood
Natural wood - the same is genuine wood, which is appealing for its distinctive qualities and coziness.
Engineered Timber
Solid wood is typically more brittle than engineered wood, although both should be shielded from standing water.
Laminate
Although laminate (wood particle board with sealed and protected printed paper on top) is more affordable, durable, and stable, people who want a more natural appearance can find it less alluring.
Ease of cleaning is a must consider when designing a kitchen – especially relevant for the flooring.
When choosing to floor for your kitchen, in addition to style and design, there are three main things to consider: safety, durability, and simplicity of cleaning.
Discover for yourself the top 10 flooring for your house here - Top 10 Types of Flooring
Cost, needs, wishes, and returns all play a role in deciding which design to choose when remodeling your kitchen. Each consideration must be weighed about your goals and the state of your house.
The KS Renovation team is prepared to assist you with any size and level of kitchen remodeling.
Let KS Renovation assist you in weighing options for the planned kitchen redesign. The best decision you can make. Contact us for a free consultation to get closer to your dream kitchen.
Make Your Kitchen Gorgeous With KS Renovation
The KS Renovation team is prepared to assist you with any size and level of kitchen remodeling.
Let KS Renovation assist you in weighing options for the planned kitchen redesign. The best decision you can make. Contact us for a free consultation to get closer to your dream kitchen.
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