For any homeowner who has renovated or remodelled a kitchen, they’ll tell you that it was a big project with lots to consider before embarking on this challenge.
The kitchen has traditionally been described as the center of the home where your culinary skills shine, you gather as a family, and guests inevitably congregate. Your kitchen reflects who you are and it’s a unique expression of your design sensibilities, but in creating your new space, it can be easy to make common mistakes. Beyond the many variables that go into designing a practical, functional and attractive kitchen, there are plenty of pitfalls that you want to avoid.
It’s important to remember that your kitchen needs to be functional and easy to navigate when preparing food. You want to remember the basics of the kitchen triangle. The kitchen triangle needs to be respected because every great kitchen begins with a good design for workflow, making your life easier, practical and functional in the kitchen.
You need to consider your kitchen’s busiest areas which are the sink, stove, and refrigerator. Make sure that these areas and appliances are in an efficient location that is relevant to one another.
When you begin to remodel your kitchen, remember anything in your kitchen ten years or older is considered old, so you need to think about new kitchen trends.
One thing to bear in mind is that times have considerably changed regarding how people treat their kitchen. Families have begun to gradually change the way that they gather, eat and socialize in this space. Trends affect more than just the appearance of your kitchen. In fact, functional family kitchens are currently among the top kitchen trends.
Regardless of your kitchen’s size, you can expect family and friends to congregate in this polarizing space. People are drawn to other people, and whether it’s your kids or guests, they’ll want to hang out with the host, not in the living room.
Planning for an interactive kitchen provides accessibility to the chef. People like to be about 60 inches from the cook or host, so in designing your new space, consider a corner nook, island with seating, or a banquette.
One of the most important aspects of kitchen design and avoiding tactical mistakes is choosing the right appliances for your kitchen. Today’s kitchen appliances are not only pleasing to the eye but often improve the overall flow of your space. Furthermore, modern stoves, dishwashers, and sinks can offer significant efficiency upgrades and often take up less space, providing for more storage or just more room to navigate around.
As an example, double ovens not only look great, they provide the main oven at the perfect height and a secondary oven for plate warming and additional baking. Separating the ovens from the burners also allows you to have a cooktop in a kitchen island or elsewhere and opens up new floor-plan possibilities.
Every great kitchen design includes easy access to storage space and should be considered during the kitchen renovations. There are plenty of methods to choose among from open storage, cabinets, shelves, and more. A good design tailors storage to fit items used in specific areas to make sure that every bit of space is used wisely. Storage space can have a significant impact on the overall flow of your kitchen.
Last, but certainly not least, a fully functional kitchen has enough counter space so that you can optimally perform your functions. It’s your prep station, where the kids do their homework, or the family may sit down for a less formal meal. Everything from the material you choose to the depth of your counters to adding an island, counter space is never a waste of space.
Before you begin your kitchen renovations, conduct a considerable amount of research to avoid mistakes that may have to be corrected in the future. However, if you do your homework with a professional organization, you will have the kitchen of your dreams.
*Oakville / Burlington Ontario
