10 Tips for Creating a Great Kitchen
There is nothing more inviting than a beautiful, organized, and warm kitchen. It may sound like a cliche, but this room is truly the heart of any home. The kitchen incorporates multiple functions, from a cooking place to a family gathering spot. In short, it is one of the busiest areas, where a whole lot of action is happening. If you are looking for tips for creating a great kitchen, you are in the right place.
Let’s be honest; designing the perfect cooking area is tricky because the room should be stylish and pretty, as well as practical and efficient. Juggling between budget and decoration ideas, one can easily get lost. But you don’t necessarily need to meet with an interior designer to make the most of your kitchen. Of course, if you feel insecure in your designing skills, consulting with a professional is the best you can do to prevent decorating disasters.
Whether you are making small updates or you are renovating the whole kitchen interior, there are basic items that will help you get through the process. These 10 tips for creating a great kitchen should help you no matter the size of your kitchen or the budget you have to work with.
Plan Your Kitchen
Avoid any future regrets by creating a plan for your kitchen, either on paper or someplace online. Use for the major interior changes and the small projects. It is difficult to visualize everything, so why not put pen to paper or keys to keyboard. Clearly mark all the needed items you’re planning to implement. If the plan is too difficult to implement with your existing hardware, simply right down all the things you need to replace and buy. You will be less likely to lose track of the general idea and theme you are creating.
Have a Working Area
While still working on your plan, think about the working area of your kitchen. Surely, you will move across the whole space, but while cooking you will most likely concentrate one one particular zone. Mark the most important spots…the sink, fridge and oven. There should be a logical connection between the three.
This area will be dedicated to food preparation and all items in this zone should be a few feet from each other at most. If you feel that your current kitchen is quite chaotic maybe this is the right time to create a fixed cooking corner.
Know Your Place
Don’t try to steal the designs from magazines or the internet. These decors are created by a professional designer and are particularly adapted to the perks of a certain place to get the look-feel the designer wants to convey. Your space will be different so copying others does not make much sense. Instead, you need to work with your own space as every kitchen has a different size and shape. For instance, you should not buy a massive counter-top when you do not have the space to install all of it..
Think about your life style. Why buy a huge hardwood dinner table when you rarely have guests or you live alone. However, the one place it may be worth going big is with the oven, especially if you cook quite a bit. If you customize your kitchen according to your habits it will ease your house cleaning too.
Go for Timeless Options
Shopping for furniture and kitchen appliances is a huge investment. Unless you are changing your design every other year, you need something that will stay trendy through the years. Pick timeless classics like a granite counter-top, hardwood table, and functional cabinetry. Stainless steel is another way to make a positive impression.
You can paint your kitchen appliances but keep in mind that there are a host of products on the market, some good and some not so good. It’s better to do your homework and choose a product that will provide a professional appearance.
Measure Before You Buy
Because kitchen appliances, as well as cabinetry and counter-tops are big ticket items, it is very important to measure twice and cut once. Regardless if you are going for good quality and expensive items or are budget minded, the last thing you want is a mess because the item you purchased does not fit the space allocated for it, and will not fit without a major modification.
Paint it!
White is an ultimate classic when it comes to kitchen design. It goes well with basically everything and it gives you the opportunity to play with the furniture and accessories. Neutral tones such as cream, ivory and grey will evoke sophistication. If these shades are too cold for you, pick a vibrant green or pale shade of blue. Pastels like light yellow reflect natural light and will give a cozy and warm feeling.
The safest way to ensure you get the color scheme just right is to choose a color palette that gives you a wide range of choices to decide from. Pick a primary shade that will go on your wall and secondary colors for your furniture and accessories.
Buy Effective Storage Solutions
If you want to visually expand the space in your kitchen, make it clever. Try to choose items with a double purpose. Open storage unit will give you additional space for your belongings and it will enlarge the room. These storage options don’t take too much floor area and will give you more area to move. Using an Étagère is a stylish solution, even if your kitchen is not vintage themed.
If you are not into the idea of open shelving, install crockery drawers to have your glasses and plates perfectly organized. They can be fitted to accommodate to items with different size and shape. You can also put shelving along the ceiling and store infrequently items there too.
Make Quick Changes
You can completely transform the look of your kitchen with a few easy tricks. You can add a classy touch by replacing your old lighting fixtures with a stylish chandelier or a pendent. Don’t settle for standards lights that will make your kitchen like everyone else’s, instead get creative and come up with drop lighting or recessed lights that accent.
Give some personality to your kitchen by adding some color. You don’t need to paint the whole kitchen to make a noticeable change. Color the doors of your cabinetry or the inside of your open shelves. Pale blue is as calming as conventional white and will bring a cheery tinge to the room.
You can also spice up a dull kitchen by adding texture or a stylish backsplash. Bringing out the contrast will create a high-end professional design. Keep in mind that the colors and items in your kitchen should be complementary.
Easy and Clean Kitchen
The only thing that is better than a beautiful kitchen is a clean kitchen. The key is to get items that will require low maintenance. The counter-top and refrigerator doors are the most vulnerable areas to show dirt or stains. Granite, stainless steel, quartz, hardwoods, and laminates will make your kitchen cleaning far easier.
The backsplash should also require less cleaning efforts. This zone usually is exposed to greasy stain and other spots as a result of your cooking projects. Any type of stone or laminate will do the job.
Let’s not forget about the flooring. Look for material that will need only damp mopping. Linoleum is one of your best friends when it comes to domestic cleaning. Wood flooring is a beautiful solution, and preferred by many consumers, but you need to be careful with standing water when cleaning it. Tile is another option that many homeowners like, and other than the grout lines, is relatively easy to keep clean.
Make the Kitchen Yours
If you love to cook, express it through your kitchen design. Decorate the open shelving in your kitchen with your favorite cooking books. A little artsy touch will help break the routine and can be as simple as a little painting, a vase, or a gorgeous tea set. The most important thing is to create your own space that will inspire you and provide a warm and cozy atmosphere.
Whatever your reason is for updating your kitchen, these 10 tips for creating a great kitchen are sure to put you on the right path. The rest is entirely up to you!
Other Great Kitchen Resources
Which Kitchen Flooring is Better, Hardwood or Tile
Kitchen Design Ideas courtesy of houzz.com
