7 Important Elements to a Functional Kitchen Design
If remodeling your kitchen is in your horizon, there are several elements you must consider before you begin tearing down the walls.
1- Create your design ahead of time, drawing it, looking at it, imagine yourself working in the space your created. If you cannot come up with a concept that satisfies you, consider hiring an expert. Your kitchen is the most important room in your house, it is worth being designed with care and attention to detail. In your design, remember the importance of the work triangle (stove, sink, fridge) that must be functional and free from obstacles.
2- Select your flooring material with care. If you spend a lot of time standing in your kitchen, choosing the right floor covering is essential. There are many options available such as laminate flooring, ceramic tiles, vinyl tiles, and hard wood. Your choice will depend on the traffic in your kitchen and the age of your family members. Low maintenance, ergonomic qualities and durability are all important aspects to consider.
3- Anticipate needing a lot of storage space. You want to be able to have everything your need within your reach, but out of sight. That is why storage is so important. From pantry to china cabinets, you need a place for every item in your kitchen.
4- Order your cabinets. When you have a chosen design, visit your local commercial joinery to order your cabinets early. Depending on production and delivery, it may take several weeks to get them. You want cabinets that match the style of the rest of the house. Try the floor models to see if you are comfortable with the material, the texture, the way doors and drawers open and close. When you are satisfied with a model. Don’t hesitate, go for it.
5- Lighting is paramount. You will not enjoy working in your new kitchen unless you can see what you are doing. Maximize natural light, but also anticipate needing light fixture on the ceiling and under the cabinets to ensure bright working areas.
6- Counter space is what will make or break your kitchen floor plan. The secret to a functional kitchen is to have plenty of clutter free work surfaces. This will be helpful when more than one person works in the kitchen or when hosting parties. The material selected for your counter top must also be durable, practical and easy to maintain. You want a look that looks beautiful without a lot of work.
7- Finally, the appliances will be the finishing touch to your remodelling project. Buying new appliances can be entertaining, but make sure you try them out before you make your final selection. Side-by-side doors on refrigerators look amazing, but will they let you put in those large frozen packages in the freezer side. Have you considered investing in a self-cleaning oven? Think about mounting the microwave to save counter space. The right elements will make the difference between a good-looking kitchen and an amazing work space.
There are many elements that come together to create the kitchen that is perfect for you. Take your time and create the space that will work for you while respecting you budget.
Either of the kitchens pictured here would be a dream kitchen for me! I live in a condo currently and although my kitchen isn’t small, it isn’t large like the ones here either.
We just put new flooring down in the kitchen. So important to shop around. The product options available now are amazing!
I’ve never designed my own kitchen, but any of those look nice 🙂 Luckily I’m happy with what was in my house when we moved in.
I love the kitchens you posted! We went with white cabinets for our remodel and it really lightened up our kitchen. I was worried about them getting super dirty but they aren’t that bad.
I totally agree when you said that the cabinets should match the overall look of the house. With that in mind, I will make sure to choose the color blue for the cabinets of the kitchen when it is remodeled. This is because the house has a theme going on when we bought it. It is somewhat nautical which makes sense since the previous owner is a marine.
It really helped when you said that lighting is an important element to ensure that the area is bright when working on it. I will definitely keep that in mind especially that I have a low vision, so it is important that there is a right amount of light to help me work smoothly. I just need to have the kitchen re-designed since I am having problems with the dim lighting.
Great blog! Homeowners are always looking for a way to make their kitchen functional. The seven significant elements of functional kitchen design were very helpful. People can use these ideas when planning to go for kitchen remodeling.