Studies show Americans spend more time in the kitchen than almost any other room in the house. Not only does the modern kitchen need to offer cooking facilities, it also needs space for entertaining family and friends. Your new kitchen starts with a great design, and Square Deal Construction is here to help. As with all projects, the first place to start is determining your budget. Once you have this, you are ready to explore the endless possibilities.
LAYOUT CONSIDERATIONS
How do you use your kitchen?
Do you carry on conversations while preparing meals? Perhaps your conversation partner needs a chair. Maybe a bistro table with barstools would fit your décor better.
An island is a great option for an open-plan concept, but doesn’t work so well with a galley kitchen. If you have a galley kitchen, consider the layout of where you will be working in relation to the dining table. You’ll want your prep and finish area to be closer to the table, so you can comfortably converse with your guests. Consider a barista table and chair to keep your guest at eye level while conversing.
Remember the importance of the kitchen work triangle. This age-old concept will help to determine an efficient kitchen layout, while taking into account aesthetics and functionality. The work triangle is made up of the cook top, the sink, and the fridge, and the imaginary lines between them.
CABINETRY CONSIDERATIONS
Cabinets are the foundation of every kitchen. First, determine the look you’re going for. Will it match the style/period of your home, or contrast it? Will it match the décor of your other rooms, or stand out? Is this your forever home, or is resale important to you?
It is important to decide on a style of cabinetry. Are your cabinets framed or frameless (also called European)? What are your door and drawer styles?
Color is as important as the style of your cabinets. It will be the first thing guests notice about your kitchen. Will your cabinets be stained wood, painted or melamine? Will your cabinets be colorful? Or will you add color to your walls/countertop/backsplash instead? Will your kitchen be monochromatic? These choices will be influenced by your vision.
The most popular color choices for kitchens are white, off-white, and light grey. Any of these are a great option to retain a timeless kitchen design, are easy to redecorate around, and won’t put off any future home-buyers. Grey kitchens work easily with both traditional and contemporary looks. Darker kitchens are trendy, and they bring warmth and coziness into the home. Any look you choose will have benefits.
Next, consider how you use your cabinetry. Will you use built-in organizers? Do you want to keep your toaster and coffee maker hidden in an appliance garage, or will they sit out on the counter for anyone to see? Do you have a separate walk-in pantry closet, or will you store shelf-stable foods in your kitchen-area cabinetry?
Even consider your sink style – will you have an undermount sink that can’t be seen from the outside of the cabinets? Or will you have an apron-style sink that sits down into the front of the cabinet? How about a sink with no place for germs to grow?
Another important consideration is what appliances you will be using and where you will place them. Much of this will be determined by your work triangle. But also consider: is your range free-standing or will you have a double oven that sits in a wall of cabinets with a stove top in an island?
MATERIAL CONSIDERATIONS
Once you know the look you want in your kitchen, it’s time to decide on material finishes. What elements do you want to bring into the room – metal? wood? plastic? stone? How will you use color and texture to compliment those elements? How will these elements work with the look of your kitchen?
Countertops & Backsplashes: What material do you want for your countertops? What will the edge profile be? Do you want a different countertop material on an island?
Will your backsplash match your countertop material, or will it be tile? How tall will your backsplash be?
Metal Finishes: Your faucet, cabinet knobs & pulls, appliances, and lighting are almost like jewelry for your kitchen. Will they all have matching finishes? Or are you a mixed-metals person? What works best with the look you are going for?
Flooring: Flooring options vary immensely. Your budget will ultimately help determine the material you use, but there are so many options to what it could look like. Do you like the look of real hardwood flooring but don’t have room for it in the budget? Consider engineered vinyl plank. Do you love real stone tile but hate the maintenance of it? Consider luxury vinyl tile.
LIGHTING DESIGN
Often when remodeling your kitchen, the lighting placement doesn’t change. However, moving your upper cabinets, extending cabinets to the ceiling, or putting an island in the kitchen require lighting modification.
Ambient and accent lighting are easy to add while installing new cabinets. Task lighting is essential for prep work, cooking, and cleaning up. Consider upgrading your lights to LEDs, or adding lighting inside a glass-front cabinet to show off that beautiful China you inherited from your grandmother.
WINDOW TREATMENTS
Window treatments need to handle the room’s moisture content, be unaffected by splashes if they’re near a sink or stove, and be easy to clean. Consider shutters, blinds, drapes, or valences. Window treatments are not inexpensive, but the right one will give you years of enjoyment.
Feeling overwhelmed by all the questions? Don’t worry – that’s totally normal. There are no hard rules when it comes to kitchen design, but there are a lot of options and it’s easy to get overwhelmed in the decision-making process. And we’re here to help!
Questions like these have led us to use a Professional Service Agreement that will allow you to work alongside our kitchen experts to make the process of designing your kitchen remodel as easy as possible. Contact us today to get started working on your dream kitchen.
