The kitchen is a space in the home that is unlike any other. Not only is it a place that holds a lot of practical value – you’re always using it–but it’s the center and heart of your home.
From the moment you wake up when you turn on the kettle to the time you put your roast in the oven, it sees a lot of footfall. This is where your family gathers, and you entertain. You want it to be perfect.
When you’re looking up at your kitchen’s old white ceiling fan and wondering how you can improve it, there are many ways to go about it — some better than others.
In this article, we’ve come up with five basic kitchen design ideas that you should employ to avoid significant mistakes when upgrading your home.
Think One Step Ahead
Every time you’re thinking of a kitchen redesign, you need to put function as priority one. If you look at kitchens around the world, there is no ideal shape. Whether your space is an L-shaped room, a U shape, or something else, plan for your appliances such as the sink, cooktop, and fridge, to form a triangle.
It will keep things very organized. Ideally, you should have no more than five feet between each of these main appliances so that you can move around comfortably.
Making Plenty of Room for Storage
One of the biggest mistakes that people make when they plan their kitchen is not allowing enough space for storage. It is essential to look at every nook and cranny and think about how your area can be utilized.
As an example, you want to put some overhead cabinets right up towards the ceiling rather than leaving gaps on the top, which can collect dust and be a pain to clean. Another great tip is to consider deep drawers for your pots and pans so that they can be easily accessed.
Make sure you include enough space for storing your appliances that would otherwise be cluttered up on countertops.
Seeing the Light
Light is an essential aspect of kitchen design. You won’t want any lights behind you to cast a shadow on your workspace. All light needs to be positioned to fall in front of you. Under-cabinet lighting works perfectly for this.
Power Play
It’s vital that you have enough power sources for any of your appliances. It is a common mistake people make when designing a kitchen. A lot of people realize too late they don’t have the right electric lines or plugs nearby.
It’s important to measure your appliances to ensure that they fit into allocated spaces properly. For example, if your dishwasher is too large, it could push up against pipes leading it to drain inefficiently and inadequately.
Surface and Space
We recommend creating as much counter space as possible. There is no such thing as having too much counter space! Choose surfaces that will be easy to work on and care for. Nowadays you can have anything from recycled glass to soapstone.
The cheapest surface (usually laminate) will work in a rental property, but for resale value, consider upgrading to a stone or composite surface.
Also, keep in mind that grout is difficult to maintain, and stainless steel is prone to scratching easily.
Great Kitchen Design Ideas
We hope you’re feeling inspired by all the great tips that we’ve provided. The only thing left to do is to try them out for yourself! Using these tips can add value to your kitchen – it’s a space that deserves attention.
Do you have any kitchen lighting design tips? We’d love to hear more from you. Tell us your thoughts in the comments section below.
Our Author
Archie Adams used to work as a kitchen design planner for a local agency in his hometown of London, United Kingdom.
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Thanks for sharing this precious information, this help me a lot in my project.
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Its a great post! Thanks for sharing
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These kitchen design ideas are very valuable and I will follow these five essential tips to avoid any disaster. Thanks for sharing this helpful post.