Expert Kitchen Design Tips

Expert kitchen design tips by ovation design build experts, check out more important tips on kitchen design to know more about kitchen renovation.

When designing a kitchen , there’s a lot to take into account. You obviously want it to be stylish and aesthetically pleasing. But functionality is vital, as well. And the fact that the kitchen is usually the busiest room in your house just adds to the pressure. Basically, your entire existence is riding on this. Okay, that may be overstating things a bit. However, a kitchen that has the right feel in every way possible can be a massive bonus for the livability of your home. Anyone who has spent time in a poorly designed kitchen knows this. If only there was some way to get some design tips from people who are experts at this sort of thing… oh wait, there is! Read on.

 

Important Kitchen Design Tips From Experts

Design wide walkways. Paths throughout a kitchen should be at least 36 inches wide. Paths within the cooking zone should be 42 inches wide for a one-cook kitchen and 48 inches wide for a two-cook configuration. When planning, adjust kitchen islands and peninsulas accordingly.

Mind the power. Be sure there are appropriate power sources for relocated or new appliances. Many people realize too late that they don’t have the right gas or electric lines. It’s also a good idea to measure appliances to ensure that they fit comfortably into allocated spaces. If a dishwasher is crammed in, it could push up against the hose and won’t drain properly.

Consider your stove. In many ways, your stove is the centerpiece of your kitchen. It’s the most visible and the most used appliance. Many designers assert that if you replace and upgrade only one thing in your kitchen, let your stove be that thing. Stoves come in a myriad of styles and colors, giving you a “range” of options. In addition to thinking about your physical stove, you’ve got to think about the area around your stove, too. It’s useful to have space on both sides of your range so you can have easy reach to prep and supplies.

How about an island? The kitchen island is a good way to improve the communication among people in the house. Traditional kitchen design tends to isolate the cook from others, so a kitchen island is a good tool to provide more social interaction. For example, friends or family can prepare a meal together or at least chat with each other while cooking.

Choose your color wisely. Remember that colors magnify when applied over a larger surface area and can change throughout the day depending on the natural light. A slightly vanilla white, for instance, may look quite yellow in the afternoon. Get a large color sample sheet, or an actual door sample, and observe how it looks at different times of the day. If you still love it after a week, go with it!

Control the flow of traffic. If you’re designing a completely new kitchen, try to include more than one entry and exit point. This eliminates congestion around key areas, such as the refrigerator and sink, and improves the overall range of motion for multiple people in the room.

Plan your storage carefully. One of the biggest kitchen design mistakes is filling every surface with upper cabinets. Upper cabinets in corners and areas close to the ceiling are hard to use and make the kitchen feel dark and small. Try to maintain a sense of openness by floating the upper cabinet box on the wall and using open shelving in corners. Also, take advantage of your island for storage.

Don’t fall prey to trends. It’s easy to get swept away in the kitchen design tips and tricks that permeate Pinterest but some trends won’t stand the test of time. To avoid ending up with a dated, aged looking kitchen in a few years time, take advantage of timeless design features. There is a reason that white has been a staple for kitchens as far back as can be remembered: it is the perfect neutral hue to be used on your walls, your cabinets, and other surfaces. If a white kitchen isn’t your style, dark browns and greys are flexible, classic choices that you can adapt to keep up with the latest styles. Keep your cabinets and countertops simple, with clean lines and modern doors. Optimize your storage with high-quality fitting and finishes that will last the test of time. If you take the plunge with a trendy kitchen design, incorporate affordable accessories that won’t break the bank to replace once they are no longer “all the rage.”

Want more pro tips? We’ve got tons of them. Drop us a line to see how we might be able to help your kitchen out!