Some Kitchen Design Ideas
By Frederick M. Hueston,
www.stoneforensics.com
In deciding on how to design your kitchen, you must
take into consideration such things as: will your kitchen have an island? Will it be of a modern or traditional
design? What kinds of appliances will
you need for your new kitchen design?
What kind of lighting design?
Kitchens have evolved a lot over the years. Once found only in the rear of the house,
today's kitchen design takes the kitchen out the background. The challenge for kitchen design is in
creating a more open-faced kitchen, that is part of a dining area, a family
room or a great room.
In deciding on how to design your kitchen, you must
take into consideration such things as: will your kitchen have an island? Will it be of a modern or traditional
design? What kinds of appliances will
you need for your new kitchen design?
What kind of lighting design?
1. Kitchen as 'Great Room'
Whether you are redesigning an existing kitchen or
planning a new kitchen in a new home there are some design considerations to
keep in mind, such as including in an island or peninsula as part of the
kitchen design. These can be used to
connect the kitchen to a nearby dining area or family room thereby creating a
'great room'. A kitchen island or
peninsula will allow the cook to keep in visual and conversational contact with
family members or guests in the adjoining family or dining room.
2. Create a Kitchen Canopy
To give the kitchen some visible borders without
blocking views create a kitchen canopy.
Also a high ceiling in the kitchen can create the perception of
spaciousness.
3. Using Kitchen Cabinet Color to Set Tone of Kitchen
Design
Kitchen cabinets will help set the tone for the whole
room. The choice of wood will influence
the overall look of your cabinets. To
create a light look, use a light wood such as ash, beech, birch, oak, maple, or
chestnut. For medium range, select
cherry. To darker kitchens, choose wood
that has some color to it.
4. Plan Out Use
of Cabinets and Drawers in The New Kitchen Design
Plan out in the kitchen design blueprint just how your
cabinets and drawers will be used and how much space and storage you will need
before you start your new kitchen design.
The first thing to examine is the counter surface area. Look at where you put everything in your
existing kitchen and where in your new kitchen design will these things will go
in the new space. Will there be more
than one person cooking at a time. If
so, will there be enough room for two cooks in the kitchen to work together?
5. Use The Galley-Type Kitchen Design
As for counter arrangements, many kitchen designers
agree the galley-type design to be the best in terms of efficiency with it's
single aisle and counters to either side, making it easy to turn around to go
from sink to cooking range.
6.
Under-Cabinet Kitchen Lighting
Kitchen lighting can be an overlooked area of kitchen
design. Even if the kitchen has
generally good lighting, the counter areas can be somewhat dark. For these areas under-cabinet lighting can
help provide more light to work in. By
using simple spots or fluorescent lights a smaller kitchen can be made to look
larger.
7. Looking at
Countertops
Granite, marble, and limestone are all popular natural
materials for use in countertops are available in many colors. Ceramic tile kitchen countertops are
versatile, practical, and also available in many colors, as well as many
shapes, patterns, and finishes. Solid
surface countertops provide seamless acrylic faces. Solid surfaces also come in almost limitless
colors, patterns, and styles, and are stain and heat resistant. Laminate countertops are more affordable but
not built to last. Concrete countertops
are known for versatility, as well as strength.
Wood countertops are long lasting and easy to clean and repair but the
wood will not withstand exposure to water and household chemicals. Stainless steel countertops lack the elegance
of granite or tile. These countertops
do not absorb stains, but tends to scratch easily.