Dream Kitchens
Showing posts with label Dream kitchens. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Dream kitchens. Show all posts
Plan Carefully for a Dream Kitchen
Plan Carefully for a Dream Kitchen
By Mark Stein
When you are designing your dream kitchen there are some basic ideas to keep in mind to prevent that dream from becoming a real-life nightmare. Plan well first. Changing your mind partway through will raise costs considerably.
Perhaps an obvious, but not often considered idea is that you are designing a kitchen for your home, make it size appropriate. Consider the type of cooking you will be doing on a regular basis. If cooking isn't your thing then an intimate design where everything is handy may be just right for your home. On the other hand, if you have four kids, entertain half the neighborhood, and invite all the relatives for holidays, you may have need of larger appliances and work spaces.
Ask yourself if there is one person who does most of the cooking, or if it is a family activity. Consider what the kitchen will be used for: is it only for cooking, or is it a place where people hang out? You may only eat casual meals there, or perhaps it is the central gathering point for your whole family.
Good kitchen design still focuses on the basic triangle of stove, refrigerator and sink with 4 to 8 feet between units. But if you plan to have more than one person working in your kitchen, think of multiple triangles. An island work station with a prep sink, or dedicated spaces- perhaps for baking, or a desk / recipe storage area may help. Use plenty of lighting, and consider putting the sink in a center island if you don't have a nice view for that traditional over-the-sink window.
There are few things more bothersome in a kitchen with too little counter space, or cabinets that don't provide the kind of storage you need.
Pay attention to corners. Poor design makes them difficult to access or too dark to be useful. Cabinets with lazy susans or blind base pullouts can help. Think carefully about the sizes of the doors and the directions the doors and drawers will open or you may end up with years of annoyance. Consider whether you want the convenience of pull-out shelves in your base cabinets, or the extra storage you'll have on regular shelves.
Stock cabinets are the kind that you can choose and take right home from the store. Most everyone can use at least some of these standard sizes. Semi-custom cabinets are built after you place your order in sizes to fit your particular spaces. These cost a little more, but will give you more flexibility in creating storage that is perfect for your kitchen.
Custom cabinetry is made by hand so that each component is built exactly to your specifications. These are the most expensive, and take longer, but will allow you to make the best use of your space.
Specialty inserts, trays or racks can make your cabinets serve in particular ways.
And don't forget about finishes and hardware. The same cabinets can look quite different with light or dark color finishes. Even a change in hardware can change a look from casual to formal or bold.
Plan carefully and you'll enjoy your kitchen for many years.
Perhaps an obvious, but not often considered idea is that you are designing a kitchen for your home, make it size appropriate. Consider the type of cooking you will be doing on a regular basis. If cooking isn't your thing then an intimate design where everything is handy may be just right for your home. On the other hand, if you have four kids, entertain half the neighborhood, and invite all the relatives for holidays, you may have need of larger appliances and work spaces.
Ask yourself if there is one person who does most of the cooking, or if it is a family activity. Consider what the kitchen will be used for: is it only for cooking, or is it a place where people hang out? You may only eat casual meals there, or perhaps it is the central gathering point for your whole family.
Good kitchen design still focuses on the basic triangle of stove, refrigerator and sink with 4 to 8 feet between units. But if you plan to have more than one person working in your kitchen, think of multiple triangles. An island work station with a prep sink, or dedicated spaces- perhaps for baking, or a desk / recipe storage area may help. Use plenty of lighting, and consider putting the sink in a center island if you don't have a nice view for that traditional over-the-sink window.
There are few things more bothersome in a kitchen with too little counter space, or cabinets that don't provide the kind of storage you need.
Pay attention to corners. Poor design makes them difficult to access or too dark to be useful. Cabinets with lazy susans or blind base pullouts can help. Think carefully about the sizes of the doors and the directions the doors and drawers will open or you may end up with years of annoyance. Consider whether you want the convenience of pull-out shelves in your base cabinets, or the extra storage you'll have on regular shelves.
Stock cabinets are the kind that you can choose and take right home from the store. Most everyone can use at least some of these standard sizes. Semi-custom cabinets are built after you place your order in sizes to fit your particular spaces. These cost a little more, but will give you more flexibility in creating storage that is perfect for your kitchen.
Custom cabinetry is made by hand so that each component is built exactly to your specifications. These are the most expensive, and take longer, but will allow you to make the best use of your space.
Specialty inserts, trays or racks can make your cabinets serve in particular ways.
And don't forget about finishes and hardware. The same cabinets can look quite different with light or dark color finishes. Even a change in hardware can change a look from casual to formal or bold.
Plan carefully and you'll enjoy your kitchen for many years.
Five Things to Consider When Designing Your Dream Kitchen
Five Things to Consider
When Designing Your Dream Kitchen
By Jodi Leedy
Are you planning on purchasing new kitchen cabinets? Whether for a newly constructed home or for a remodeling project, consider one important factor, your kitchen is the heart of your home! It is not just a place to dine; it is also the main gathering place for family and friends and a place for entertaining. This is particularly true with today's popular open floor plans and great room designs. Because your kitchen plays such an important part of your home there are a few things to consider in your planning process.
1) Kind in mind future buyers
Even if you are currently building your dream home, it is possible that someday you will have a need to sell your home. Or, if you are remodeling your existing home to make it more comfortable for you and your family, you may still find the need to sell it someday. Because of this, even if you aren't ready to sell your home today you should always ponder what potential buyers would think of your kitchen cabinet selection and layout because opinions of your kitchen can drastically either increase or decrease your selling price. A practical kitchen layout is typically everyone's goal, but cabinet styles and finishes are more of a personal choice. Are you attracted to traditional styles or more modern styles? Do you like kitchen cabinets with distinct wood grain or ones with nearly no grain? Whichever you personally prefer always keep future buyers in mind as it can play an important part in your bottom line.
2) The Work Triangle
All homeowners seek a functional workspace in the kitchen. In planning your kitchen layout it is important to consider the distance between your sink, stove and refrigerator in relationship to each other. Connecting these three workstations from their center points should create an invisible "work triangle." According to the National Kitchen and Bath Association the sum of the three distances should be no more than 26 feet, with no single side of the triangle being less than four feet or more than nine feet. There are a couple things to consider with planning a well-designed work triangle; watch out for any triangle legs that may intersect an obstacle like an island, and make sure that no major traffic patterns cross through the work triangle. Proper planning of your "work triangle," taking all obstacles and limitations into review, will help create a functional workspace that will be both practical for you and your future buyers.
3) Kitchen cabinet storage is key
When designing your dream kitchen it is key to consider your storage space, along with ample countertop space. Kitchen cabinet layout services are available to help you maximize your space and create the best flow of cabinetry. The first place to look for extra storage space is your corners. In small, tight kitchens a blind corner cabinet can be used to get the most use out of the corner. However, to get the most efficient use of the corner space a lazy susan corner cabinet or easy reach cabinet should be used. These cabinet options maximize the corner space while allowing easy entry to it contents. Or try adding rollout trays in your base kitchen cabinets to help access your pots and pans, or in your pantries in order to reach cans and dry goods more easily. Another suggestion would be to include a 24" deep bridge cabinet in your kitchen cabinet layout above your refrigerator. Most people keep unused or seasonal items above the refrigerator for the simple fact that they can't reach the cabinet. Therefore, consider a 24" deep refrigerator cabinet for easier access.
4) Use kitchen cabinets to create islands or peninsulas
Kitchen cabinets can be configured to create center islands or peninsulas. These cabinet configurations are very attractive to homeowners with an open floor plan. Using kitchen cabinets this way creates an area for a breakfast nook with the ability to pull up stools. Kitchen cabinets used in this manner instantly increases seating space, which is ideal since kitchens are typically gathering places. Islands and peninsulas also create more storage space.
5) Bells and Whistles
Just like purchasing a new vehicle, there are upgrade options to consider when purchasing your new kitchen cabints. For example, what type of drawers do you want in your base cabinets? Will the standard particleboard drawer secured with glue and staples be sufficient? Or would you prefer an all-wood drawer constructed with dove-tailed joints? Or better yet, would you want the all-wood, dove-tailed drawer with full-extension drawer glides that include a silent close feature? Other construction upgrades can include all plywood construction, and custom depth cabinets. Besides construction upgrades there are accessory cabinets that provide you with some "bell and whistle" qualities that can give your kitchen a custom and personalized look. Give consideration to glass door cabinets for displaying your keepsakes or china dinnerware, an appliance hutch for hiding small appliances on your countertop, roll out trays for base cabinets, integrated waste baskets, corner shelves, and wine racks. When selecting your bells and whistles keep in mind both your budget and overall functionality and flow of your kitchen for optimal results.
Remember, your kitchen is the heart of your home! Success in constructing a timeless, comfortable space is creating a balance between an efficient layout and design with your personal tastes, while keeping with the end goal of adding value to your home.
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