The idea of a charming home is inconceivable without a beautiful kitchen. For many, the kitchen is the heart of a home. If you are renovating your kitchen or moving to a new house, it’s the perfect time to explore new ideas.
Design, functionality, and technology – it’s 2019, and these are the special features that any alluring kitchen should have. It’s important not to focus on the aesthetics of the kitchen but also on features that will make your day-to-day life easier.
It’s also important not to plan in terms of what design is trending each year but to concentrate more on what kind of kitchen will work best for you. Trends come and go every year, but renovating a kitchen is permanent and costly.
Classic designs can save you the hassle and the need to remodel every few years. The idea is to create a dream space, not just to cook, but a hub of activity for the whole family.
Functionality
An unpopular opinion: the functionality of your kitchen is more important than the aesthetic. This might not sit well with everyone, but I would recommend to put your needs first and design the kitchen around it. It’s better to have a fully functional kitchen that caters to your needs than having an aesthetically pleasing kitchen that you can’t use properly.
Before we go on and list some of the ways you can have a more functional kitchen, it’s good to know of the tools that you should keep handy if you want to remodel or repair some features of the kitchen yourself.
The common tools that we all should have around the house are a hammer, measuring tape, adjustable wrenches, screwdrivers, putty knife, utility knife, and a mini or portable saw for cutting wood.
So, how can you make your kitchen more functional? It doesn’t matter if you are remodeling or not; you can always make sure that there’s a pattern to storing your plates, bowls, cutlery, and utensils close to where they are needed most or find a spot for plastic containers near the fridge. This will avoid any unnecessary steps and de-clutter your cooking life.
If you are going to fully remodel your kitchen, you need to think about how to use the space most efficiently. This means planning out the width of the walkways to avoid traffic jams and designing the placement of cabinets and appliances cleverly so that the doors avoid corners and don’t swing in the wrong direction, hitting each other.
Measure the right height and location for the microwave. This is especially important if you have children and want to create a kid-friendly kitchen. Also, it makes more sense to put the children’s dishes and cutlery on a shelf that they can reach.
The best places to install electric outlets are on the island and also near the backsplash. This will ensure that you can get power wherever it’s convenient for you.
Another neat idea to save your time and some energy is to get a swing-out tap. These taps can be installed near the cooktop to avoid making long journeys from the sink to the stove, especially with heavy pots full of water. Or you can simply get a long hose and connect it to the faucet.
Designs
Your kitchen’s design can be a reflection of your personality and your taste. Remodeling or renovating is not the only way you can change the design of your kitchen; you can also change the whole outlook for a kitchen just by adding a few tasteful paintings or some retro stools at the counter.
If you are remodeling your kitchen, you can choose between the zonal kitchen and anti-kitchen schemes.
Zonal kitchen:
A kitchen without any customary layout and is not separated from the rest of the house. The kitchen is set apart and can be identified by the mix of different furniture with preeminent finishes.
Anti-kitchen:
This design is the opposite of a zonal kitchen. The kitchen is a separate room, hidden away to give an appearance of luxurious living.
Usually, it’s best to paint your kitchen in a light color to give it a large appearance and an airy feeling. But, if your kitchen comes with beautiful, big windows, you can also opt for dark stone countertops/islands with matching or contrasting cabinets.
Pair a shiny, dark granite island with white or cherry wood, and you have a delightful combination. For chairs, you can match the dark theme with leather or a matte look. Dark cabinets against a snow-white wall will create a stunning visual for any kitchen.
If you need lots of storage, rather than lining the sides of your walls with waist-high cabinets, design one side of a wall with a floor-to-ceiling cabinet. Functional and dramatic, there’s no chance of these cabinets going out of style. Depending on the color you choose, it can blend well against the existing cabinets or stand out on its own. Visually eye-catching and with massive storage for every little piece of clutter to major kitchen appliances, you can’t go wrong with these cabinets.
Lighting is one of the most important elements of your design. Pendants, linear lighting, vintage designs – there’s so much to choose from. Linear lighting is more popular nowadays for its sleek, seamless, modern look. It looks superb with a minimalist theme and quirky designs.
A neat trick to make any small kitchen look big is placing a mirror strategically. The bigger the mirror, the better. Beautiful frames can also give character to the kitchen. Better yet if you decorate with plants and paintings around the mirror. Careful not to overdo it as this might give a cluttered look instead of a homey one.
Technology
Along with functionality and design, technology is also important to create an efficient and sustainable kitchen. If you are renovating the kitchen, you can also choose to install taps that have the technology to instantly boil water. Or a tap that will not drip, and in return, save tons of water.
Choose an eco-friendly electric burner instead of a gas one. They might be more expensive, but they are worth the price in the long-term for functionality and safety. Just like an eco-friendly burner, choose an eco-friendly refrigerator as well. Even just one eco-friendly appliance can make a huge difference in energy consumption for the better.
It’s also essential to prioritize environmentally-friendly furniture and products around your kitchen. Keep recycle bins separately and place them in a hard-to-miss spot to encourage recycling for the whole family.
Last Words
We all know the kitchen is not merely a place to cook but a place for the whole family to come together. A message or photo board in the kitchen can also be a cute way for you to bond or have fun with your children.
Jazzy tiles, colorful walls, bright cabinets – you can make it as cheerful as you want or as homey as you want! To make the kitchen feel like everyone’s, incorporate small ideas from each family member and create a place of inclusion, fun, and love!