Learning about kitchen design tips is crucial to start thinking about how functional a kitchen must be.
Every house deserves a well-planned, fully functional kitchen design. Your kitchen is the busiest room in your house.
You cook, eat, clean, relax and entertain in your kitchen. Therefore, it should look fabulous, feel comfortable, and be functional.
That is why you cannot take any chances when planning your kitchen design. An interior designer can help you design a custom kitchen for your house.
Firstly, you may wonder:
What is a Custom Kitchen?
A custom kitchen is a space that an interior designer designs according to your unique needs. Simply put, it is outfitted to fit your family size and lifestyle.
Whether you have a small space for a kitchen or a big one, a designer will make a unique plan for you.
In short, your custom kitchen will be personalized to your needs.
A custom design makes all the difference and will help you cherish your kitchen.
Now, you may be thinking:
How to Design a Custom Kitchen?
Although you learning here some kitchen design tips, an interior designer will help you in designing a custom kitchen that is functional and personalized.
For this, he will consider the area, the aesthetic features including paints and colors, materials, style, and details.
Let me now take you through the whole process of kitchen designing step by step.
Steps for a Fully-Functional Kitchen Design
Understanding Your Unique Needs:
Firstly, and most importantly, the designer will visit the space, see the area and learn about your plans for the kitchen.
This is your ‘dream’ kitchen, this cannot be made without you.
The following things are important to consider:
- what is the size of your family?
- How you will be using the space?
- How much time will you be spending there?
- Will you be entertaining there?
These questions will help in designing a kitchen that will allow you full functionality according to your lifestyle.
Secondly, the other important things that a designer will check are:
- The area for the kitchen.
- Hinderances in the area including windows, doors, heating systems, etc.
Pick a Kitchen Design Approach:
The next step is to find the perfect layout for your kitchen. In the design world, there are two approaches to kitchen design.
- The Kitchen Triangle
This concept started in the 1940s to make small kitchen spaces functional. The triangle connects three work stations in the kitchen.
This includes the refrigerator, the sink, and the range. Generally, the distance between these three zones should range between 4 to 9 feet.
The idea is to free up space around the most used areas and appliances in the kitchen.
It has stood the test of time and is still popular among designers and builders.
- Work Zones Approach
A rather less popular approach the work zone approach is an evolution of ‘the kitchen triangle.’
With time, people started dedicating more space to the kitchen. Now, the kitchen is also a place of entertainment.
According to the work zone approach, the fixtures and appliances in the kitchen are placed according to their usage.
Here, you will see dishwasher with sinks, microwaves with stoves, compost with garbage, etc.
Depending on your family size and requirements, you or your designer can choose an approach that suits you.
Plan Layout for Kitchen Design:
The next step is to plan a layout. Choosing the right layout is not easy, but it is very important for a functional kitchen.
However, for an expert, it is easy to plan a layout that is perfect for your space and offers the best usage.
There are 6 popular layouts to choose from.
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U-Shape:
For a kitchen with massive space, the U-shape layout can work very well.
- The work zones are on the three walls of the space.
- It gives you easy access to counters and work zones.
- You can add an island in the middle if there is enough space.
- It is ideal for families that spend more time in the kitchen.
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L-Shape Layout:
Comparative to the U-shape, in the L-shape, you will have two walls for counter and workspaces.
- Generally, the L-shape layout is ideal for small kitchens.
- For people looking for designs for separate kitchens, this is a great option. The reason is that it maximizes the corner space.
- In addition to that, if your family doesn’t spend much time in the kitchen, the L-shape layout can work for you.
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Gallery Kitchen:
Gallery style offers a two-wall approach.
- This is a space solution for a small kitchen.
- Moreover, it provides spaces for storing, prepping and cooking food.
- However, the galley kitchen is no longer in fashion now.
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Island Kitchen:
Island kitchens are very popular in new constructions.
- This approach provides new options for designs, builds, and renovations.
- Also, it can be a great way to enhance a layout.
- Moreover, you can use this with an L-shape plan.
- If there is enough space in the two walls of the galley kitchen, you can island there.
- Usually, in island gives the kitchen a very homey look.
- In addition to that, it is great if you love spending a comfortable time in the kitchen.
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Peninsula Kitchen:
In this style, you add a peninsula in the kitchen.
- In simple words, it is like a U-shape layout without walls.
- Moreover, it is the perfect way of adding an island to a kitchen with a small size.
- However, there are many limitations to this style.
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Two-Island Kitchen:
Last on the list is this extravagant kitchen approach.
- If you have a large space and dream to build a massive kitchen, this is ideal for you.
- There are plenty of options in this style. You can choose one that works for you.
- Also, it is great if your kitchen can use two islands.
- Mostly, people use one for cooking with built-in appliances.
- And, they use the other one for eating. Kids can also stay there and paly as you cook.
Drawing Plan for your Functional Kitchen Design:
Once all this is sorted, your designer will draw a plan.
- He will use the principal and secondary measurements to start drawing the plan.
- He will consider the perimeter and make notes of any fixtures like air conditioning, heating. Windows and doors.
- Your designer will also take into account the workflow and movement around the kitchen area.
Add Function and Storage:
Next, the designer will help you collect the right furniture for your kitchen design. The focus will be on four main areas: storage, preparation, cooking, and cleaning.
While making the design, he will make sure to provide you enough space to move around and work unobstructedly.
Therefore the focus will be on the placement of everything.
This will include cooking top, preparation zone, and counter space. This will also include storage spaces and cabinets.
Your designer will help you design the best cabinets and drawers. He may even help you in the tiny details like adding dividers to maximize drawer space.
The most common style in cabinet doors in the shaker style. The shaker style door is a door with a front panel. It is simple and functional.
A lot of people choose the shaker style. However, some people like to display their china in the cabinets.
Then you can get cabinet doors with transition style.
You can also choose from a variety of other transitional styles. The most popular is a combination of glass with shaker style doors.
Aesthetic Features in Kitchen Design:
In this step, the focus will be on the mood of the room. Since this is your custom kitchen, so, the designer will make sure to decorate it as you like.
In this step, you will pick paint colors, and decide the cabinet and countertop finishings that accentuate your kitchen.
Trends come and go, but some things are timeless in kitchen design.
Your designer will design a modern, traditional, transitional or timeless kitchen for you.
For a timeless kitchen, the focus is on 6 core elements:
1. Countertop
- Marble, granite, and quartz are popular choices. Marble has been a part of architecture for ages.
- Most manufacturers are making granite and quartz that look like marble.
2. Flooring:
- Wooden floors are always in trend. You can choose hardwood floors for a kitchen that will never go out of style.
- The stain for the floor may vary according to trends. We have seen great popularity of warm to dark wood tones for flooring.
3. Kitchen Cabinets:
- For a timeless look, shaker style doors are best.
- Depending on the color of your kitchen, you can choose the color for your cabinets.
- The most popular choices are white and grey. In 2020, we have predicted the big popularity of blues in the kitchen cabinets. A subtle navy-grey blue is this year’s favorite.
- Another great trend is to get two-tone cabinets. In this style, the lower cabinets have a light color and the upper cabinets are dark-colored.
- It can give the feeling of space and add a nice pop of color to your kitchen.
4. Hardware:
- For hardware, metallic colors are in trend.
- Depending on the decor style of your house, you can choose from silver, chrome and gold hardware for your kitchen.
5. Kitchen Lighting for Perfect Kitchen Design:
To make your dream kitchen look dreamy, don’t forget the lights.
So many times, I have seen great kitchen designs failing to make an impression because of poor lighting.
Your designer can help you in making a plan for the perfect lights in your kitchen. Usually, there are three types of lighting in a kitchen:
- General or Regular Lights which provides basic light for the kitchen.
- Task Lights which highlight a specific work area. For instance, lights above your stovetop or prepping area.
- Accent Lights create a focal point in your kitchen. You can get as fancy as you like. Choose a modern chandelier or a ceiling light that goes with the kitchen design.
6. Appliances :
Appliances play a fundamental role in the kitchen. The choice of them must be done carefully accordingly mostly to your cooking needs and skills. For instance, choose a wide refrigerator if your family number is high, as an important cooking hob that will be capable of more fire stations. Moreover, a wide sink is most common nowadays for more convenience in washing food or dishes. Ovens, microwaves, and all cooking accessories should be closely selected as well, considering space availability and cooking requirements. That is to say, we will delve soon into the topic with a dedicated blog about appliances choice tips.
Final Thoughts
We spend so much time cooking, eating and entertaining our kitchen. Therefore, it is important to design it perfectly.
Whether you are building a house or remodeling, an interior designer can give you the kitchen design tips to help you plan your dream kitchen for you.
In conclusion, here follow some Italian renowned kitchen brands where you can get inspiration for the latest trends and design
To dig into specific dedicated matters please visit :
https://www.elementiltd.com/kitchen-islands-for-bangkok-condos-and-homes/
https://www.elementiltd.com/quartz-countertops-for-your-kitchen-in-bangkok/
