Kitchen Design and Decorating
It has long been held that the kitchen is the heart of the home. It conjures up memories of food being prepared lovingly and of friends and families breaking bread together. As children grow up, a great deal of home life revolves around the kitchen table, and many mundane tasks are tended to there. A functional and attractive kitchen can make all these things more pleasant.
Planning
Always keep your budget in mind when designing your kitchen. A kitchen can easily become the most expensive room in the house to redesign, depending on how many changes you make. Keep a detailed list of supplies, materials, appliances and labor costs. Get the prices or several estimates for everything you will need ahead of time. When planning, don't max out your budget; leave about 10 percent for unexpected costs that might arise during the work phase.
When designing your kitchen, consult with professionals in regards to electric, gas or plumbing work, especially if you plan on moving appliances or adding additional fixtures and outlets.
Before you begin the planning phase, consider everything you have liked or disliked about any kitchen you have used in the past. Perhaps you are tall and would prefer raising the height of your workspace. How much storage and work space do you feel you will need? How much space do you want to devote to entertaining in the kitchen? Make a list of priorities with your likes and dislikes in mind so you don't create the same old problems in your new design.
Consider the floor plan and create a "work triangle" between the sink, refrigerator and stove/oven. This will give your kitchen a good flow so you can move fluidly as you work. Next, consider secondary appliances, such as dish washers and microwaves, and where it would be most convenient to have them. At that point, you can assign stations, such as food prep, cleanup and entertaining areas. Shop around for storage options because there are a lot of creative storage solutions that can make organizing and accessing your supplies much easier once your kitchen is done.
Finally, don't overlook lighting. Ensure that your work areas are well lit with task lighting, but also supply mood lighting to help the atmosphere.
Materials
When choosing materials, consider the style of decor you plan to have in the finished kitchen. Certain materials go well with certain styles. For example, if you love country decor, you might want to consider wood cabinetry. If you prefer contemporary, you might want to go with granite and stainless steel. If a retro '50s kitchen is what you're after, you might prefer vinyl floor tiles and laminate materials with chrome finish.
In addition to form, keep function in mind. Some materials such as marble and soapstone are beautiful, but high maintenance. Are you comfortable with the upkeep requirements these materials will require, or would you prefer something much easier to manage? If you live in a flood zone, you might want to reconsider hard wood flooring and go with tile. If your kitchen has high traffic and you do a lot of heavy-duty activities in there, you might prefer to look into more durable materials, such as concrete or engineered stone.
Shop around for materials, and don't rush your choices. There are many options now for both manufactured materials and natural ones that come in a variety of colors and styles.
Decorating
When decorating, keep in mind the key elements of the style you have chosen and the atmosphere you are looking to create. If you have chosen old world decorating, go with muted or faded colors and stained woods in a rich tone. If you prefer Americana decor, you might prefer a pallet of white and blues with accents of red and folk art accessories. If you are trying to replicate a beach bungalow, go with blues and greens and sandy colors, perhaps a seashell border.
Remember when choosing your color palette that light colors make a kitchen seem bright and airy and can make a small kitchen appear larger. Darker colors add warmth and an air of formality, but they can make a space feel more enclosed.
Choose accessories wisely. So much goes on in a kitchen that it can easily become too busy. Too many accessories can not only get in your way, but also make your space look cluttered. Choose a few good pieces that fit into your theme, and feature them in select spots where they will stand out. When it comes to accessories, choose quality over quantity.
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