A kitchen renovation is one of the most valuable home improvement projects since it can give you as much as 81.8 percent return on investment.
Whether you are looking to increase your home’s value or are just bored with your current setup, getting a new kitchen design is a sure way of spicing things up in your home.
Nonetheless, if you are like most homeowners, you’ll probably start your kitchen project by thinking about things such as color schemes and appliances.
However, when it comes to getting the ideal kitchen, the layout is what matters the most. The kitchen is a functional space.
As such, your experience in it will be largely affected by how easily you can move around it while cooking and cleaning. A good kitchen design enhances movement while minimizing inefficiency so as to maximize your ability to use the space.
Is your current kitchen in need of an upgrade? Time to freshen it up! Here’s your guide to designing a kitchen like a pro.
Things to Consider Before Designing Your Kitchen
Renovating a kitchen might include significant costs. As such, there are things you must consider before taking on this project. They include:
Your Objective
What are your reasons for the project? Do you plan on selling your home later, or are you just looking to enhance your comfort?
If you are planning on selling the house, you should probably consider a project that is not as costly because there is no guarantee that you will recoup all the costs.
If you plan on staying, feel free to put your heart into it, and design something that you will fall in love with for years to come.
Children
If you have kids, you should have a kid-friendly kitchen. Think about where to store things so they cannot easily access them. Additionally, your design should use resilient, easy-to-clean materials.
Health Issues
If there’s someone in your family that has health issues such as asthma and other breathing issues, it is essential that you let your contractor know.
This will ensure they avoid materials such as phenol formaldehyde, high-gloss lacquers, and urea – which can trigger asthma attacks.
Your Budget
The amount you can spare is what will determine whether the design you have in mind will be feasible or not. Being upfront with your contractors about your budget will allow them to help you get the best design for your pocket.
Comparative Analysis
Chances are that you will not be the first person to utilize the design that you are aiming for. As such, it is essential that you get to know about the experiences of other people who have similar designs.
Knowing about any potential drawbacks beforehand will enable you to make the decision whether they are things that you will be willing to live with.
Tips for Designing a Kitchen
Coming up with an elegant, efficient kitchen design takes time and effort. Fortunately, technology has allowed for tools such as ProKitchen Software that will make designing much less of a hassle.
Nonetheless, here’s how to create the perfect kitchen design:
1. The Kitchen Work Triangle
The three most essential components of your kitchen are the refrigerator, the sink, and the stove.
Cooking and cleaning in the kitchen can quickly become something that you do not look forward to if your layout makes it difficult to maneuver around.
A good kitchen layout, however, makes navigating between the three components a lot less cumbersome.
It also provides a good deal of space so that even when you are working alongside someone else, you will not keep bumping into each other.
To make this a possibility, kitchen designers typically create a ‘work triangle’ between the refrigerator, sink, and stove. It is usually angled between 15 and 25 degrees.
You should also know that you can have several work triangles in your kitchen depending on your needs.
Nevertheless, a good kitchen layout must have three distinct zones – one for preparing food, another for cooking and baking, and the third for traffic.
2. A Multifunctional Kitchen
In recent years, the kitchen has become more than just the smokehouse. It is becoming a more versatile space where you can relax and entertain guests.
A professional designer will always keep that in mind when looking to create a kitchen design that is open and inviting. This allows you to simultaneously cook and entertain.
To facilitate such a design, you might want to consider incorporating a kitchen island with seating. This creates an inviting area where family members and guests can relax and socialize without taxing the use of the work triangle.
Thus, the host is able to cook and entertain without having their functionality compromised.
3. Your Cupboards
A lot of people do not pay enough attention to how they use or allocate cupboard space. However, this is one of the most significant elements that gives a kitchen design a professional touch.
A cupboard layout needs to be organized according to how you are planning on using the space.
As such, place items and products that you use commonly close to each other. Additionally, they should be easily reachable so that you do not have to use a ladder or stoop down.
This convenience works to improve your overall kitchen experience.
A professional kitchen design, therefore, should have a personalized cupboard system that enables you to use the available cupboard space to maximum effect. Do not be afraid to experiment with creative kitchen cabinet designs.
4. Get the Best Worktops
Choosing the best type of kitchen worktop is just as essential as getting the cabinetry color and finish right. If you are looking to install a high gloss, modern kitchen, a warm texture such as wood would fit in well.
If your kitchen has period detailing, then a marble worktop or any other composite lookalike would help tie the scheme together.
What you go with, ultimately, will depend on the vision that you have.
Getting Started
Nothing beats a well-prepared home-cooked meal. Nonetheless, an inefficient kitchen design is bound to come in the way of a pleasant meal preparation experience.
When designing a kitchen, therefore, ensure that the design not only serves your needs but also complements your uniqueness as well.
This is why a design software is so beneficial. It allows you to have a physical depiction of the image in your head.
Consider using one when looking to create the perfect kitchen design.