Great kitchen design combines both form and function. From our design team, here are six tips for making your kitchen the envy of your neighborhood.
1. Choose Ceiling-High Cabinets
Ceiling-high cabinets are a great option for any kitchen, but they work especially well in smaller spaces. Cabinets that reach to the ceiling draw the eye upward, creating the illusion that the space is much larger than it actually is.
Plus, ceiling-high cabinets provide additional storage space for cookware, small appliances, serving dishes and other items that are not used frequently.
2. Replace Existing Appliances
Believing that you can save on the cost of your renovation by keeping existing appliances is pennywise and dollar foolish. There are two main arguments for making an investment in new appliances. First, older appliances with new countertops, cabinets, hardware, etc. are likely to stick out like a sore thumb. Rarely, if ever, will existing appliances complement the new aesthetic that you want to achieve. Second, today’s appliances are more technologically sophisticated, energy-efficient and offer benefits and features that make meal preparation easier and more enjoyable.
3. Light Up Your Life
Install in-cabinet, in-drawer and under-cabinet lighting. Not only does today’s new LED lighting technology make it easier to illuminate work surfaces, installing lighting in drawers and cabinets makes it easier to find what you are looking for and offers a wow factor that is hard to refuse.
4. A Well Designed Kitchen Is An Organized Kitchen
One secret to designing a great kitchen is to account for your storage needs and desires in the initial planning phases. A storage plan will consider how often you cook, entertain and hold gatherings. A great kitchen must not only look out of this world, it also must incorporate the best functionality that meets your needs. An almost endless array of options is available to store cookware, food, utensils, countertop appliances (blenders, mixers, etc.), recycling containers and so on.
Specifying two-tiered drawers can maximize space in deep drawers. A top layer may be used for cutlery, below is a second drawer for dishes and below that is another drawer for pots and pans. These drawers within drawers slide individually with the top-drawer housing items used most often.
5. Choose a Pull-Out Pantry
Compared to traditional drawer and cabinet storage, pull-out pantries make it far easier to find what you are looking. If your pantry is wider than 16 inches, consider roll-out shelves as an alternative because the weight of the pantry may not be manageable.
6. Avoid Buyers’ Remorse
Space permitting, opt to install recycling and trash bins in a cabinet or drawer as opposed to leaving the them on floor of your new kitchen. This will contributes to a cleaner, more clutter-free and enjoyable space.
Want to know other secrets for making your kitchen the epicenter of your home? Please give us a call at 603-448-9700 or visit our showroom at 105 Hanover Street, Lebanon, NH 03766.
