Designing your dream kitchen is an exciting time. You have probably lived in your space long enough to know exactly what you like and dislike about your kitchen – things you wish you had and some you could do without.
When you think about your dream kitchen, you may envision this kitchen look like something you would find in a multimillion-dollar mansion. Renovators often get swept up in the aesthetics and forget that functionality should remain the top priority of your kitchen. Sure, if the space looked spectacular, it would not hurt either, but it is important to recognise that this space is used on the daily and should make your life easier, not harder.
(Image Source: Mustang Gallery)
In this blog post, we have compiled a list to think about when designing your kitchen to your custom specifications.
Consider a kitchen island. This must-have is especially important in an open plan kitchen where you may require more benchtop space to use. Islands are more than just an area to prepare your food but also double as workspaces and a dining table. Kitchen islands check both the functional and aesthetic boxes on your list.
(Image Source: Champion Lakes Gallery)
Integrated appliances are both functional and aesthetically pleasing. Standalone appliances such as microwaves and fridges will look bulky and not sit flush with the kitchen while taking up an exorbitant amount of space that could be used as benchtop space. Integrating the kitchen appliances will ensure a “cleaner” and minimalistic look.
A disadvantage to this would be that you may not be able to replace the appliance as easily as if it were a standalone appliance, thus meaning it is a lot more costly due to the access. They also have a smaller volume than their free-standing counterparts.
(Image Source: Nedlands Gallery)
Adequate lighting is crucial in any kitchen. Perhaps you love an extravagant pendant light for your guests, but realistically speaking you need something that can get the job done i.e. well lit, practical and in the danger zones. If your pendant light sits over your kitchen island, it will not help you when you have your back turned to the light. You don’t want to be working in your shadows when preparing and cooking food. Under cabinet lighting is a way to help brighten the dark corners of your kitchen.
(Image Source: Booragoon Gallery)
Add more PowerPoints than you think you need. You can never have too many PowerPoints. This is often a forgotten aspect when remodelling your kitchen. Many people don’t add nearly as enough to what they think they need. Think about how you use the kitchen, you need a PowerPoint for the kettle, toaster, coffee machine, dishwasher and any standalone appliances (fridge, microwave etc) will require an outlet. Sure, you can plug each one in when you go to use it but sometimes it is just easier to have them plugged in at the same time.
If you are worried about the aesthetics side of things, you could definitely consider pop up PowerPoints. You can conceal them in your kitchen island for a clean and smooth look.
The best kitchen is a functional kitchen. There is a fine line between functionality and aesthetics and you need to know where it is. It is a lot easier to figure out how you want your kitchen to function and then go in with your colours and patterns to bring it to life.
If you require help designing a functional kitchen for your needs, don’t hesitate to contact one of our talented designers at 9234 3000 or send an email to sales@charactergroup.com.au and we will be in touch!
