Basic Kitchen Design

Basic Elements of Design for the Kitchen

As you plan your kitchen, consider your own work habits and preferences. This information is important for the way traffic will move through your kitchen.  It is important to decorate your kitchen to reflect not only your personal style, but the way you live. 

If you are going to place an island in your kitchen, a good rule to remember is to leave 3 1/2 to 4 feet between the counter and the island. If you like the idea of an island, but would prefer to keep the center space open, consider a commercial stainless steel island which you can roll out of the way when you are not using it. A comfortable working height in a kitchen for food preparation is 36 inches. A kitchen can be a galley or open-plan, and today's kitchen has become a hub for entertaining, cooking and friendly gatherings.

Warm up your kitchen with texture and color. Bold color, even in a small kitchen, can be a big design plus. Easy ways to spice up your kitchen space is with accent colors, wall coverings, fabric, artwork and accessories that make your kitchen comfortable and inviting. Stenciled borders do not always have to reflect country style. Add a little French country by stenciling a few famous French phases you love. Or, add decorative paint finish on walls, and consider painting your kitchen cabinets instead of replacing them. If there is a sunny window in your main prep area, keep the glare factor in mind when choosing window curtains. Add fresh fabrics such as new window valances.

The best kitchen makeovers come right from your heart. Display your favorite collections that tell a personal story.  You can replace a few of your cabinet door panels with glass simply by removing doors on one or two upper cabinets to boldly display your Grandmother's china.

In a small kitchen, use a drop leaf table or a roll away cart. Pick a table that is sturdy and can fit in accordance with the space it will be used in. Example: a round table might be less functional in a corner than a rectangle table. Then, don't  forget the hardware. You choices are endless in any of your local home improvement centers. When considering a kitchen sink, remember, separate sinks in the main food preparation and clean up areas will keep raw foods and dirty dishes safely apart.

To make you kitchen more functional, consider specialized storage products. Consider racks to hold lids for pots and pans and a bread box that fits in a drawer. By using these tips, you can unclutter your kitchen and keep it cleaner, easier.