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By: Guy Morris
It has often been said that the heart of the home is the kitchen.
If that is really true, then why is it that some kitchen designs
just don’t seem to support more than one cook or guest
at a time? You can turn your kitchen into a functional and
beautiful workspace and gathering place for the entire family.
Even if you have limited square footage, there just may be
more room for expansion, storage, and oh yeah, cooking in
your kitchen than you think.
Counters & Cabinets
Storage is definitely a consideration in designing a functional
kitchen. If you are limited by floor space, just look up.
There is often a great deal of space between the counter tops
and ceiling that just isn’t being used in a kitchen.
Look at the space above the refrigerator. Is yours just collecting
dust or take out menus? If so, add a cabinet and you’ve
got a great place to store seldom used platters or treats
you want to keep hidden from the children.
Kitchen cabinets also don’t have to be limited to one
side of the countertop. If your kitchen design has a peninsula
or island, you can use the ends and back side for more cabinet
storage space.
Kitchen cabinets come in more styles and finishes that you
can imagine. However, if your budget is limited then you don’t
need to replace them for an entirely new look. Cabinet refacing
lets you select cabinet patterns that are up to date and beautiful.
New countertops don’t always need to be included in
this home improvement project either. Laminate countertops
come with repair strips that will give new life to a worn
surface.
Laying Out Completely New Kitchen Designs
If your budget calls for a complete renovation, then now is
the time to really think about layouts and maybe calling in
some specialist. The basic theory is that there should be
no more than 2 steps between work stations. That means you
should be able to go from the sink to stove in 2 steps; from
the range to the refrigerator in 2 steps and so on. However,
with today’s extra large sized kitchens that’s
not the case any more. You still should choose layouts that
consider how much time it takes to accomplish the normal tasks
of putting dishes away from the dishwasher or getting foods
from the refrigerator to the stove.
The newest gadgets in these mega kitchens make timesaving
and energy efficiency into an art form. There are refrigerator
drawers right next to the range and microwaves that brew your
coffee while making your toast!
Fixtures and Furniture
The finishing touches are what make kitchen designs more inviting
than ever. The furnishings, light fixtures and even the cabinet
hardware can make kitchens into real living rooms. Look for
task lighting that can highlight work spaces and then radiant
lighting for atmosphere. You can even turn the legs of old
furniture or newel posts into bases for centre islands to
make you kitchen furnishings blend with the rest of the house.
Get creative and enjoy doing much more than cooking in your
new kitchen.
About the author:
Guy Morris is author and designer of the website http://www.kitchen-cabinets-tips.com.
He is featuring kitchen cabinets and articles on kitchen designs
http://www.kitchen-cabinets-tips.com/kitchen-designs.html.
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