What are the 'Must-Haves' in Modern Kitchen Design?

For most homeowners, the kitchen is one of the busiest areas in the home. Good kitchen design includes features that support all the various activities that occur in a kitchen, while also adding to its overall beauty and appeal.

In other words, a good kitchen design includes practical features wrapped up in amazing style!

Streamline Clutter 

A wide variety of activities occur in the kitchen but viewing the components of those activities on a daily basis is not necessarily appealing. An exceptional kitchen design will include features that keep clutter to a minimum.

Coffee Bar — Imagine waking up in the morning and finding everything you need in one central location to make the transition from groggy to wide awake. Even better is to design an alcove that can be easily covered by a cabinet or a closet door. When coffee time is over, simply close the door and the coffee machine, cups, stir sticks, etc. are hidden from view.

On-Counter Garage — Storing appliances such as the toaster, blender, and food processor on the countertop means a kitchen will have a slightly disheveled look at all times. A great solution for this is to include an on-counter garage with a roll-up or sliding cabinet door to hide appliances when not in use.

Recess Large Appliances — Double ovens, the microwave, dishwasher, and especially the refrigerator, will seem much less bulky when they are recessed into a wall, a drawer, or a cabinet.

Hide the Trash — Trash and recycling cans, along with cleaning supplies such as brooms, mops, etc. are best kept hidden behind the closed door of a storage cabinet. Not only does this reduce clutter, but it also helps keep potentially dangerous waste away from pets and small children.   

Walk-In Pantry 

Walk-in pantries are making a comeback and for good reason. Having all foodstuffs in one central location cuts down on foot traffic in the kitchen, and it frees up cabinet space for dishes, silverware, pots, and pans, etc. 

Good Lighting

Not everyone spends a great deal of time cooking, however, even using a knife to cut up an apple for an afternoon snack requires sufficient lighting.

A good kitchen design will include a variety of light sources, ranging from windows that provide natural light to lighting that provides focused illumination for potentially dangerous tasks such as operating a meat slicer, chopping vegetables, washing delicate crystal glassware, and the like.

A Variety of Cabinets

It's important to have a sufficient variety of cabinets and strategically locate them where they will be used most frequently. Factors to consider are

• Adequate depth for drawers.
• Dividers to allow the organization of drawer contents.
• Components such as lazy Susan carousels and/or full extension drawers to allow for easy access to cabinet items.

Technology Station

Kitchens are an ideal location for a mini-technology center in the home. Cooks can view a tablet to try out a new recipe they found online, or entertain themselves while making dinner by watching their favorite streaming channel.

The kitchen is also a handy area to have a discrete docking station for recharging smartphones, enabling them to be ready at a moment's notice for errands outside the home.

Your Personal Vision 

Last but by no means least, the kitchen area must include your vision of a dream kitchen. One homeowner's vision could be an area that is light, bright, and airy -- another's vision may include features that exude warmth and coziness.

Some homeowners may prefer a minimalist look, whereas others require treasured family heirlooms to be a part of their idea of a perfect kitchen.  

In summary, the "must-have" kitchen is actually a very personal concept, combining all the functionality that will make daily life just a bit easier for a home's inhabitants, while also offering meaningful personal touches that truly make a house feel like a home.

If you are looking for a design staff that can turn your dream kitchen vision into reality, we can help! Please contact us today.