What makes a kitchen a great kitchen?

Kitchens are the heart and soul of the home. They're the place families and friends get together, memories are created, and, perhaps most importantly, where food is made.

Not only should a kitchen feel warm and homey, it also needs to be functional and useful.

Here are four characteristics of a great kitchen that you can use to guide your kitchen design or remodel.

Accessible

A great kitchen is usable for decades, and that means it needs to be accessible. Gone are the days when we needed step-ladders to get that cookie jar from the top shelf of the pantry, or stood on the countertops to get the fancy china from the upper cabinets.

Great modern kitchens are all about easy-to-access storage. Lazy Susans and pull-out drawers and cabinet shelves help you maximize your storage space in the kitchen while making it easier to retrieve items from the back of shelves or drawers.

Amenities like touch control faucets and voice-activated appliances can also add a high-tech flair to a kitchen in addition to providing comfort.

Open shelving is a modern kitchen trend that helps create the perfect balance between accessibility and aesthetic appeal. 

Organized

Having a clean and organized space is essential to our well-being. When it comes to kitchens, which often get used multiple times a day, keeping things put away on time can get challenging.

Methods and features that keep a kitchen organized can take your space to the next level of both aesthetic beauty and functionality. Kitchen drawers and cabinets are often the first to succumb to chaos, but customization and upgrades to basic kitchen storage areas can help.

Drawers with built-in dividers for silverware or sliding panels for stacking items can help you maximize your kitchen's storage capacity and help you stay on top of organization. Keeping your pantry organized is also paramount.

Labeled storage bins and clear containers create a lovely aesthetic for the pantry while making it incredibly simple to keep things organized.

Functional

We all love the look of a sleek and stylish kitchen, but functionality is equally important. The main aspect of kitchen functionality is, of course, the quality and design of appliances.

A great kitchen has appliances that are perfectly equipped to handling the use they'll get. If you find yourself constantly baking in a sub-par oven or struggling to get food warm in a microwave, it's time to upgrade. Aside from appliances, functionality also comes from usable counter space.

The operative word here is usable. Counters cluttered with fruit bowls, dish racks, or toasters and rice cookers can make a kitchen less functional. Great kitchens have appropriate storage locations for items like this, like hanging dish racks.

Another way to make counter space more usable is through under-cabinet lighting. This will make the most of your counter space and maximize utility in your kitchen.

Stylish

We'd be remiss if we didn't mention style- it's the first thing we notice about any room we walk into. Modern trends in kitchen design include bold backsplashes, large islands, and sleek cabinets with open shelving or no handles.

Great kitchens also mix man-made materials with natural wood and stone, creating a space that's easy on the eyes and the maintenance. Statement furniture and appliances are also popular- think bright red stoves, copper faucets, or mismatched barstools.

Whatever design suits you best, remember that utility and style go hand in hand. A great kitchen won't sacrifice one for the other. Instead, it'll bring both of them together into the perfect blend for you. 

If you are considering remodeling your kitchen, we're here to help you with design, color schemes, and customization. Contact us today for a consultation.