The kitchen is not just for preparing meals. Some of the fondest family moments occur in this room as you try a new recipe or share a plate with your loved ones. The kitchen is also an expression of your lifestyle. Cabinets, countertops, and floorplan designs reflect your style and personality. The good news is you can create a gorgeous and functional kitchen—one of your dreams—regardless of its size. Here are some ideas to consider before you meet with any remodeling firm about a kitchen remodeling project.

Pick a Neutral Color

Neutrals are so versatile, and a neutral kitchen can be the perfect canvas to personalize your space, with colorful rugs, glassware, drawer pulls, fixtures and more.

White is always one of the highest-ranking colors in each National Kitchen and Bath Association’s (NKBA) annual design trends survey. That’s because it doesn’t go out of style. Over the years, people have associated this color with purity, happiness and fresh beginnings. Thanks to its brightness, white also reflects light to give the room a larger feel.

Neutral doesn’t need to equal pure white. Grays and greige (a mix of beige and gray) are also good neutral colors to choose from.

Lighting Is Important

Besides adding personality to your kitchen, lighting maximizes visibility to ensure safety while cooking. Four types of artificial lighting go into the design of your kitchen: task, ambient, accent and decorative. These, coupled with natural light from windows, will create a kitchen lighting plan that is smart, safe and functional.

When thinking about the lighting you need in your kitchen, it’s important to review:

• Where you need light, such as overhead, overtop the island and kitchen table, under the cabinets, etc.
• The activities you’ll be doing in the kitchen (and at what time of day). If most of your cooking happens before dawn or after dusk, you’ll need to consider that.
• Think about how bright the light should be—now and in the future. Keep in mind that as we age, the sharpness of our vision deteriorates (as anyone who wears reading glasses can attest). This means you’ll need brighter light to do the same tasks.

The kitchen is not just for preparing meals. Some of the fondest family moments occur in this room as you try a new recipe or share a plate with your loved ones. The kitchen is also an expression of your lifestyle. Cabinets, countertops, and floorplan designs reflect your style and personality. The good news is you can create a gorgeous and functional kitchen—one of your dreams—regardless of its size. Here are some ideas to consider before you meet with any remodeling firm about a kitchen remodeling project.

Subway Tiles for the Backsplash

Subway tiles were developed by designers LaFarge and Heins in 1904 for the New York subway system to create bright and almost purified stations in an otherwise dank, dark underground hub.

Originally made from white glass, subway tiles are traditionally 3×6 inches, but they now come in a variety of sizes, colors and finishes. They are versatile and can complement almost any design style. This is in addition to their numerous arrangement options. For instance, these tiles can be arranged in a classic staggered pattern, which can make your kitchen appear larger and brighter or a vertical stack could give the room a modern feel. Other options include herringbone and geometric patterns.

Ergonomic Design

Often referred to as “universal design,” an ergonomic design guarantees convenience to all kitchen users, regardless of their age. Apart from improving posture, ergonomics decreases motion and exertion when reaching for items on shelves.

One way to enhance ergonomics is by lowering the typical counter height from 36 inches to between 28 and 30 inches. By designing countertops at different heights, you allow everyone in the family to help in the kitchen, including children. Varying countertop heights also add depth to your space to enhance aesthetics.

Other smart ergonomic design ideas include installing a microwave drawer, widening the space between counters, adjusting the height of the toe kicks, using cabinet drawers for storing your plates (instead of overhead cabinetry)—to name a few.

Smart Storage

A functional kitchen begins with proper storage of “all the things,” and thankfully, there are cabinets that can be built to match your needs.

• Cabinet spice racks
• Pull-out drawers for dishes, pots and pans
• Lazy Susans or blind corner cabinet organizers for maximizing this space
• Drawer inserts for keeping your knives and cooking utensils organized
• Under-sink and trash can organizers, and more

Your remodeling firm will be able to share even more ways you can create smart storage for all your kitchen cooking and baking needs. However, thinking about these items before meeting with your remodeling firm will help prepare you for the details you’ll need to consider throughout design.

Ready to create your own gorgeous and functional kitchen? Contact us to schedule a consultation.