A kitchen is more than just a cooking space. It’s the center of home activities, a place to socialize and entertain. Maximum space efficiency and functionality are crucial when planning your dream kitchen.
Even if your kitchen is not outdated, its design and layout might not make the most of the existing space. Various options and possibilities must be considered regarding good kitchen design. Choices such as the layout of the counter space, cabinet placement, and wall and floor use are often crucial decisions.
Whether designing a new kitchen or renovating an old one, it can be stressful and difficult to execute your vision. In light of this, we hope to give you a few pointers and ideas to consider before you embark on your task. This blog post covers different topics from kitchen layout to design and renovation tips and an example of one of our kitchen renovation projects!
It’s not you – it’s the Kitchen Layout.
If your kitchen is driving you crazy, regardless of how old it is, it’s not you – it’s the kitchen layout. An experienced kitchen renovation contractor can help with your choices when planning your dream kitchen layout. At M.C. Renovation & Painting, we pride ourselves on utilizing the homeowners’ space as productively and efficiently as possible!
A Great Kitchen Layout will…
A great kitchen layout will let you install more cabinets and gain additional storage space. Furthermore, your dream kitchen will look bigger without increasing the space’s square footage.
A great kitchen layout will incorporate newer, sleeker, and more efficient appliances. This will lead to using your dream kitchen smarter, environmentally friendlier and easier.
A great kitchen layout will change the flow of your space. Counters, countertops, floors, and wall spaces can easily be turned into beautiful, well-organized and clutter-free zones. The possibilities are endless to help transform your dream kitchen into a clean look with a flowing feel
A great kitchen layout will also give you an open living concept. Removing walls for an open plan is about free-flowing the space and is the preferred layout in most modern homes. Gone are the days when the host was segregated in the kitchen, prepping dinner while guests gathered in a separate living area. Enjoy a great kitchen layout where you can cook, watch TV, or entertain in style.
Kitchens are an essential part of the Home.
Kitchens are essential to any home; we all strive to have spacious and well-appointed spaces. Selecting the right kitchen layout for your home will depend on several factors, including the shape and size of your kitchen area. Read more about our other kitchen blogs.
We recommend talking to a reputable kitchen renovation contractor who works closely with you. A good Renovation contractor will explore options for your home and help you choose the best kitchen layout for your overall needs.
You can access an expert kitchen renovation contractor by calling M.C. Renovation & Painting.Bring along your ideas, and our team will be happy to show you how we can help bring your dream kitchen to life!
3 Kitchen Planning Tips
If you are in a rut while thinking about your kitchen planning, here are three tips to help you create your dream kitchen!
1. Finding the Right Height for the Microwave
The correct height and location for a microwave oven may vary depending on the chef or the kid-friendly character of the kitchen. For adults, 15 inches above countertop level is a good microwave height. For kids, a below-countertop setup may be safer and more suitable. There are also many options in terms of location, above the stove, above a wall oven, or built into your cabinets. Source: BHG
2. Installing a Sliding Door
If you do have a dining area with a smaller kitchen, it is worth installing sliding doors or some form of a screen between your kitchen and dining areas. You can then reveal a beautifully laid table to guests and close the door on any after-dinner mess. Open-plan space can lead to a lack of surprise, a key element of good design and entertainment. The integrated dining and kitchen space will adapt perfectly to informal entertaining and weeknight family dinners with the sliding door open. You can hide the kitchen away when closed to create a more relaxed dinner party. Source: Telegraph
3. Making Room for Storage
The biggest mistake people make at the planning stage is not allowing for enough storage. Use every nook and cranny. Put overhead cabinets right up to the ceiling, rather than leaving a gap on top that collects dust. Consider deep drawers for easier access to pots and pans. Include enough storage for appliances that otherwise would clutter up countertops. Add a walk-in pantry to your design if you have the allowable space. A pantry not only works for food storage but can also be a great place to store small appliances. Source: RD
Top 10 Kitchen Planning Tips!
Like designing, kitchen planning can cause quite a headache. However, these ten tips will help guide you with your renovation project.
1. Use top-quality materials.
When it comes to the kitchen in your home, having the best hinges for cabinets and the best slides for drawers means that navigating your kitchen will be noise and hassle-free for a long time. Solid wood veneer is also a better option than other materials (such as laminate or particle board) for the interiors of your storage areas due to its better durability.
2. Decide on optimal cabinet heights.
Having cabinets that go up to the ceiling is optimal on eight-foot to 9-foot ceilings as they offer more storage and let you use the extra wall space for open shelves or artwork. Should your ceilings be higher than nine feet, leave 15 to 18 inches above the cabinets to reach the top shelf!
3. Make your choice to have painted or stained wood.
Stained wood is easy on the eyes but tends to fade quicker than other options and is harder to alter. Painted cabinets will offer the unique personality of your choice, and they are the modern choice for most homeowners.
4. Choose an elegant countertop.
The countertop is one of the most eye-catching features of a newly renovated kitchen. Quartz, granite and stained wood give off a great Modern feel, and they are the choice of most homeowners.
5. Install an island that works.
No one wants a detached bulky cube in the middle of nowhere. Islands shouldn’t be weighed down by plenty of appliances, though. Some popular options are a sink, dishwasher or a clean-looking cooktop. A clean, uncluttered island is the preferred look for most kitchen applications. It provides working additional space and usually doubles as a seating area!
6. Don’t overdo the details.
Beware of decorative excess such as plaster mouldings on cabinets and pediments over stoves. Your kitchen should mesh well with the style of the rest of the rooms in your home. Sometimes, usually, and most often, less is more!
7. Avoid maintenance nightmares.
Stainless steel looks great until it inevitably scratches and smudges in the day-to-day use of a kitchen. Stick with natural surfaces with inherent texture as they can camouflage the odd nick here and there. Smooth surfaces with light colours show everything. So keep that in mind.
8. Keep to the basics with appliances.
Choosing the basic and reliable appliances to occupy your kitchen will serve you better than having many gadgets tucked here and there. Basic quality appliances will give you a cleaner look, take up less space, and offer fewer points of failure and costly repairs.
9. Incorporate a suitable dining room space.
Clever lighting and furniture will let you easily change the room’s atmosphere to your liking. Make sure to use space efficiently, which is achievable by incorporating clever furniture to suit the space.
10. Add interest and customize!
Your kitchen should be an extension of the rest of your home and you and not just a boring clean showroom. Take inventory of the furniture you want and use it in your design ideas. If done correctly, adding appropriate “flair” enhances the “feel” of the space.
Open-Concept Kitchen – Impeccable Detail
A real challenge was faced with this open-concept kitchen project. However, the impeccable detail on the end product was equally rewarding for our clients and us! Let’s take you through the process.
Original kitchen
For starters, the original kitchen was an early 1990s off-the-shelf oak cabinet system with terrible finishing. We were confronted with a bizarre non-functional layout. Subsequently, the power supply in the area was inadequate, and the plumbing was a mess. Last but not least the lighting was also very poor.
The open-concept kitchen project
The open-concept kitchen project started in the later part of 2019 in White Rock. After extensive investigation and planning, we commenced to completely dismantle the interior section of the home containing the kitchen and sitting area.
Upgrades
New supply lines for the power were brought into the area to provide the upgrades required. After the electrical rough-in was done, a new face-framed kitchen was installed. As with all our projects, solid wood doors and boxes were used.
Durability
A polyurethane finish was installed for durability on all of the cabinetry. Custom tiling on all flooring with heated flooring was used. The custom tile was wrapped up and over the sink build-out, so no drywall was present.
The finishing touch of the open-concept kitchen
A huge island was installed to create a great cooking & prep area, and the high-end appliances were the finishing touch. Ultimately, this open-concept kitchen wows every time one looks at it. Attention to impeccable detail was crucial and made all the difference. Bonus: the homeowners are some of the nicest people we have ever met!
Media system
Almost forgot! An ultra-modern media system was also installed in the adjacent family area with embedded speakers in the kitchen. Ready to entertain.
We hope this has helped you and inspired your kitchen design ideas if you looking for impeccable detail for your next project. We are happy to help!
