No one ever said renovation was a cake walk, especially when we're talking about the most used room in the entire house – the kitchen. It requires a lot of hard work, a lot of planning, and most of all, patience. There are designing rules that you may not be aware of, so you might just be overwhelmed by the sheer idea of it all. But with the right attitude, the right materials, and the right guide, planning and renovating any project will become straightforward and fun. And the end result will leave you satisfied, proud, and the envy of the neighbours.
So, that being said, this Ideabook will serve as the perfect guide for you to plan your kitchen. And best of all, you can do it in only six easy steps!
Of course, when you plan any big home renovation project, you're going to need to set up a budget. This can be easier or more difficult depending on the extent of your renovation, as well as the space you have. Naturally it costs less to redo a smaller space, but having a bigger kitchen doesn't necessarily mean you have to empty out your life's savings for this project. There's a great way to prioritize what will be brand new, and what's easier to simply refurbish or repair.
Countertops tend to be one of the most expensive new items for the kitchen, especially if you have a rather large one that wraps around the room, or a kitchen island with a matching top, but the addition of new shelves, new floors (depending on the material), and new appliances such as the refrigerator are surprisingly cheap when you factor everything in together. So, our suggestion, budget with the cheapest furnishings first, unless the expensive parts are really outdated or you just don't want them anymore. Then, what's left over can be dedicated to the more expensive. At any rate, the addition of more storage space in the kitchen will benefit you more than a brand new countertop.
The next thing we want to think about is choosing a functional layout for your personal cooking and entertaining needs. No matter how much you spend on planning your kitchen, if the layout isn't right, it's just a waste of money. There are three main kitchen layouts – there's the U design, and then the L and C designs. The image we have here is a prime example of the U shape design. This design was given its name based on the counter design. As we can see, the counter space reaches all the way around the kitchen, creating a U shape. The U shape layout gives you a triangle of functionality,
so to say, in the area where the sink and stove top meet. This is highly efficient because you can cook, cut, shop, grate, and clean, all without moving more than just a few steps.
In addition to the U shape layout, the L and C designs are also incredibly handy, and they were given their names based on their counter designs, as well.
When we talk about choosing colours, we don't just mean the walls. The colour scheme of your kitchen relates to all appliance, pieces of furniture, and flooring you have. Mixing and matching colours is strongly encouraged, but you also want to make sure your colour scheme matches with the rest of your home, as well as the style of your home itself. Take this kitchen, for example. The house was constructed with light brown brick, meaning the floors should coordinate in colour, so that the kitchen doesn't fall out of flow. The interior designer here chose to balance the wall colour with a paler, softer beige-tan tile. This colour palette is also neutral enough to get more adventurous with furniture colour without throwing things out of balance.
As the most used room in the house, the kitchen is going to be pretty packed with various items. You have the table and chair setup, the appliances, your cookware, and, of course, you have the food. So with all these things taking up space in your kitchen, you definitely need to think about the best way to maximize storage space.
If we look at this image for inspiration, we can see a remarkable cabinet storage space. The storage unit is right on the counter, allowing for easy access while cooking, and it houses all the necessary spices and cooking oils all in one convenient area. Not having small things like spices taking up counter space will really prove useful to you after the planning and execution of your new kitchen is complete.
Keeping on the topic of storage, we want to address cabinets and countertops in kitchen planning. Built-in and cabinets and floating shelves are fantastic options, as built-in cabinets are above the work zone and can stretch the entire length of your kitchen, if you want them to. Floating shelves are also great because they offer all the perks of a cabinet while eliminating those pesky doors. With floating shelves, you can see and grab whatever you need with minimal effort.
Another aspect to consider when planning is if you have (or you want to incorporate) a small fireplace or wood stove. Nothing is cozier in the wintertime than gathering with the family in the kitchen for some hot chocolate while the wood stove heats the room. When adding a fireplace or wood stove, be sure you buy top of the line. You don't want to risk any malfunctions when dealing with fire. That being said, you also have to make sure that it's away from the common footpath and away from flammable elements.
When designing your kitchen, just like any other room in the house, accessories are a must. Now when we talk about accessorizing the kitchen, we want to make sure that we don't overdo it. Too many accessories will compromise the functionality of the kitchen, so making sure your counters, table, and floors are free from overcrowding accessories is really in your best interest.
Take this kitchen as a prime example. There are simply two matching vases on the counter top, along with a vase and a potted plant on the floating shelf, and only one center piece on the kitchen table. Nothing is on the floor, and there are only minimal accessories on the counter and table. That means nothing is obstructing you from cooking and serving.
