Everyone has a vague idea of what their perfect kitchen would look like. But outside of the obvious appliances and cabinetry styles, it’s not that romantic to think about the most fundamental trimmings. I’s easy to focus on big features like countertops, cabinets, and appliances, but sometimes, it’s the little trimmings or design ideals that actually make the space stand out.
For instance, having a breakfast bar present is going to define a great deal about how you arrange the other elements of the space – such as what appliances are easy to reach for, which service you prepare tea or coffee on, and a whole host more. A larger implement like an Aga demands you think about how you keep food warm before it’s eaten. While these are rather large features, they have a knock-on effect on the full design of the kitchen and even how you trim the smaller areas.
Let’s consider the less-considered aspects of excellent kitchen design.
Kitchen Flooring
Kitchen flooring is essential to get right. It needs to be easy to clean, hard to damage with hot water or other unfortunate spilt goods, but also not slippy enough to cause you to fall. Tile or laminate flooring can work well but it needs to be textured appropriately to avoid slipping. Of course, it needs to match with your overall aesthetic too.
Present Vs. Hidden Storage
The balance between open shelving and closed cabinets makes a huge difference to how a kitchen feels and how comfortable it is to use. Open shelving looks lovely filled with matching jars and favorite mugs, but this doesn’t mean it has to be untidy. Hidden storage behind cabinet doors helps conceal the less photogenic items every kitchen needs. A mix of both often works beautifully – displaying the pretty things while tucking away the practical bits and pieces. Also storage can work as presentation, such as your preservation jars laid out in a simple row.
Connection To Your Utility Room
A kitchen isn’t an island, it’s also connected to how you easily manage the general household administration. Thinking about how you’ll carry laundry through or access cleaning supplies matters more than you might expect. The doorway placement between these spaces can make or break the comfort of going between daily tasks, so connecting it smoothly with the kitchen becomes a natural extension of the workspace rather than a separate room entirely should you position them near one another.
Navigability & Hosting
How you get around the kitchen can mean more than anything else. The space between island and counters, the width of walkways, and the placement of bins all affect how easily people can move around, soaving enough room to open the dishwasher while someone walks past might not seem exciting, but it makes daily life so much smoother. It’ll determine where you place the table, how you arrange the chairs, and also where you might renovate. It also means you might make the kitchen more of a conversational space as well as a utility space if you get this right, even finding room for seating areas outside of your main dining space.
With this advice, we hope you can more easily consider the less-expected aspects of kitchen design.
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Whether she is researching the latest trends in home decor, life-changing destination getaways, or the best way to maintain your finances, Dewey takes pride in leaving no stone unturned. She is passionate about distilling and delivering high-quality information that you can use to upgrade your life.
