When redoing your kitchen, you have a long list of things to consider for each step of the renovation process! Knowing what to prioritize may be difficult. Here are a few extra important items to think about as you plan for and begin your kitchen update.
Making Plenty of Room
Space is of the essence for any kitchen! Area to prepare, cook, store and enjoy food is this room’s purpose—therefore, offering plenty of counter and cabinet space should be the initial goal of your design. Architectural Digest recommends you have plenty of space for moving around in your kitchen area, as this is a highly trafficked space and feeling constrained or overwhelmed is quite counterproductive after a remodel. Create a sufficient amount of space for all the activity that will take place in this hub!
The Placement of Appliances
Once you have a sufficient amount of space to work with, make sure you are using that space efficiently. Each area of your kitchen, including the appliances, provide a certain function for the overall purpose of your kitchen. If you cram multiple appliances into one area, or spread out functions that are connected to each other, you may find yourself frustrated and running in inconvenient patterns all around your kitchen.
Pierce Design + Build recommends your fridge, stove and sink form a triangle in your kitchen. Each of these appliances represents a ”zone” or function of your kitchen that should be separate from each other, but close enough to easily access. As you are preparing food, this setup also allows for an easy transition from food access to washing to cooking, back to storage and then clean up again!
Materials for Floors, Counters, Etc.
The materials you use are extremely important to your kitchen’s longevity. Research the benefits of various materials and determine what works best for you based on your frequency of use, your budget, and your investment into your home’s future. For example, stone countertops are a more expensive installment to your kitchen, but C & D Granite points out they are more durable than most other materials which means they will last significantly longer and require little clean up or upkeep to maintain. Your floors are, again, highly trafficked and are the setting of plenty of bumps, scrapes and spills, so choose a material that will withstand such injury well! The materials of your cabinets, appliances and more should all be evaluated for health and longevity of use.
As you plan for renovations, make these aspects of your kitchen a priority. Focusing on these items will help your kitchen work better, flow better, look better and last longer! You’ll have created a space that you will love to be in, however long you need to be.
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