Kitchen Design’s Influence on Our Memories

In most homes, the kitchen is the heart and hearth of the household. It is where meals are lovingly prepared and memories, both sweet and savory and usually the first we attain, are developed. Wouldn’t it make sense for the kitchen design to be as useful and conducive for our needs?

Of course we want the kitchen design to lend itself to those happy memories in our children and grandchildren. Whether you are trying to compete with your peers by creating the most modern kitchen possible or if you are interested only in the warmth and function a rustic country kitchen with fresh biscuits in the oven can provide, it is a powerful impression and one not easily forgotten.

Though the look of the kitchen is indeed very important, it is not as important as the functionality it imparts to the user. After all, the kitchen is a work room, so it should be designed with the need to work in mind. Think of your kitchen as a factory. If the work does not flow smoothly from beginning to end, progress is going to be impeded and those sweet memories will be tainted by the anger and frustration of not being able to accomplish your goals.

When people look back at their early kitchen memories, it is almost never the wallpaper or the color of the tiles they remember. It is the smells and sounds and tastes of the kitchen, the feel of working bread dough in their hands or dropping cookie dough onto a pan that they remember.

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Achieving a Modern Kitchen Design

Kitchens that have a modern or contemporary feel are becoming a popular design option for homeowners. The kitchen is often the central meeting area within your house. It’s where you spend time cooking, socializing, entertaining and eating. You will invest more time and money in your kitchen than any other room in your home. This is why you should really consider the longevity of the design style you choose in your kitchen. Modern or contemporary kitchens create a clean, simple style that is truly timeless.

When determining the layout for your modern kitchen design aim for functional appliance placement. You want the placement of your appliances to encourage a natural movement from one appliance to the next. Obviously you want to place your sink near the dishwasher and allow ample counter space around your stove. Think about the tasks you’ll be doing most in your kitchen and plan your space accordingly.

Independent islands are a popular option in many contemporary kitchens since they allow additional seating and eating areas for guests. Islands encourage visitors to spend time with the cook while not crowding their cooking space. Some will add a sink or cook top to an island to increase the functionality. Having an island will also give you additional surface area to prepare your meals. You can never have too much counter top space in a kitchen.

Cabinets are a very visible part of any kitchen. When you are looking for a contemporary style cabinet you are probably going to consider a smooth, sleek design. Wood laminate, which is available in hundreds of colors, is a great accent for a modern style cabinet. The hardware is often going to be stainless and always will be simple and straightforward.

Everyone knows a great lighting design can change the way you see a room. When choosing lighting for a contemporary kitchen there are many choices available. Some of the more popular ones are recessed, under counter or decorative fixtures. The functionality of the lighting is just as important and the design. Proper light at the sink and counter areas are a must. If you are considering decorative fixtures for your kitchen, you must stay away from ornate designs and stick with bold, solid colors to promote the modern feel.

Accenting and accessorizing your modern kitchen is really about using less to say more. Simple accents with bold colors are a great choice. Accessories that use basic geometric shapes will work well. Keep the counters clear of small appliances and knick knacks to continue the flawless look throughout the kitchen. Window treatments need to stay minimal and simple by using only blinds or a solid straight curtain. Stay away from floral or other busy patterns in your window treatments.

If you are certain you want a modern or contemporary kitchen but are not comfortable piecing it all together, contact an experienced designer to help you. Together you can determine what will work with your day to day life and still be in style for years to come. Your are going to be spending a lot of time in your kitchen and you should enjoy every minute.

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Giving Your Kitchen a Face Lift With New Kitchen Cabinets

When you do a lot of cooking in your kitchen, over time your kitchen can start to look old and worn out. It is a perfectly natural occurrence of wear and tear. However, cooking in an environment that looks old, depressing and dirty can also affect your mood, and in turn affect how you feel when you cook.

A very great way of giving your kitchen a face lift is simply by redoing your kitchen cabinets!

There are several ways you can do this. You can tear down your old kitchen cabinets and install new ones. You can get kitchen cabinets with the latest designs, colors and styles to freshen up the look and feel of your kitchen from contemporary, to country, to even having antique style kitchen cabinets!

If you have the budget for this, installing new kitchen cabinets can be the way to go. On the other hand, if you need to keep costs within a limited budget, what can you do?

Refacing your cabinets is the other way to go. You do not have to tear down your old cupboards, especially if they have sentimental value for you. Instead, you can just give your kitchen cabinets a new look by updating the look and style of your old kitchen cabinets!

Look through the latest kitchen design magazines, or visit showrooms around your area for new ideas. Take this as a weekend project where you give your kitchen a makeover. You can even save money by looking for discounts or places where you can get what you are looking for at a cheaper price.

You could change the facade of your kitchen doors, replace your old kitchen cabinet knobs with the latest designs in handles or pulls or even have different textures to your kitchen cabinets.

Make sure you first create a budget of how much you are willing to spend on doing a kitchen makeover. Then create a spreadsheet with the items you are looking at, the cost of purchasing them, and where you can get these items from. With this costing spreadsheet and overall plan, you will be able to track your expenses as well as remember what you wanted to do in the first place.

Remodeling your kitchen can be fun, and very fulfilling once everything is completed. And it doesn’t take as much talent as you think. If you do not want to go at it alone, you can invite your partner to help you create a new kitchen that both of you can enjoy great and fun times together.

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