Designing Your Kitchen Interior
There are always a lot of activities in the kitchen—from cooking of mom’s specialty dishes, to washing the precious plates, to even dining near the kitchen island when everyone just can’t want to eat. And it is only right to make sure that it is always clean, tidy, and if possible, always stylish.
Ciamara, who opted to renovate for a modern kitchen cabinet design, has this to share, “I’ve always wanted those translucent kitchen cabinets where I can just store my cook wares and other kitchen utensils. I like the sliding ones so I bought about 8 of them and had them installed right away. Kitchen cabinets keep kitchen items away from sight—so the kitchen won’t have to look too crowded and cluttered with all the things we usually use when the kitchen is busy. I like to keep the kitchen look peaceful as well so it helps that everything is in proper storage.”
“Cabinets form the backbone of the kitchen. Configure the cabinetry to make the most use of your kitchen’s size and floor plan. Consider different layouts and looks. Base cabinets get the most attention, whereas hanging wall cabinets are sacrificed for aesthetic features—windows, dramatic backsplashes—to create atmosphere and a living room appeal in the kitchen. That said, base cabinets are moving away from doors and toward drawers. Drawers make storage more accessible for more people,” wrote Kristen Hampshire in the article titled Choosing Kitchen Cabinets for hgtv.com. In the same article, Dennis Poteat of Blum Inc. was quoted saying, “Ergonomically, it brings contents to you rather than you having to bend over and dig through layers to get what you need.”
For Rose who has a relatively small kitchen, keeping everything in proportion and in proper size is essential to make sure there’s a room for everything. Just last month, she opted to go for a small kitchen cabinet design as she started renovation of her 8-year-old kitchen, “This kitchen was not properly constructed because I didn’t have enough budget to build good stalls, a bar area, or even some decent cabinets for my kitchen wares. So now that I’ve got the budget, I made sure there will be proper places for my kitchen tools. Since I only have a small area, I had to paint the whole kitchen with mostly white to make it appear wider. I chose cabinets with several divisions just like one of those you see on typical Manhattan apartment.” Rose got the idea for kitchen cabinet design for small kitchen on a home magazine she has subscribed to, “I get a lot of kitchen design ideas from other homes they feature in that magazine. I saw this one small kitchen that was filled with artworks and I wish I can do the same with mine.”
In the article 20 Tips for a Better Kitchen of bhg.com, several pragmatic tips on kitchen design were revealed, “Design wide walkways. Paths throughout a kitchen should be at least 36 inches wide. Paths within the cooking zone should be 42 inches wide for a one-cook kitchen and 48 inches wide for a two-cook configuration. When planning, adjust kitchen islands and peninsulas accordingly. Stay clear of corners. To make cabinet and appliance doors fully functional, plan space for the door's clearance and swing direction in your kitchen design. Keep appliances away from corners, and make sure doors won't bang into each other if open at the same time…Find 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.”
Going for a minimalist yet playful look for your kitchen is also possible, “All you need is a good lighting, a wide kitchen island with a sink, a 4-seater table, a narrow cabinet, and you are good to go. I like putting some live plants just to make the space more people-friendly and more inviting. Try not to put too many colors and patterns if you are going for a minimalist look. Find uniformity with your pieces and stick to one color palette for your wall paint,” shared Luna, a young interior designer in Singapore.