HOW TO CREATE AN AMAZING KITCHEN DESIGN THAT WORKS FOR YOU

by Randi Destefano

Have you ever hosted a party at your home and everyone wants to hang out in the kitchen?  There’s laughing and talking and everyone is having a wonderful time!  Even with an open floor plan, and lots of subtle hints to move to the great room, they all want to stay in the kitchen.  The downside to this, if you’re the hostess, is that guests are in your way as you try to get the food ready.   It’s hard to move around them to grab to what you need, and you end up getting a little stressed.  At that point, you might start wishing that your kitchen had a better layout.   So how can you create an amazing kitchen design that works for YOU and your family?

One of the first things we do in a kitchen consultation is talk about what you want and what you need in your new space.  And almost always my clients’  first response is “I want our kitchen to be more functional with lots of counter space and storage.”  Sound familiar?  Everyone has their own idea of how they want to work in their space.  You want a functional kitchen design that’s been customized just for you and way you want to work and entertain.

To make this happen, always start with a plan.  Would you ever go on a trip without knowing how to get to your destination ?  I know I always check it out on WAZE.  The same thing applies to designing a kitchen that works for YOU.   When you have a vision for the end result, all the steps along the way fall into place.

Begin with making a list of everything you need in your kitchen.  This would include things like all the appliances you need (ex. refrigerator, cooktop, oven, dishwasher, etc.).  Then move on to lighting, flooring, and countertops.

Next is your dream list of wants.  On this specific list add things like a 48” refrigerator, a double oven, roll out trays in every cabinet, drawers instead of cabinets.  Don’t forget all the bells and whistles that go into a cabinet, the accessories.  Specialty cabinets like trash drawers, tray dividers, spice pullouts are always convenient things to have in a functional kitchen.

What are the specific reasons why you want each item.  For example, you want drawers because you don’t want the extra step of opening cabinet doors.  Or you prefer cabinets because you can’t stack things and find them in drawers.  Remember that this is YOUR kitchen, and it needs to be designed for the way you want to work in your space.

A place in the pantry to store serving platters in plain view.

My friend,Jane, designed this utensil drawer for her island

Jane’s island tray divider drawer

The last thing to consider during this planning phase is what items need to be next to or near each other.  The obvious is the sink next to the dishwasher.  But what other products do you need to be grouped together?  Do you like having your trays and cookie sheets next to the oven or closer to your work area?  This exercise might take a little longer.  But once you have it, your space planning will be much easier.

Dish drawers directly across from the dishwasher for easy unloading.

Spice pullouts next to the range.

Keep in mind that having each and every one of your “wants” isn’t always going to work, even if they do fit into your budget.   So be willing to compromise on the amount of products and even the locations of certain things.   In the end, the goal is to help you create an amazing kitchen design that’s not only beautiful, but it’s functional.