The majority of your time at home is most likely spent in your kitchen, whether you’re entertaining guests, eating meals or preparing food. Designing your dream kitchen is a massive task so careful planning and consideration are crucial. Before you design anything, you must think about the functions of your particular space. You have to ask yourself questions about functionality like:

• How often do you bake?
• Do you plan on frequently entertaining guests?
• Do you often order in food, get take out or go out to eat?
• Are you going to use your kitchen table for more tasks than eating?
• How many groceries do you buy on a weekly or monthly basis?
• How much time and effort do you typically spend on food preparation?

It is important to be honest and detailed when answering these questions as it will affect the layout and design elements of your dream kitchen. If you like entertaining guests, an open kitchen layout that leads into your dining room or living room may be a smarter choice but if you love to cook and need more storage and counter space, it’s probably better to have a closed off kitchen. Consider these five kitchen functions in more detail while designing your dream kitchen.

1. Food preparation

How much you cook at home affects how much counter space you’ll need for chopping produce or mixing ingredients in big bowls. If you love to cook or bake, you’ll likely need more space and better lighting in your kitchen. Consider installing a professional range hood to keep the smoke and cooking odors out of your kitchen.

2. Washing

The size of your sink bowl may not seem important but think about its many functions. The sink is used for washing dishes, produce, draining pasta and more. You may also consider purchasing a dishwasher if you’re dealing with a high volume of dirty dishes. On top of sink bowl size, you need to think about taps such boiling water taps and built-in filtration taps for convenience.

3. Cooking

Cooking is the main function performed in the kitchen. Focus on what appliances you’ll need because you’ll have to plan the rest of the room around them. This includes whether you want gas or flattop stove, a built-in microwave, a toaster, a refrigerator with a top or bottom loading freezer and oven size. There are a lot of options when it comes to appliances. They can be built-in or hidden. It is best to get stainless steel appliances as they are more durable as well as water and rust-resistant. This durability increases the value of your kitchen and thus your home. Additionally, gas stoves cook food faster but cost more in the long-run whereas electric makes for a sleeker appearance and are easy to clean but tend to be more damage-prone.

4. Storage

Think about how many spices, baking ingredients, cutlery, dishware and groceries you plan on storing in your kitchen. You may want an island with drawers, a separate pantry or a move-able cart. With the right amount of organization or planning, kitchen storage can be a breeze.

5. Dining

Dining is everyone’s favourite kitchen function because who doesn’t like to eat? Consider all of the different dining options for a kitchen if you don’t already have a dining room. An island can double as storage unit and a dining table with the addition of some stools. If your kitchen has an unused corner it can make a comfy breakfast nook. Be creative!

Once you’ve considered these functionality elements, it’s on to the fun part. These are some of the customizable design elements to think about when designing your dream kitchen.

Lighting

Over-head lighting is important to have over your dining and food preparation areas so you can see what you’re eating and so that you don’t accidentally cut your fingers off. If you’re looking for a classic and luxurious look, get a chandelier. For a modern, practical look, look for pendant lighting.

Countertops

Kitchen counters come in a lot of different materials. Stone like soapstone, limestone marble, granite or cement and wood are the most popular and practical options. It depends on what style you’re looking for. Additionally, if you have children, be cautious of hard edges and corners so they don’t hurt themselves by running into them.

Backsplash

The backsplash is where you can really customize the space and show your personality. The backsplash is the focal point of any kitchen. You can choose from glass, tile, stainless steel, timber tiles and even mirrors. They come in wide array or styles, colours or patterns. Ceramic is the best option because it’s durable, low maintenance and low cost. If you’re on a budget, make sure to invest in good grout for long-lasting backsplash that’s easy to clean and looks high quality.

Cabinetry

Cabinets come in an assortment of finishes like vinyl, laminate and timber. This is where you should be allocating the majority of your design budget as it is the most crucial element for storage and organization. A great option for families is cabinets with “soft close” drawers and doors. This means they won’t slam shut and make a lot of noise. You can customize your cabinets even more with unique handles too!

Floor

Lastly, the floor is an important customizable design element in any dream kitchen. The floor has to withstand spills, high condensation and sometimes even burns. Popular kitchen floor materials are tiles, wood, laminate, concrete, resin and vinyl. For an added touch of comfort and luxury, consider investing in heated floors. Designing your dream kitchen can be a somewhat intimidating task but with the right amount of planning it doesn’t have to be. If you need extra assistance, contact our experts at Prestige Décor.