As a Realtor I get to see a lot of kitchens. Some good, some bad and some in between. Kitchens can be a huge selling point for a buyer. If done right they can make an otherwise marginal property sell much quicker. Since so much time is spent in the kitchen it is advisable to really spend some time on this spaces design. This article is intended to give you some tips to help design a kitchen whether you are doing a new build or a remodel.

            Don’t over focus on the “Kitchen Triangle”. This concept designed in the 1950’s incorporates the idea that the sink, refrigerator & range should all be related in a triangular pattern to each other.  This design concept was actually created by cabinet manufactures and not kitchen specialist. It is more feasible and common to see kitchens set up in stations these days. Say for instance a cooking station, storage station and clean up station. So your pantry area would be close to the refrigerator and the dishwasher in close proximity to the sink etc. 

            Another thing to consider and is extremely important in smaller spaces, is how many people will be in the kitchen at once. Even if in your current family you are the only one who cooks, future situations may not be the same. Designing a kitchen so it is only comfortable for one person to work easily is never a good thing. Try to make it feasible for at least two people to comfortably interact in the space at once.

.           Don’t forget about storage and lighting. The most overlook factor in a kitchen is good lighting. Many times kitchens lack multiple windows for natural light because cabinet placement restricts this. Cabinets can cast lots of shadows when overhead lighting is the only source. Consider putting under the cabinet lighting in, or multiple overhead lights. Recessed can lighting that can be adjusted for angle are often an effective method if under the cabinet lights are not feasible. Don’t forget about storage! You can never have too much kitchen storage space. Cabinets and large pantry cabinets with multiple shelves can help resolve this issue. Also consider upper cabinets over the range/ microwave or refrigerator. These types of cabinets allow a stash-able place for those less used items that may take up considerable space. Another great space saving feature is a  Lazy Susan inside corner cabinets. These turn tables make otherwise wasted corner space much more desirable. The last option for overflow storage space that is often forgotten is on top of the cabinets. If you install cabinets with a larger crown modeling there can be valuable space made to hide some of the possible eye soars. This is often left off because of cost.  If after your kitchen remodel you still seem to be lacking space make sure to take inventory of your kitchen. Do you really need or use that George Forman grill, and need two blenders, plus a juicer?

            Don’t over or under design. Make sure that you look at the big picture for your home or remodel. Does it make sense to do a $100,000 kitchen remodel when you have a 1bedroom 1bath home? Does it make sense to just change out the appliances and not improve the layout or cabinets if you just did a 1000square foot dining room addition with the intention of entertaining all the time? Make sure you consider the overall use of the home. Keep the style similar to the other parts of the home so as to not interrupt the overall flow of the house. Last but not least set a budget and then plan for some over spending. There always seems to be those little extras in a kitchen project that will send you over the top!