Kitchens On My Mind
Kitchens, kitchens, kitchens . . . oh my!
I am currently working on three kitchens for clients and another secret one that will be revealed in the late Spring/early Summer (fingers crossed). I know, inquiring minds want to know.
There are so many ways to create a functional and beautiful kitchen, it can be difficult to know where or how to begin.
Here are a few suggestions, especially, if you might be interested in keeping certain elements of your kitchen.
Here’s an outline of where to start and why?
Cabinets
Choosing the style, color and layout of your cabinets is probably the most important place to start. Once those decisions have been made you can move onto other items.
Appliances
Another decision that should be made fairly early on is choosing the appliances you want in your kitchen. For several reasons, but the most important is for the specs. Some are “standard” sizes, but if you’re working closely with a contractor, you’ll want he or she to review these specs
Sinks
Undermount, apron front, overmount – the choices feel endless. My personal favorite is undermount or an apron front (or farmhouse) sink depending on your taste and the age of the home and vibe you want to create. Size matters here for the purpose of placement and countertops. I’m a bigger fan of single depth sinks than I am of double sinks, but it’s a personal preference. I loved it when I had a big sink that I could put my dishes in and the counters looked clear and I could load the dishwasher later.
Countertop
This is a toss up. Some people are very particular about their countertops, while others want to nail down their backsplash first. It’s a matter of preference, but more often than not I find my clients wanting to choose their countertop materials first. There are a myriad of options and quartz are very popular now, but I also love a tried and true natural stone (I realize the upkeep may be more if you want a perfect looking countertop for the rest of your life), and even wood (butcher block or maple). It’s really up to you.
Backsplash
I’ve said this a thousand times but I’ll say it again. You can never go wrong with subway tiles. The selection of subway tiles is far more vast than it used to be even 10 years ago. They have texture, are made of glass, marble, ceramic, porcelain. There’s literally something for everyone when it comes to tile options. I typically recommend something that will stand the test of time, however, if you know you’re going to live in a place indefinitely, then do as you prefer obviously. If you’re not sure what to choose – consider subway tiles in one of its many forms. I’m also liking the picket fence, hexagon, basketweave and penny tile – they’ll also never go out of style.
Fixtures
Fixtures are like the jewelry of a kitchen. I’m talking about faucets, cabinet knobs or pulls, etc. Don’t be afraid of mixing your metals. You can safely bring two together easily and combinations I like run the gambit. Champagne bronze (a less polished gold or brass) looks great with an oil rubbed bronze or polished nickel. If you want to add another metal into the mix, it starts to get tricky, but can be well done.
Island or Peninsula, That is the Question!
If your kitchen is large enough I’d recommend you go with an island. There are pros and cons to everything here so much of this (as always) is about personal preference and functionality. More often than not though, an island gets more use than a peninsula allows.
This has been a very simplified version of the elements that go into planning a kitchen, but it’s a starting point. Other considerations have to do with placement (attempting to keep the proverbial three point area for stove, refrigerator and sink) and how you operate in your own kitchen. Do you do built in ovens (a consideration as we age), versus a stove/oven combo. Do you have a hood and place the microwave above – or find a place for the microwave in your island? Kitchens come with many choices to navigate.
My advice is to start early, collect your ideas on a Pinterest board or a simple folder. Before you know it – you’ll be living in the kitchen of your dreams!
As always, if you need some professional help with pulling it all together, send me an email at nancy@nancymichaelsinteriors.com.