Tips for Planning your Kitchen Remodel
Here are 5 ideas to consider before you start your kitchen remodel.
In the modern era in which the boundaries between leisure and work have blurred, the kitchen functions as a space for entertaining, eating, reading, working and more. A moment before you begin planning your next kitchen, here are some ideas to help decide what is important to know and what you shouldn’t miss out on when you start to remodel your kitchen.
1.The kitchen is a machine that needs to work. Even though we want it to be beautiful, it needs to be practical; therefore it's recommend to not give in to different fantasies or dreams that photograph well or look good, but are uncomfortable to work in. It is important that the workspace be located between the sink and the stove, and not spread apart, and that you make sure there is a lot of storage space.
2. Whether you prefer an island or a dining table at the center of the kitchen, it is important to ensure that there is ample seating space, enough to seat at least 8 people. This leaves enough space for entertaining and ensures a pleasant atmosphere in the kitchen.
If you don’t want to turn the kitchen into an integral part of the living room and prefer to play it down, it is important to ensure that the kitchen has a viewing point to the other parts of the home- the living room, garden, pool or TV corner- so that the person in the kitchen won’t feel isolated and can continue to entertain or be in eye-contact with other house residents
and guests.
3. Preparing a meal is a ceremony in itself, making the kitchen transform into an active entertainment area. Therefore, when planning work surfaces it is important to take into account that these days there are many more appliances that need to be accessible, and therefore require careful planning of space.
For example- a coffee machine, a bread baking machine, a wine refrigerator or an extra freezer. Some people want the garbage bin underneath the sink, while others prefer a larger garbage bin that is a separate unit; each person with his or her own preferences.
4.When choosing work surfaces it is important to select high quality surfaces that you can work on properly; i.e., that will be practical, easy to clean, and that won’t absorb liquids or stains. The surface also needs to be easily manipulated: today there is a tendency to choose very thin surfaces, but your selection should depend on the character you want to give the kitchen- it can go all the way down to the floor and cover the entire island, or go all the way up onto the walls.
The colour of the surfaces needs to match the character of the entire home, so before you choose the surface’s colour it is important to understand the colour pallet and materials used in throughout the home.
5.It is important to ensure that there is direct lighting above the work surface, without blinding light beams or shadows. However, over the dining table, it is highly recommended to create intimate lighting that defines the area and creates a pleasant space.
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