Kitchen Styles - What is your style?
Everyone in the household uses the kitchen, as well as friends and visitors, so make sure you open your mind to a new way of thinking when planning your new kitchen. When in doubt – ask a professional! Di Henshall Interior Design has designed literally hundreds of kitchens, all very different from each other and I have personally designed thousands, winning many awards.
Just because your kitchen is a particular shape, doesn’t mean you have to stick to that shape when you re-design the space. The kitchen is one area in particular that can be reinvented to be more suitable for modern living. Clever design will enhance the way you work in it, live in it and enjoy it.
There are some key ingredients to a good kitchen: -
Adequate, accessible storage – the most important factor in any design solution. Do you have enough storage and is it the right sort of storage? Cupboards are basically useless and space wasters. You can retrofit drawers in many instances and concealed drawers can be installed behind doors. Look at compartmentalised storage for bottles, cans, plates, etc. These small tips can vastly increase your storage capacity.
Easy access into and out of the kitchen for more than one person – an island bench, space permitting, adds to the natural flow and rhythm of family life.
Generous bench space with good lighting – lighting needs to be over benchtops not in the centre of the room where there is no need for general lighting.
Refrigeration – don’t underestimate how much refrigeration we need in the Australian climate. How many of you have a fridge in the garage – not exactly the right place to have a fridge! If you are redesigning your kitchen, consider having a second underbench fridge.
Dry storage – don’t get sucked into having a huge pantry that you then fill with everything else other than dry goods! How many of you have pantries that are filled with baskets, crockery, glasses, large pots, flower vases, shopping lists, files, etc. These are not pantry items and should have their own appropriate storage. Just a note on dry storage – don’t also get fooled into thinking that you need large storage facilities for things such as flour, rice and other cereals. Unless you are a prolific baker or chef, these things are better stored in the freezer where weevils and other nasties can’t get at them and they also won’t go off.
People often ask me to design them a kitchen that is “timeless”. If you truly want a timeless kitchen then steer away from current trends. Stick to basic colours, neutrals and whites, introduce colour and texture in items that are easily changed when trends move, such as backsplash, breakfast bar panels, stools and accessories.
