HOW TO CREATE A FUNCTIONAL AND BEAUTIFUL KITCHEN

Blunt heading I know.

At the end of the day, when it comes to the kitchen it very much needs to be both functional and beautiful.

It is the heart of the home, the busiest room and requires the most pressure of use, so it needs to work, but you also want to be proud of it as you wipe the final surface after cleaning and look back at your work, or when guests walk in the door..

I have boiled some key points down to 5.

LAYOUT FIRST

I know you want to run off to the bench shops and pick your favourite stone, the excitement is real. BUT the layout has to come first.

For example, you may be set on a dramatic vein bench top, but this isn't going to work the way you picture it, if the best option is a U shaped bench with joins. The vein is disrupted and instead of a long sweeping shape you get a cut and pasted river thats missing a few bends. The layout of the kitchen is tailored to the space it inhabits so layout has to come first.

STORAGE

Storage is a priority. Open shelving instead of overheads may look sleek and calming but the magazine showing this probably isn't showing the massive butlers pantry behind the wall, keeping that shelf empty of its eye sore contents.

HERE COMES THE SUN

Let it in as much as you can. Windows, sky lights or taking down a wall that is blocking a view. The kitchen is a high energy space in the day so it needs high energy sunlight.

ARCHITECTURE MATTERS

Consider the architecture of the house, essentially the kitchen becomes interior architecture and while there is nothing wrong with a clever juxtaposition of old and new, or a blend of styles, it needs to be part of the architectural story rather than fighting against it.

An example might be sleek modern new house with a country kitchen or vice versa. By all means blend the two but we want harmony in our spaces, not a fright.

EXPLORE LIGHTING

Most modern kitchens have down lights, they dispurse light well. But think about the evening when the space is cleaned up and its time for a vino. Low light gives a restaurant experience and also better prepares the home for sleep.

Low light could look like, an LED strip on a dimmer switch, an up and down wall sconce, edison bulbs or pendant. Get creative and imagine yourself not just cooking but enjoying the space at night when the working day is done.

I hope this got your senses tingling and your imagination cooking... or maybe now your just hungry.

Our homes are the spaces in the world that we get to mould to us, our desires, dreams and memories, they effect us in positive or negative ways and are wildly important if you ask me! So if you are designing a kitchen, make sure you hire a team that knows how important it is to you too and take the time to do it not just right, but elevated.

Have a fabulous day designing your life x