Kitchen Design
The basic elements in kitchen design are cabinetry, countertops, appliances, lighting and flooring. Budgets are typically planned into a housing contract and include allowances for the kitchen. Because people tend to see the kitchen as a whole, they don’t always understand the planning involved within each of the aforementioned areas, and it can often be a costly mistake.
“Budget is always a concern and is an important factor for any kitchen designer to know up front,” Debra Howard of Design Elements, LLC, said. “Clients always want to know how much a kitchen will cost, but it’s actually the reverse. How much do you want to spend, or what is your builder’s allowance for cabinetry, countertops, etc.,” she said.
The most important decision is deciding what type of kitchen you want before beginning the process. How will your family use it? A gourmet chef will require more from the kitchen than a bachelor who rarely cooks. The same is true with a retired couple or a family of six. Because kitchens are no longer just a place to prepare and eat meals, thoughtful planning is absolutely necessary. Surprises are kept to a minimum and the homeowner knows what they are paying for ahead of time.
“Determining how you’ll use the kitchen is important. If you have several cooks, you may want an island with a cooktop, or a prep sink to create a workstation. Are you left or right handed? Do you have small children who will need a workspace?” Debra asked.
The biggest expense in the kitchen is cabinetry. In fact, cabinetry typically consumes 50% of the overall budget, and it establishes the look of your entire kitchen. Cabinets come in a variety of wood species including Oak, Maple, Cherry, Pine, Hickory, Poplar, Alder and Birch. Hickory and Oak are the hardest and heaviest, while Cherry, Birch and Maple are also hardwoods well-suited to cabinetry. Alder and Poplar are less expensive and take well to glazed finishes. Pine is preferred for an “Old-World” look but is a soft wood that can easily dent and scratch.
“Natural woods are really back in vogue in all species. I see everything from cherry to hickory. Eclectic mixes are working well; traditional cherry cabinetry with concrete countertops, why not?” Howard said. Debra advises to stray from the overdone all-white cabinetry. “White cabinetry everywhere is an old idea. Although white is classic and is always ‘doable,’ this is not necessarily the least expensive choice and other options often work better,” she said.
Cabinetry is available in ready-to-assemble, custom, semi-custom and stock versions, allowing you to choose the option best suited to your budget. While custom cabinetry is the most expensive, it offers the greatest amount of flexibility. Stock cabinetry is lower in cost but includes limited style selections.
“Stock and custom cabinets both serve very important places in the kitchen industry. Stock cabinetry is readily available at extremely competitive pricing and fulfills most budgets. It’s great for ‘Do-It-Yourselfers’,” Howard said. “Custom speaks for itself and is a reflection of the homeowner’s design view. You cannot get that look out of stock cabinetry,” she added. Debra also suggests that with its flexibility of design, short lead times and quality at a competitive price point, semi-custom cabinetry is often a happy medium.
After cabinetry, countertops are the area that most define the overall look of the kitchen. The selection process is equally as involved as choosing cabinetry, and includes a myriad of styles and materials. High-end materials like granite and stainless steel are popular but pricey, while laminates and tile provide wiggle room in your budget for other upgrades. Marble, wood butcher-block and solid surfaces fit in between. Cool surfaces like marble, stainless-steel and granite are ideal for handling dough, although very difficult to repair if scratched. Solid surfaces, butcher-block and tile are easy to clean and easy to repair.
Backsplashes are the unifying piece between cabinets and countertops, and the design choices are virtually never-ending. “Make sure not to use trendy colors with backsplashes. They need to remain fashionable and functional for an extended amount of time,” Debra advised. “Save the trendier look for paint, wallpaper, hardware or accessories. These can be changed without too much expense and labor, thus updating the kitchen without completely starting over,” she said.
Appliances are another thing you don’t want to replace repeatedly. While cabinetry and countertops establish the kitchen’s background, appliances can either blend in or shine on their own. The functionality and ease of use of your appliances controls your day to day satisfaction and must be carefully planned out before installing.
Determining your family’s cooking style will come in handy when trying to choose appliances. If your family is the five-minute meal type then you will probably not need two ovens. Appliances with all the bells and whistles may be the right choice for a serious chef, but not for fast-food fans.
“Remember to consider specialty appliances even if it is a small appliance (mixers, etc). This is especially important for those who do a great deal of cooking. Housing and ease of access for these components can be the difference between a pleasurable cooking experience and a nightmare,” Howard said.
Stainless steel appliances are quickly catapulting into “must-have” status and are a favorite choice for consumers due to their upscale appeal. Another popular choice is having cabinet fronts installed on the dishwasher and refrigerator to create an integrated appearance.
Proper lighting in the kitchen is crucial. There are three types of lighting to use in the kitchen: task, accent and ambient. Avoid placing too much emphasis on style without regard to function of fixtures. Task lighting brightens a specific area where “tasks” are performed, such as the sink or over an island. Decorative pieces, such as pendant lights, work well for task lighting.
Accent lighting is best used to highlight a feature such as a China display, and ambient lighting illuminates the entire room as the general light source in the kitchen. Track lighting is a contemporary yet functional way to achieve ambient lighting; the giant overhead fluorescent light is a thing of the past. To maximize impact, try combining incandescent and fluoroscent light.
Once the lights are in place, cabinets installed and countertops chosen, flooring takes center stage. Whether you prefer hardwood or tile, flooring is the last critical design element in the kitchen. Flooring material choices are broad and just as with every other element of the kitchen design, deciding how your family uses the floor will determine what type will work best for you.
For families with small children, vinyl is probably not the best idea as it requires frequent mopping and it is difficult to clean heel marks. Laminates and tiles are best for heavy traffic. Both are easy to clean, practical and not quite as expensive as solid wood. Although more costly, hardwood offers beauty and warmth and is unaffected by heavy traffic. Solid woods also allow your cabinetry and countertop colors to shine brightest.
While your kitchen’s color scheme is an important factor in flooring choice, so is your region. Ceramic tile is often chosen for homes in the West and South, while wood floors are popular in the East and Mid-West. Vinyl floors are a favorite all over the country, and laminates are gaining popularity as well. For smaller spaces, a high-gloss finish adds a feeling of spaciousness, and a dramatic floor pattern or bold colors spruce up larger kitchens. Light or neutral tones emphasize the impression of light and space, while darker shades provide warmth and intimacy.
The overall question on most homeowner’s minds is, “How much is this all going to cost?” When it comes to estimating costs, Debra frequently sees her clients making the same mistake: not carefully examining the proposed budget.
“Clients look at the bottom line or total cost of the house, without examining individual allowances that may not adequately cover the cost of desired goods,” she said. “They often have unrealistic expectations concerning budgets and their contract’s allowance might not be in line with their
expectations.” She cites one example of a client wanting custom cabinetry with high-end granite countertops, yet the allowance written into the construction contract may be based on stock cabinetry and base-grade granite.
“Always consider the costs of products that will fit your ‘needs’ and/or ‘wants’ prior to the beginning of the project,” Howard said. If the budget does not allow for all of the homeowners’ ‘wants’ then they can prioritize. Pulling money from one allowance that is less of a priority can fund an allowance for an area of more importance.”
Although choosing products for the kitchen can be overwhelming, keeping these tips in mind will not only ease the process, but also help you achieve the kitchen of your dreams while staying within your desired budget.
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