They say the Kitchen is the heart of the home, and for good reason! It has become a place to gather, relax and enjoy the company of others. Whether you love to cook/bake or prefer microwavable meal options, you will likely spend a lot of time in the Kitchen. I would definitely priorities the Kitchen when it comes to renovating, not only for yourself but for the resale value of your home as well. And with my top 5 must haves below, your Kitchen can be as functional as possible!
1 | Pull out bin
A pull out bin is the one luxury that I will include in every single Kitchen I design. I would recommend to go with 2 larger bins (35-38L each) which is the perfect size for a family for rubbish and recycling. Where possible, I like to place the pull out bin between the sink and dishwasher to ensure that the wash up process is as easy as possible.
2 | Appliance cupboard
Appliance cupboards allow you to remove clutter and free up bench space by keeping all your small appliances behind closed doors whilst still being easily accessible when you need them. If space allows, I would recommend to add pocket doors as well which can be tucked out of the way whilst the appliances are being used. Another option is to go with a butler's pantry with a bench and keep your small appliances in that room instead. This is a great option, but can be difficult to fit into smaller homes.
3 | Pull out corner mechanisms
This is one thing I really wish I had in my Kitchen now. I have been living in our current rental for over a year, and there are things that I put at the end of my corner cupboards that I have not used since I moved in because taking them out means emptying the whole shelf! Corner pull out mechanisms basically work by bringing out the corner to you and making it super easy to access, my favourite one is the Hafele Magic Corner.
4 | Breakfast bar seating
Having a seating area within your Kitchen is perfect for families and gatherings. It allows you to talk to guests without crowding your Kitchen, eat informal meals, keep an eye on the kids whilst they are doing homework and so much more. Something to consider is the depth of the overhang so that it is comfortable to sit at - I find that a 350mm depth works perfectly. I would also recommend to add a power point under the overhang for charging laptops and phones.
5 | Lighting
Lighting is something that is important to get right in every room, but the Kitchen is definitely one place where it is vital to ensure you have proper lighting. The Kitchen really needs a combination of ambient lighting (evenly spaced downlights) and task lighting (light concentrated on the bench spaces). I like to create task lighting over benches that have overhead cupboards/shelves by adding LED strips to the bottom of the overheads. When selecting pendants to go over an island bench, I always ensure that the light will actually provide sufficient lighting for the space as well.
I hope my tips and tricks have been helpful! If you want to find out more about how to make your Kitchen work for you and your family, you can get in contact with us using the link below:
Have a wonderful week!
Nina xx
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