Your Dream Kitchen

A GREAT KITCHEN STARTS WITH A GREAT DESIGN

Ten Steps for Designing Your Dream Kitchen

As we are sure most home owners would agree, the kitchen is THE most important room in your home. With the exception of sleeping, people spend most of their time at home in their kitchen. We at CPI INTERIORS take great pride in the kitchens we design and build.

Below are CPI INTERIORS’ 10 steps to a great kitchen:

1. Set your priorities. Know what is important to you. Who uses the kitchen? Family focused/ Cooks’ kitchen/ Entertaining kitchen or Showpiece. How is it used? Take an inventory of all categories for storage.

2. What is being changed? Appliances, cabinets, cabinet hardware, counters, sinks and faucets, flooring, lighting, wall finishes, ventilation and window coverings.

3. Budget….budget…budget. While options vary greatly, the amount one wishes to spend must be predetermined when looking at making changes to the kitchen. As with any project we undertake how much we are spending will dictate the direction everything goes. Keep existing appliances or purchase new, gas or electric; natural vs. synthetic materials for cabinets, counters and flooring. Decorative or functional lighting.

4. Seating. Use of islands with bar areas. Table height, counter or bar height? Who is using the kitchen and the particular activities that take place are all considerations when determining not only where to place them but if to include them. Phone stations, computer desks, pet feeding stations and baking locations are all important things to consider.

5. Drawers versus doors and pullouts. Do cabinets go to the ceiling, staggered or traditional heights? Glass door cabinets with decorative lighting and glass shelves or open shelves for storage or selected special pieces for display. Storage is paramount to a good kitchen design.

6. Make note of the little things. Take note of the size of your biggest dinner plates, heights of glass ware and special items that don’t fit now but would want to be included in a new plan. Seasonal serving dishes or place settings. Small appliance storage and ease of use. Pantry cabinets with best use layout, whether opening from the side rather than front or deep cabinets with pull out shelves.

7. Lighting. Lighting is so often overlooked when planning a kitchen. Consider task lighting as well as ambient lighting. Pot lights, pendant fixtures, under cabinet lighting and surface fixtures are critical to making a warm, inviting and functional kitchen.

8. Sinks and faucets. Whether a drop in or under mount sink is used will depend on the counter surface used. Stainless steel, acrylic, cast iron are among the many choices. Faucets have wide varieties to choose from and whether single post or lever handles all depend on the look being created.

9. Colour. One of the most definitive and finishing items for your space. Select colours that pull together all the finishes. Be adventurous, make a statement, use colour.

10. Design. Quality kitchens last for many years and provide an excellent return on investment along with the enjoyment that your family will have using it. Good kitchen design, overall layout and best use of the space can be done with professional design assistance that has a fresh and inspired approach to seeing things in ways you may not consider.

CPI INTERIORS would love to help with your new kitchen, contact us today 613-599-5564.