kitchen
Prep sink. Prep sinks make life easier in a busy kitchen, and can also act as a relationship problem solver. Just ask Easterngirl, who recently completed a total kitchen gut and remodel job. “I put a small Kohler trough sink into the island, because when my hubby and I clean up or prep food (he occasionally helps), one hogs the main sink and the other always needs just a splash to either rinse fingers or vegetables,” she says. “Now we don’t have to nudge the other away from the main sink or stand around waiting.”
Warming drawer. Another hot kitchen amenity for many of you is a warming drawer. Most warming drawers range in size from 27 to 30 inches wide and 11 to 12 inches high. They tend to be sized to fit above or below a wall oven. Because of their relatively small size, they heat up quickly and are handy for keeping food warm as you assemble the full meal or as you wait for all of your dinner guests to gather. You can also use it to warm up your plates, restaurant-style, without having to take up space in your main oven. “I added this to our kitchen remodel, and I use it almost every day,”
Color! This photo shows my remodeled kitchen in my previous home — no white kitchens for me. This is not meant as a put-down of white or neutral kitchens; as you can see, I’ve featured several here, and they are all stunning. But I’m a fan of big, bold colors and plan to incorporate color in a fun way in our new home. Tip: Keep your countertop and flooring a neutral hue, and save the more assertive color for components that are relatively easy and cheap to change, such as paint and decorative items.
Honed Pietra Cardosa countertops. Every designer has a personal favorite countertop material; Pietra Cardosa is mine. Pietra Cardosa is a type of natural stone called a schist — a coarse-grained metamorphic rock formed from layers of different minerals. Its beauty is not exactly maintenance free; it does require sealing about once a year to keep it looking pristine. I’m willing to take on the upkeep, because I think it’s a stunning material. Tip: Want the look of stone but prefer a zero-maintenance material? Check out the many options for engineered quartz countertops.
Single-bowl granite composite sink in a dark color. Our current kitchen sports a white cast iron sink that is the bane of my existence. All it takes is one splash of coffee or red wine for it to become instantly stained. I’m tired of the work (and chemicals) required to keep it looking clean and bright, so I’m definitely ready to replace it with a darker, lower-maintenance gray or black granite composite sink, as shown here. I had one of these in a previous home and loved its durability and the minimal work required to keep it looking clean. I’m also a fan of the large single-bowl sink, as it can easily fit my largest pots and pans for soaking. Tip: Undermount your sink for easier kitchen cleanup.
Range top that’s 48 inches, with a powerful exterior-venting hood. We frequently cook elaborate meals from scratch, but baking? Not so much. So while I can put a 6- to 8-burner stovetop through its paces, an attached double oven would see absolutely no action. The plan, then, is to install a large cooktop — usually referred to as a range top (the controls are on the front rather than the top of the appliance) — and then a single, wall-mounted oven. Tip: If you are an avid baker but don’t put in much time in front of the burners, you might want to install a nice set of double wall ovens, including a convection oven, then go with a standard 30-inch cooktop.
Range top that’s 48 inches, with a powerful exterior-venting hood. We frequently cook elaborate meals from scratch, but baking? Not so much. So while I can put a 6- to 8-burner stovetop through its paces, an attached double oven would see absolutely no action. The plan, then, is to install a large cooktop — usually referred to as a range top (the controls are on the front rather than the top of the appliance) — and then a single, wall-mounted oven. Tip: If you are an avid baker but don’t put in much time in front of the burners, you might want to install a nice set of double wall ovens, including a convection oven, then go with a standard 30-inch cooktop.
Tip: The minimum recommended kitchen aisle width is 42 inches. More comfortable, and the minimum I tend to design to, is 48 inches. If you live in a multicook household, I recommend upping that to 52 or 54 inches. The extra space really eases tight spots, especially around the sink and major appliances. But bigger isn’t always better. I wouldn’t want to go wider than 54 inches, because then your kitchen can become inefficient — you’ll spend more time walking than cooking.
A herringbone pattern is achieved by laying tiles at right angles into zigzag formations or by a preformed mosaic. Either way, the look is sophisticated and has high-end appeal, even with a simple material. However, this pattern will inevitably require additional cutting of tiles at the borders, so it can create some extra material waste.
If you want to keep appliances plugged in but outlets out of sight, a company called Trufig has just the thing: an outlet that’s recessed into the backsplash so it’s flush with the surface. The face plate is designed to be painted, so a trompe l’oeil artist can disguise everything but the holes. With nothing but the beauty of the material to distract you, these new backsplashes let you focus your attention on cooking, not upkeep.
Thanks to the advent of undercabinet power strips, “backsplash acne” (outlets installed every few feet across the face of a backsplash) can be a thing of the past, freeing designers to create unbroken expanses of color or elaborate, uninterrupted designs. The only downside: You have to unplug appliances if you want to avoid seeing the power cords dangling from above.
Cavanaugh predicts we’ll be seeing more backsplashes made from metal laminates, which are similar to conventional plastic laminates but have metal skins. Long popular in commercial applications, they’re now finding their way into the home, as in this North Carolina kitchen by Lee Tripi Design, which uses a product called Chemetal. This metal-topped laminate is easy to bend and shape, and is available in a variety of finishes.
Actual money plants were sandwiched between translucent panels from 3form in this Menlo Park, California, installation. The company makes variations in both glass and resin, utilizing grasses, flowers, abstract patterns and the like. “Used the right way, it’s heat impervious, it’s easy to clean, and it comes in large formats,” says Julie Cavanaugh, adding, “It makes a lovely design statement.”
Glass tiles took off in the first decade of this century. Now glass sheets are gaining ground, says designer Julie Cavanaugh of Design Matters in Los Gatos, California. When the glass is back-painted, you have an unlimited number of colors from which to choose — and a surface that’s supremely easy to clean. For the California kitchen shown here, Griffin Enright Architects used Starphire glass, which doesn’t have the green tint normally present in glass, so the color reproduction is much truer.
Calacatta marble counters have become very popular in recent years too but can be difficult to maintain, as the surface is prone to staining and etching. By running the material up the wall, you get the look without the labor. It’s a more modern way of using stone, observes Mariette Barsoum of Divine Kitchens in Wellesley, Massachusetts. With stone tiles, you have veining that goes in all different directions, she says. When you use a single slab, you have more control over the overall effect. Depending how you orient it, she says, “you can create completely different looks.”
lights
Cool add-on: smoker. Some charcoal grills, like the Green Egg model shown here, are made with low and slow barbecue cooking and smoking in mind (but can also handle high heat). But even if you have a standard kettle-style grill, you can purchase an add-on designed to turn your grill into a smoker.
Riddle Construction and Design Save to Ideabook Email Photo In the end we were able to place it at the maximum height for two reasons: 1. Our fan had a high CFM (cubic feet per minute) number in proportion to our stove’s BTU, and 2. Our vent hood was wider than our range. Chris Riddle of Riddle Construction and Design explains: “In an ideal situation the hood should be 6 inches wider than the size of the cooktop/range for maximum efficiency. Meaning a 30-inch range has a 36-inch-wide hood, a 36-inch range has a 42-inch hood and so forth.”
Does the sun rise in the east? Yes, you will use a warming drawer! You’ll use it to warm plates before serving family-style sides. You’ll use it to keep the kids’ omelets hot when they take forever to shower in the morning.
Stash pot lids in a rollout. Pot lids can be the bane of any home chef’s existence, jamming drawers and preventing pots from stacking properly. To solve this problem, use a shallow rolling drawer to neatly stash lids for the pots below.
outlets
says a well-insulated cavity surrounding the KitchenAid range and a high-quality cabinet box prevent damage from heat exposure. But the clever solution here isn’t the only thing Houzz users responded to. The custom alder cabinets, from Timberland Cabinets, the Verde Butterfly granite countertops and the Daltile mosaic backsplash complete the beautiful design.
The pipes under a kitchen sink have always made it difficult to organize cleaning supplies. This drawer, with its U-shaped wire basket, is designed to fit around the piping, so you can easily access spray bottles, sponges and scrub brushes.
The top tier of a floor-to-ceiling pantry is ideal for partitioned platter storage. It keeps trays available when needed but out of the way of the pantry’s more frequently used areas. Keep a folding stool nearby to lessen any temptation to climb up shelves.
love the archway
I prefer that either the countertop or the backsplash be the star of the show, with the other material playing a supporting role. This stunning backsplash has lots of color and movement and, in my opinion, should not have to compete with an equally attention-grabbing countertop.
Of course, if you happen to find a backsplash you absolutely love before you've even looked at countertops, I say go for it. Making this selection will absolutely help you narrow down the options for the countertop. If you go for a statement-making backsplash such as the one here, find a quiet, subtler countertop material so it doesn't fight with the backsplash. aquatic looking backsplash Shown: Pietra del Cardoso stone counter; Stone & Pewter Accents mosaic glass tile backsplash
Folding windows by NanaWall connect the indoor and outdoor entertaining areas. "Hands down, our favorite feature of the house is the view and our connection to the outdoor spaces," says Houston. "We installed walls and windows that can be totally opened up in the summer. It really suits our lifestyle."
. Are countertop appliances OK, or do you like everything to be hidden?
Do you bake or do any cooking that requires specialized or bulky equipment? This is another biggie to nail down during the planning process, because the answer is vital to the layout.
Those who prefer fresh foods, which are consumed more quickly than packaged, will likely require less storage space and more prep stations and countertop surfaces. If this is you, consider incorporating two full-size sinks. Place one at the wall surrounded by enough counter space on either side for chopping boards, and one at a large island to accommodate roomy workstations.
Choose cabinet details that matter. What's inside the cabinet is just as important as what's on its outside. "Buyers are on the lookout for rollout and quiet-close drawers," notes Gangi. "This is where that choice of midrange versus low-range cabinet quality becomes important. Spending the extra money it takes to get good-quality slide rails and quiet-close features will come back to you."
Choose light colors. Lighter-colored cabinetry will appeal to more buyers. "Dark kitchens are out," notes Gangi. "People prefer light and bright."
Integrate the door style. Choose a door style and color that integrate well with the rest of your home, especially rooms that look directly into the kitchen. If the rest of your house is traditional, you’d be better off steering toward a more traditional or transitional door style than going completely modern, and vice versa.
The quality to choose will depend on your long-term plans. “Midrange cabinets are generally a good bet," Gangi says. "If you intend to sell your home, these cabinets will look attractive to buyers, and you’ll likely see a return on your investment."
Some 28,000 users love this sturdy, deep drawer, which keeps plates within reach for even the shortest members of the household. This one can hold 75 to 100 pounds, and adjustable pegs let you easily fit in all your breakables.
This pullout pantry organizer, paired with cabinet door racks, is a favorite for 70,000 users. "Many of our clients don't have room for a walk-in pantry," says Rhoda Fry, CFO at Bill Fry Construction. "Having storage on the doors and inside keeps everything organized and within easy reach."
Not technically wood — it's actually a grass — bamboo has many of the same advantages and disadvantages as wood. It's a good option if you are looking to use a sustainably harvested material for your kitchen floor. Not all bamboo flooring is the same, however; be sure to look for moso bamboo, as it's considered the hardest and most durable. Material cost: $5 to $12 per square foot
This is a bit of an unusual choice in a residential kitchen, but rubber flooring is becoming more common in homes. Soft, springy and durable, it is a terrific choice if you want to stand for hours in your kitchen without bringing on the aches and pains. Rubber flooring is available in tile and sheet formats, and should be sealed after installation and again every year or two, depending on traffic and wear. Material cost: $6 to $12 per square foot
Sustainably harvested from the bark of the cork oak tree, cork is an excellent resilient floor choice in a kitchen due to its high level of cushioning. It's available in a variety of colors, patterns and textures, and in tile or plank formats. It is somewhat self-healing but can get scratched and dented. You can mitigate this by regularly applying a protective layer of wax or polyurethane and by using protective felt pads on the feet of your furniture.
Go beyond basic shelving for your base cabinetry. Today's kitchen organization additions come in every kind imaginable to help you sort and store your belongings. Use a mix of slide-out shelving and drawers to access heavy items, and custom pullouts to house mixers, spices, cutting boards and baking sheets.
Even the toe kick area, once wasted space, can be used for storage when you add a very shallow drawer for small items.
If you prefer a cabinet door in the corner of a base cabinet, and you don't like lazy Susans, rotating and sliding shelves can help you access corners with ease. Tip: Unlike corner drawers, these pullouts can be installed in both upper and lower cabinets.
The obvious downside to a single bowl sink is that it's not a very good multitasker. For those who primarily hand-wash their dishes, it's not as easy to wash, rinse and drain/dry dishes with just one sink bowl at hand. The single-bowl sink is best, then, for those who primarily wash dishes using their dishwasher and who regularly have large items to hand-wash.
An undercounter composting unit like this one means you can just wipe all of your food waste off the counters and into your bin before it goes out to the garden. Put one in your countertop where you do most of your prep work to make composting easy to remember and do.
Pedals to turn the water on and off. Turning on the faucet with messy hands can make an even bigger mess. Plumbing pedals, like the ones in this kitchen, can help confine the mess. Just like at the doctor's office, you can use your foot to turn the sink on — hot water, cold water or both. Contact a local plumber to ask for an estimate — pedals can be added to existing sinks or new kitchen designs.
A food-wrap divider can simply slip inside an existing kitchen drawer. If you're designing a new space, consider working with your cabinetry designer to get a custom version for one of your drawers.
To save space, you can stack wall ovens with a warming drawer in a cooking tower cabinet module.
You can disguise your warming drawer with a custom cabinet panel.
Rather than eat up wall cabinet space, this warming drawer tucks easily into typically unused space on the kitchen peninsula.
Viking's warming drawer beautifully matches the side-by-side refrigerator and microwave in this San Francisco kitchen.
Sharp Insight Pro Series Built-In Microwave Drawer - $734.30 » A 30-inch drawer unit works very well below a wall oven. The 24-inch versions are more compact and suited for individual base cabinets.
Wood accents
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