Ultimate Guide to Design a Kitchen - RenoDuck Kitchens

Ultimate Guide to Design a Kitchen

Ever wanted to design your very own kitchen but you did not know where to start? There are many factors to consider before undergoing this renovation project because the kitchen is a versatile space with countless functional and aesthetic possibilities. To help provide some clarity on the subject, the kitchen renovation and remodel experts at RenoDuck Kitchens have created this ultimate guide with tips on how to design a kitchen including pre-planning, appliances, storage, and more!

Pre-Planning

Pre-planning during kitchen renovations will help save you from costly and timely mistakes in the later stages of the project. Consider these helpful tips when pre-planning your kitchen interior design.

It’s important to establish a clear budget at the beginning of your kitchen renovation project. Your budget will include the costs of significant items such as cabinets, appliances, countertops, lighting, paint, plumbing, flooring, fixtures, decorating, wiring, labour, backsplashes, window treatment, and any finishing design touches.

A renovation project is not without its changes so incorporate in your budget a little extra spending for any unforeseen expenses.

When designing the theme for your kitchen, consider matching the overall theme of your home. Make sure there is a cohesive flow visually when selecting finishes.

Bring in colour samples to see your kitchen during daytime and evenings and remember that lighting will also impact how your kitchen looks during different times of the day. 

Get inspired with our top 15 Transforming Kitchen Design Ideas.

A focal point in the kitchen is the object or area that draws a person’s eye to the center stage of the space. A focal point can come in the form of a beautiful window, a stunning backsplash, a unique kitchen island, patterned flooring, fancy countertops and so many other options that can make a bold statement.

A focal point can be simple or complex but regardless of the kitchen design choice, this will be an attention-grabbing element that adds artistic flair to the room and compliments the space to make it more inviting.

Lighting plays a significant role when designing your kitchen layout. Good lighting can make all the difference in helping to create an atmosphere and set a scene whether it’s for cooking, cleaning, working, or partying. When designing a lighting plan, consider wiring and the electrical setup of the space.

Some popular lighting examples include pendant lights, LED pot lights under the wall cupboards, and dimmable celling lights. We advise to be creative and mix colours, feature lights, and materials for a unique lighting look.

Depending on how you intend to use your kitchen, it’s in your best interest to design with function in mind. If you only intend to use your kitchen for cooking, then prioritize how to best optimize the space for cooking, i.e., more storage space, better appliances, etc.

However, if you intend on hosting get-togethers, then you may want to consider designing a more inviting space with easy access. Some kitchen layout ideas include L-shape, U-shape, single wall, galley, penninsula, P-shape, and kitchen triangle.

Check out more kitchen remodeling tips!

A crucial element in making the best kitchen layout is to plan for a traffic flow that works for you. Identify the busiest path and avoid installing appliances that interfere in that route. Making the refrigerator accessible is a must-have because of its high usage rate for both the cook and cleanup crew, but also for everyone else.

A central kitchen island may be serviceable in your kitchen to separate the social part of the kitchen from the working area. This way friends and family can chat nearby with the cook without being directly in their way.

Consider the impact cabinets, countertops, and an island has in your kitchen layout. For example, a kitchen island must not be too large or placed in a way that would prevent people to walk around comfortably.

You want to select sizes that are proportionate to the overall size and height of your room. You want to try to create symmetry and once you choose your central piece and have established some sense of scale, you can go forth filling the empty space and balancing out the room.

If you feel the way your kitchen is currently constituted is too small to accommodate your lifestyle, or maybe it was just poorly constructed from the start, think about applying structural changes.

Some examples of such kitchen layout ideas are adding windows, opening up the kitchen by removing an island, or extending the kitchen by tearing down walls.

What’s the Deal with Appliances?

Appliances are synonymous with the kitchen. Popular appliances including ovens, stoves, refrigerators, and toasters can make cooking and food preparation more convenient, efficient, and enjoyable.

It’s also important to pick your appliances first before you build your new kitchen because of the impact the size has on the rest of your kitchen layout.

Selecting your kitchen appliances before selecting other features will help your kitchen renovation project go more smoothly. This is because if you choose a stove for example and it does not fit, it is much more difficult and expensive to make structural changes thereafter, thus you’ll be forced to choose a new stove altogether.

By having all your appliances picked first, you can plan the rest of your kitchen layout around those big and bulky items.

Check out more inspiration for built-in appliances in this transitional kitchen.

Generally speaking, the ideal microwave location is about 15 inches above the countertop level. This however is not always the case and the perfect microwave location will vary based on the height of the chef and whether or not kids will be using the appliance.

Depending on your preferences, you may favour either a gas stove or an electric one. Gas range stoves are more durable, offer better temperature control, and gas tends to be less costly than electricity. On the other hand, electric range stoves are easier to clean, are typically less expensive to install, and have a stable base for different styles and sizes of pots. 

If you do choose to go with a gas stove, it’s crucial you make the decision during the planning stage to add gas lines that must be installed before building cabinets. Gas line installation is not so easy without piercing through your exterior walls. If you have a stronger electric stove but an older home, you also need to make sure the voltage is correct.

Consider doubling up on appliances in your kitchen design based on your lifestyle. If you have extensive cooking needs and are looking to improve the efficiency of the kitchen, or if you have a larger family that is tired of waiting around to use an appliance, doubling up can be a positive contribution for everyone.

For example, double-wall ovens are a popular choice in Toronto. It’s vital to think about the number of appliances you want, especially with double wall ovens, because you will then arrange the kitchen layout and accommodate for them accordingly.

Think About Storage

When renovating a kitchen, think about how to incorporate storage space with organizing, planning and design in mind. Here our top recommendations for storage solutions when designing a kitchen:

A pantry is a staple in every kitchen design. Dried and canned goods such as bottled sauces, jars of pasta, canned beans or tuna, boxes of cereal, etc. are typically stored in the pantry and can be organized to your liking.

There is a lot of waste in the kitchen from cooking and after eating. In addition, there are plenty of opportunities to recycle and dispose of waste in a greener way.

Sorting can be made easy with designated waste and recycling areas that are hidden from the rest of the kitchen, and labelling “waste” and “recycling” pull-out bins to keep the room tidy and organized.

Pots and pans are some of the most used items in the kitchen. To accommodate for these kitchen necessities, a wide, deep drawer will likely allow you to store all your pots and pans in one readily accessible space. This is much easier than rummaging around at the back of a cabinet.

The spice pull-out drawer helps you quickly find what you are looking for because it provides clear visibility of its contents. In addition, it prevents jars and packets of spices from getting greasy and collecting dust.

This is great for extra small spaces that you can utilize for organization to help declutter kitchen worktops.

A lazy Susan cabinet is a great feature to make the most of your kitchen storage space. Lazy Susan gets its name from its build that allows items to be easily accessed from all sides.

This kitchen cabinet design is perfect for storing pots, pans, dishes, or any other items you use regularly. Though an older design choice, it is extremely functional for base corners instead of having dead space.

Wine racks play a vital role in the latest kitchen designs because they protect and preserve wine. There are benefits to storing bottles horizontally such as preventing oxidation, keeping the cork moist, and allowing for detection of sediment formation before decanting.

Open shelves are an effective kitchen design choice that can help make your kitchen appear brighter and more relaxed.

Open shelving units not only boost your kitchen’s aesthetic value, but they can also provide convenience and an open space in your kitchen.

This kitchen interior design choice is a great option if you have the ceiling height for it. These are smaller cabinets that can be functional above the upper cabinets to fill space. You can add glass doors, pot lights, or even frosted glass doors.

Ready to get started? Book your next Kitchen Design appointment.

For the Love of Kitchen

When asking yourself, “how to design a kitchen”, function is an important aspect to prioritize. With function in mind, think about countertop space, kitchen flooring, electrical outlets, room efficiency, and more. Your love of the kitchen will not be complete without thinking about efficiency, functionality and other small details that make will your kitchen truly your own.

Countertop space is essential for any functioning kitchen design, no matter the size. Without an adequate countertop space, dishes end up stacked on the stove, in the sink, perhaps even on the kitchen table.

It’s crucial to choose kitchen flooring that is easy to clean and maintain because these spaces are known for being particularly messy areas. There are many options for kitchen flooring, but the most practical choices are non-porous materials such as ceramic and porcelain tiles. Luxury vinyl tiles are also a desirable flooring option because they are highly resistant to moisture and stains.

Pot fillers help create an efficient kitchen layout workspace because they reduce the number of trips you take between the sink and the stove, also decreasing the chances for spills.

The reason being, if you have a pot filler, you can fill pots at the stove while keeping your countertop areas and sink free and open for food preparation and cleaning.

Planning for electrical outlets plays a major role in detecting any short circuits or ground faults in your system. Taking these extra precautions will protect your kitchen appliances from malfunctioning or overheating by shutting off power to the outlet, thus saving you from potential electrical hazards as well.

It’s important to make sure your house has the correct electrical amperage to prevent these short circuits. You will also need to plan for countertop appliances and the electrical outlets needed to operate them.

Both knobs and pulls are types of cabinet hardware that help enhance the functionality and visual appeal of your kitchen.

These attractive design choices make opening your cabinets easier, while also preventing dirt or residue from staining your kitchen cabinet drawer fronts or doors.

Sturdy kitchen cabinets are important so you can safely hold and store ingredients, glassware, food, etc. By choosing a reputable kitchen company, you will have access to sturdy cabinet options such as custom-made kitchen cabinets and stock cabinets that will last a lifetime.

Customize your kitchen cabinet with endless design options. Let’s get started.

Kitchen islands are desirable features they can be purposed for both cooking and entertainment. You can prepare food while interacting with guests by utilizing one of the best kitchen design trends for dividing the kitchen area.

An island allows you to prep, reach appliances, and cook, all while serving company.

Get a new kitchen island for your kitchen today!

Let’s Plan the Best Kitchen Layout

As outlined above, there are many different elements that go into planning a kitchen, from pre-planning, to appliance selection, storage optimization, functionality and efficiency, and so much more. The kitchen designers near you at RenoDuck Kitchens want to put our ultimate guide into practice and design your perfect kitchen.

Contact us today to get started planning the best kitchen layout for you!

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