Kitchen design - where do you start?

 

The kitchen is the beating heart of the house, a central space where we spend a lot of time. It combines practice and aesthetics that require making many decisions.
Since the kitchen is an integral part of the house and is usually in an open space communicating with the dining area and the living room, it must be planned efficiently and as an integral part of the adjacent functions.

 

Before planning the kitchen, we should be clear about the concept and the design style of the entire house, according to which the kitchen style and its color will be determined so that the kitchen will communicate perfectly and harmoniously with the space.

 

Beginning of designing

To do this correctly, you must start by defining your exact needs.
Are you a family that cooks and bakes constantly, and the kitchen for you is a particularly active area, or are you one of those who mainly use the kitchen to heat food and make coffee, and then visibility is the most important one?
The definition of the needs can influence whether the kitchen we want will be part of an open space to the public space or a more closed and hidden kitchen? Another important decision is related to choosing the finishing material for the cabinet doors to match the family's character.
My warm recommendation to you, first of all, is that before you approach the choice of color, material, and shape - make a list of all the things that bother you in your current kitchen so that we can implement the solutions in planning your new dream kitchen.
When it comes to renovation and not new construction, you should pay attention to the state of the infrastructure - water, electricity, gas, etc. Usually, when you do a massive renovation and the kitchen is part of it, we will replace all the systems and design new ones according to the functions (but we will talk about that another time..;))

 

The holy trinity of the kitchen world

When designing the kitchen, it is important to maintain and create easy access between the 3 main functions - sink, stove and oven, and refrigerator- because practice is important beyond design and beauty.
Following and in addition to these functions, we have to pay attention to the work surfaces and distances convenient for function - the most significant work surface in the kitchen is the area between the sink and the stove where most of the food is prepared.
We will take care of ventilation, good lighting for work, storage, and everything necessary for a functional and practical kitchen.

 

Designing the kitchen cabinets

Functional kitchen = lots of storage space.
Retractable elements/drawers should be preferred over cabinets with non-retractable shelves for which you must bend.
"Silent slamming" and full opening are standard, and quality fixtures cannot be compromised.
To maintain a sense of ventilation and order in the kitchen, we will concentrate all the tall cabinets that provide considerable storage space for electrical products, pantry products, the refrigerator, built-in stove, etc., and we can even hide the air conditioning unit above to throw cool air for the benefit of the kitchen space.
This way, we will get a clean and functional high storage area and continuous work surfaces with lower cabinets to create a pleasant, uncluttered space.

 

Designing the kitchen lighting 

It is important to ensure adequate lighting in the kitchen, as this is a work area.
In the past, the kitchen was illuminated by one central light fixture, which shadowed the work area when we stood with our backs to it.
We would like to light the kitchen correctly with continuous LED lighting. You can add and enhance light with point spot lighting above function areas such as the sink, and, of course, add ambient lighting of lighting fixtures hanging above the island that will give the space a teasing element and correspond with the concept and design style we have chosen.

 

As you may have already understood, kitchen design does not only consist of carpentry and color selection.
A perfect kitchen is the result of careful planning and an understanding of the needs, planning storage spaces, work surfaces, meeting points between materials, choosing colors, planning electricity, plumbing, lighting, wall coverings and surfaces, and, of course, the relation of the kitchen to the dining area and the living room (to which many do not attribute the importance it deserves), and creating a complete harmony with the chosen style of the house.

Feel free to contact me,
Lilian Benshoam
Architect and interior designer.

(Source: Interior Design – Ramat Hasharon Villa N Project)

(Source: Interior Design – Ramat Hasharon Apartment B Project)

(Source: Interior Design – Ramat Hasharon Villa L Project)