Kitchen and Bath How To  

In many ways, creating a kitchen isn’t any more complicated than creating a cake.

You can put a new twist on an old recipe or construct a brand new one step-by-step. 

Regardless, you first must decide:

  • What you have a taste for 

  • How much you want to spend 

  • When you want it to be done 

  • What size and shape you prefer 

Most cakes have the same basic ingredients. They don’t taste special until you stir in the chocolate chips or the raspberries. So it is with a new kitchen. 

Every kitchen has the same basic design elements:

  • Cabinets 

  • Appliances 

  • Countertops 

  • Flooring 

  • Sinks and faucets 

  • Walls, moldings, and other architectural details 

It’s Custom Designed Kitchens & Bath who plays the role of baker in your new kitchen plans. A designer can give your kitchen its own unique flavor by helping you find the right mix of styles, materials, and colors. 

Starting points include:

  • The architectural style of your home—by making your home’s interior reflect its exterior, you bring continuity to the whole structure. 

  • Your needs—perhaps you want space to cook big family meals, you’re an at-home gourmet, or you have special accessibility concerns.

Your cabinets’ door style and color will have the most impact on your new kitchen’s palette by making the strongest visual statement.

Appliances also deserve top billing. Which ones you select and where you put them will determine how cook-friendly your layout is. 

Next you’ll want to choose complementary countertops, flooring, plumbing fixtures, and architectural details. Don’t try to get everything to match exactly. You can best give your kitchen a certain feel by making sure everything coordinates but still keeps its own character. 

It’s hard to be patient while you’re waiting for your new kitchen to be installed. Make other arrangements for your meals and protect your belongings in rooms near the work area. 


 

Common Plans

The layout of your kitchen—where you place your appliances, your countertops, and your storage—will determine how cook-friendly your kitchen is. Ask yourself:

  • Will I have to walk far to get water to top off a pot on the stove?
  • Will I have enough space to slice, dice, chop, and otherwise prepare meals? 
  • Will I have room to store the olive oil near the stove or will I have to go across the room to get it?
  • Will two or more cooks be able to work comfortably in the space without constantly bumping into each other?
  • Will I be able to easily rinse dishes and load them into the dishwasher?
  • Do I prefer a range or a separate cooktop and oven?
  • Do I need a prep sink and a cleanup sink?
  • Do I need an eating area in the kitchen?

Of course, if you’re remodeling, the structure of your existing home will limit your layout options. You’ll have considerably more flexibility the larger your space and if you’re building a new home or adding on.

Common kitchen plans include: