Kitchen Design: Kitchen Design 04

Kitchen Design - Is it time for your kitchen to get a makeover? If you are going to renovate, you might as well do it in line with the latest in kitchen design. In this article we look at some latest trends in kitchen design. Kitchens aren't just functional rooms anymore - you can express your creativity and create a pleasant workspace to cook up meals, and spend quality time with your family. So what are the latest trends in kitchen design - what is hot, what is not?

Kitchen Design - Do you still have fluorescent lighting in your kitchen - well if you want the latest in kitchen design - and to know what is hot, what is not - fluorescent lighting is definitely not. One long globe casting a harsh light over the kitchen was never an idea that combined style with utility - it's not something you use because it's beautiful - it's simply utilitarian. The latest in kitchen design is LED's (light-emitting diodes) which use less than half the electricity of fluorescents and can last 10 times as long. As for what is hot in kitchen design - the newest buzz is on 'accent lighting', and layered kitchen lighting. Chandeliers and pendants are as in as you can get for task lighting, along with lighting for cabinets. These do the job, and add style and ambiance to your kitchen. When it comes to lighting, fluorescents are so last century!

Kitchen Design - Is your kitchen a series of appliances - washing machine, dryer, and fridge? Well if you are interested in knowing about kitchen design - what is hot, what is not - then the next thing to look at is hiding these appliances with clever cabinetry. A stylish kitchen with no electrical appliances in sight is the latest trend in kitchen design. By using cabinetry artfully, kitchen appliances can be carefully hidden without losing ease of access or functionality - there are amazing innovations - now even a fridge can be 'invisible'. This way, the kitchen comes into its own as room which can flow into the rest of the design in the home, and loses that 'factory' stuffed with machines image.

Kitchen Design - Kitchens have slowly become more and more important in family living. People are spending more time than ever in their kitchens, and kitchen design reflects this. If you want to know about kitchen design - what is hot, what is not then pay attention to this. A kitchen designed as purely as work area is not hot at all! What is hot is using workspaces to do double duty. A kitchen island can also be used as a dining table; by making kitchen cabinets look more like furniture the kitchen becomes cosier. And on the subject - banquette seating is a hot trend at the moment. In line with this trend, more and more people are putting wall mounted televisions and sound systems into their kitchens.

Kitchen Design - The earth and impact on the environment is something everyone takes into account these days. Kitchens are not different - in fact, there are many things you can do to make your kitchen more eco-friendly. If you are asking about kitchen design - what is hot, what is not? Then remember that designs which aren't eco-friendly are out! Besides changing your lighting, you can think about investing in eco-friendly cabinetry like bamboo or wheat board. Both are incredibly resistant, and will give years of guilt-free good use. Leaky faucets waste one of the earth's most precious resources - water! New eco-friendly designs eliminate leaks, and save water with special water sparing designs. These are a must in any kitchen. And on this subject, when you buy kitchen appliances look for those that are energy saving.

Kitchen Design - Designing your ultimate kitchen should be a rewarding experience. After you have gathered ideas for your kitchen from a variety of sources, the fun begins when you start to actually incorporate all the different design ideas into a coherent picture of your perfect kitchen. This is the time to ask for assistance from a kitchen design specialist, who can work on the design process with you.

Kitchen Design - The place to start when you are designing your dream kitchen is with a dimensional diagram of your kitchen space. On a large piece of graph paper, draw the outline of the kitchen space, including any doors or windows that you will have work around while you design your kitchen. Accurately mark where your plumbing and electrical supplies are located. You can move plumbing and electrical supply points, but this involves more time and money, and it is always easier to accommodate existing service supplies into your design, if practical.

Kitchen Design - The placement of your work triangle should be the next step in designing your kitchen layout. The sink, cooking surface, and refrigerator need to be situated within easy reach of each other to allow your kitchen to work smoothly. Here, again is where an experienced kitchen designer can be a valuable partner in the design of your kitchen. They have the experience to know what will and what will not work efficiently, and could keep you from ending up with a kitchen which does not meet your needs. A good kitchen designer will know if your kitchen would work better with an island, or maybe a peninsula, or a movable cart or nothing at all. These are design items that need to be addressed early in the process, and will make the whole design process successful.

Kitchen Design - The next step is to layout your kitchen cabinets. Standard cabinets come in widths with 3" increments, so you can use them in almost any kitchen layout. Here is another area where an experienced kitchen designer can save you lots of time and frustration. Once the basic kitchen layout is complete, the designer can assist you in including the details that really make a kitchen a showpiece. How about a plate rail or open end shelves for added appeal? Is a wine rack appropriate in your kitchen design? It is the little details, which you may not have even thought about, that make any kitchen really special.