Everything About Kitchen Design

Posts Tagged ‘islands’

GOOD TO KNOW:

For design ideas, check out home decorating shows
on TV, home-related websites, magazines and
books. Take notes, print out photos, tear out pages,
and add them all to your folder. It’s all about you!

When it comes to really getting started on planning out your new kitchen, here is a great kitchen planning guide that everyone should read…including professional designers.

Start by following the link here:  The Kitchen Planner.  You will be amazed as to who wrote it!

Enjoy,

The biggest overall trend at the annual Kitchen and Bath Industry Show in Chicago may have been where the exhibitors were from, rather than what they were showing.

Merillat classic Tolani cherry amaretto and maple Kona wine rack shows two popular options: medium finish and wine rack.

There were more companies selling Chinese-made cabinets than companies making cabinets in the United States and Canada. This included Chinese brands and U.S. companies selling an all-import line. In terms of individual displays, there were still more domestic cabinets. Masco, MasterBrand, Wellborn and Showplace had large displays.

Maple was the clear winner once again, and the numbers may have been skewed by the fact that many imported cabinets went with maple since that is the preferred species today. Maple was seen in more than half (60 percent) of displays. Next was cherry with 16 percent, followed by birch at 10 percent and oak at 6 percent. Alder, hickory and pine were also seen in displays.

Full-overlay face-frame construction continues to dominate cabinets in displays at K/BIS. Overall, face frame accounted for 88 percent of cabinets displayed, while frameless cabinets only made up 11 percent of displays.

Drawers and doors

Wood and glass were the most common door option other than wood alone, with 34 percent of cabinet displays showing this feature.

In drawer sides, solid wood was the dominant material, comprising 81 percent of drawers displayed. Eight percent of drawer sides were plywood, 5 percent laminated and 4 percent metal.

Accessories and accessibility

A wide variety of accessory options were seen at KBIS this year. The most popular accessories were: crown moulding, 22 percent; open shelves, 20 percent; furniture legs, 16 percent; wine racks, 16 percent; islands, 14 percent; wood hoods, 10 percent; and rope moulding, 9 percent.

Also of interest were the few ADA-compliant displays that contained higher toe kicks or a sink area that was open underneath and accessible to someone in a wheelchair. This is likely to be a trend that will grow in the future.

Angela Wellborn O’Neill of Wellborn Cabinets said that their Active Living line includes a higher toe kick space, easy-to-reach rollout shelves and an adjustable sink height with removable panel.

Bob Hostetler, representing Showplace Wood Products, said that their Murphy bed line was a hot item at the show.

Although much of K/BIS is concerned with kitchen and bathroom fixtures and appliances, cabinets are an important part of the mix.

It’s possible that imported lines were covering the most popular trends and marketplace wants, which would mean fewer visible new trends. Last year, traditional styles were seen to be more popular in the economic downturn. This year, decoration seemed to make at least a small comeback.

It’s also worth noting that the show floor was quite busy, and the larger cabinet companies were jammed with people. The National Kitchen and Bath Assn. reported that KBIS drew more than 37,000 attendees and had almost 700 exhibitors.

Chris Graber of Cabinets by Graber said that trends included larger islands, taller and deeper cabinets, and using a “cool” color with a “wild” color.

Wood finishes

It seemed that there were more medium finishes than dark in featured displays, but when we added up the numbers the dark side won out. Distressed, white paint and matte finishes also gained.

Specifically, dark stains accounted for 19 percent of displays, with medium comprising 17 percent and light 14 percent. There were more distressed finishes (6 percent), and slightly fewer glazed (13 percent).

White or off-white paint was more popular, appearing in 12 percent of the displays. Other colors were shown in 5 percent, and matte displays in 7 percent. There weren’t many laminates displayed, and only a handful of regular colors and thermoformed doors.

Lang Chao, one of the O’Neil Cabinets, an importer in California, said that chocolate, white and antique looks were popular now. TBA Inc.’s Tom Brooks said that business is strong for his company’s imported lines, with more decoration being used and rustic oak being popular in Arizona. Another importer, Heritage Cabinets, reported that painted white surfaces and distressed appearance were still popular.

Species and construction

Wellborn Active Living kitchen, which includes enhanced accessibility, was shown at KBIS.

Maple was the clear winner once again, and the numbers may have been skewed by the fact that many imported cabinets went with maple since that is the preferred species today. Maple was seen in more than half (60 percent) of displays. Next was cherry with 16 percent, followed by birch at 10 percent and oak at 6 percent. Alder, hickory and pine were also seen in displays.

Full-overlay face-frame construction continues to dominate cabinets in displays at K/BIS. Overall, face frame accounted for 88 percent of cabinets displayed, while frameless cabinets only made up 11 percent of displays.

Drawers and doors

Wood and glass were the most common door option other than wood alone, with 34 percent of cabinet displays showing this feature.

In drawer sides, solid wood was the dominant material, comprising 81 percent of drawers displayed. Eight percent of drawer sides were plywood, 5 percent laminated and 4 percent metal.

Accessories and accessibility

A wide variety of accessory options were seen at KBIS this year. The most popular accessories were: crown moulding, 22 percent; open shelves, 20 percent; furniture legs, 16 percent; wine racks, 16 percent; islands, 14 percent; wood hoods, 10 percent; and rope moulding, 9 percent.

Also of interest were the few ADA-compliant displays that contained higher toe kicks or a sink area that was open underneath and accessible to someone in a wheelchair. This is likely to be a trend that will grow in the future.

Angela Wellborn O’Neill of Wellborn Cabinets said that their Active Living line includes a higher toe kick space, easy-to-reach rollout shelves and an adjustable sink height with removable panel.

Bob Hostetler, representing Showplace Wood Products, said that their Murphy bed line was a hot item at the show.

Although much of K/BIS is concerned with kitchen and bathroom fixtures and appliances, cabinets are an important part of the mix.

While not a strictly scientific survey, the results show a trend of what is being shown, not what is being sold or produced. To count as a kitchen, there must be more than one cabinet. Cabinets displayed as part of a cookware or appliance booth are generally not counted.

1. Not having adequate storage – Glass doors look great but you have to be very neat and tidy and have lots of lovely crockery and glassware to show off, you can’t exactly show off baked beans cans! Think carefully about how much stuff you’ve got and make sure you have adequate storage and storage solutions. Deep drawers are a good solution for large pans and baking tins. Try to get a balance between aesthetics and practicality.

2. Not adding everything – Are you toying with the idea of having a dishwasher? Plan it into your new kitchen, it will be harder to fit it in later. Think about electrics. You may not have many electrical items now but you may want to put a TV, sound system, microwave or new gadgets in your kitchen at a later date so put plenty of outlets in now. Another consideration to think about is ease of use. Does one member of the family have mobility problems or are you beginning to get old and arthritic? You may want to have a wall oven fitted rather than an oven that you have to bend down to use. Future proof your kitchen as much as possible.

3. Following fashion – Think about those awful 1970s kitchens and bathrooms you see in some houses. If you want to really future proof your kitchen and have it looking good for a long time, you will want to choose a classic kitchen rather than picking a kitchen that is fashionable now but is so trendy and different that it may look out of place in 5 years’ time. A kitchen is a big investment, you want to get it right.

4. Not thinking about color and lighting – Some dark color kitchen cabinets and work tops can make a small kitchen look even smaller, darker and even oppressive. Make the most of any natural light, choose lighter colored units and think about lighting. Under cabinet lighting can help with food preparation in darker kitchens. Plan it in now and get the electrics put in.

5. Not getting advice – Don’t just put your kitchen in the hands of a builder. Consult a kitchen company who will be able to give you advice on the best layout for your needs. There are many different layouts – galley, one wall, L-shaped, U-shaped, islands etc. Using a professional will ensure that you get a kitchen that is aesthetically pleasing and functional.

6. Not budging – You’ve got an idea that you want a central island or a breakfast bar but the designer says it won’t fit. If you are inflexible and won’t budge, you may end up with a kitchen that just doesn’t work. An island needs to have plenty of space around it so that you can get past. If you stick to your guns, you will find that you are forever bruising your hips when you bump into things or you’ll find that your oven or dishwasher won’t open. Be flexible and listen to the experts.

Take your time planning your kitchen and seek the advice of a professional company or designer to help you. The result will be a great looking, practical kitchen which you will be happy with for many, many years.

Is it the overall layout of the kitchen design remodeling project, the work centers or is it the kitchen cabinets?

I believe it is a combination of all those features.  Let’s look at the kitchen project, we know you would like a new kitchen but, you may be wondering where to start.  Do I just go and look at kitchen showrooms, access the internet, talk to kitchen designers, browse though trade magazines?  Absolutely!

As you start your kitchen design remodeling project you should ask yourself what are my tastes in color, style, wood species, and what don’t I like about my current kitchen?

In today’s world we find many households require a two person kitchen design layout.  This means there should be ample room to move around without bumping into each other.  Doors and drawers, dishwasher, refrigerator, range, islands should all be accessible without having to move the sous-chef or helper.  This makes the whole cooking experience in your new kitchen layout more enjoyable! It also throws out the old kitchen work triangle and turns it into a more functional work trapezoid.

Let’s start your kitchen design or kitchen remodeling project by looking at the range or cooking area.  First, do I really need the microwave right here above my stove?  It seems that if I’m sautéing something on the stove and my helper is perhaps getting something that needs to be heated up or nuked…I think you get the idea, crash!  Perhaps, moving the microwave to its own cabinet and incorporating a built in coffee station would work!  Also, you will want all your cooking utensils either to your right or left side of the stove depending if your right or left handed.  You spices and baking supplies should be in a cabinet that is easily accessible, perhaps a pull out spice or pantry unit.  Your cookie sheets and large trays should be gathered here as well, maybe in a 9” tray cabinet next to the stove.  All pots and pans could be in an organized deep drawer cabinet perhaps on the other side of your range.  Most importantly all items should be utilizing cutlery trays and dividers.  There is nothing worse than having to search for that soup spoon  only to find it buried on the bottom.

There is so much more to discuss…islands, sink area, prep area and the overall look and feel of your new kitchen design should be your dream come true. With the right designer, by this I mean someone you can relate to, someone you can share your ideas with and most important someone who can design with you in mind, can translate all of this into a fully working kitchen design.

Look Forward to future posts where I’ll go into more detail…