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The new owners of this three-bedroom Regency-style apartment in Cheltenham, England, loved its location close to their daughter’s school, but its sleek, modern features not so much. “They prefer period style and classic looks,” says Angela Colley of GeorgieRose Interior Design.
One of the homeowners had contacted the designer as she liked the look of her previous projects, which blend soft, earthy colors and classic style. She asked Colley to design a kitchen, dining area and living space in the home’s one large public room. “There was a lot to fit in, so it was about keeping it light and bright so it didn’t overpower,” Colley says.
The starting point for the kitchen was a paint sample of a pinkish-brown shade. “I just took a shine to the color,” she says. “I wasn’t sure [the owner] would like my suggestion, but she absolutely loved it.”
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This young couple’s appreciation for historic design and love of cooking didn’t jibe with the finishes in their 1990s Colonial-style home or the small work area in their kitchen. They hired Lynda and Jessica Caccamo, a mother-daughter interior design team, to help them achieve a highly functional kitchen with a historic look.
The designers opened up the kitchen to the dining room, then swapped them, putting the new kitchen in the original dining room space and vice versa. The resulting design has a traditional historic style, featuring soft green kitchen cabinetry, a large island, a dining room wet bar, ample storage and plenty of room for the couple to prepare dinner together.
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These Lakeville, Minnesota, empty nesters wanted a kitchen suitable for extended-family events and holiday dinners. Their existing cramped and dated space wouldn’t do. Seeking better flow, functionality and improved storage and style, they hired designer Stephanie Morris for help.
Morris pushed the kitchen into an unused den and stole space from a home office to expand the kitchen and create a spacious new butler’s pantry with a coffee station. A large island adds storage, prep space and seating for four. Multiple storage solutions, including drawers, cabinets, open shelves, a hutch and an appliance garage, ensure that everything has a place and the countertops stay free of clutter. Meanwhile, white and wood cabinets help create a warm and welcoming atmosphere that no guest would want to leave.
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L-Shaped Kitchens With Same-Length Runs
Where both runs are roughly equal in length, we would typically locate any tall cabinets on the same run as the cooktop. This frees up working space around the sink area on the adjacent wall.
For example, for 10- or 12-foot walls, we would site tall fridge housing on the far end of one wall, possibly with oven housing next to it. The height would then drop to countertop level, with a cooktop centered over generous drawer space (or an oven if this is not within the tall housing). There would be countertop space on either side of this, and upper cabinets would continue above the length of this run.
On the adjacent leg, the sink area would typically house a pullout trash container underneath the counter on the left, and a dishwasher to the right, beneath the sink’s draining grooves (if you are right-handed). Of course, these arrangements can vary according to personal taste, and also because there’s often a window on one of the walls.
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Roofs and overhead structures. Having something overhead will protect both the kitchen area and guests from the elements, whether it’s harsh sunlight, rain, weather extremes or snow. This, in turn, will mean you can use your outdoor kitchen far more often. As a design feature, it sets the kitchen off as a separate space from both the house and the rest of the landscape. It allows you to easily add amenities like overhead lighting, heating and cooling.
A roof or overhead structure also has some drawbacks. An overhead structure is not recommended above many grills, for safety reasons. If you do have one, be sure you have the appropriate ventilation around the grill and an overhead vent installed. A patio roof can also close off the space unnecessarily.
A fully covered space is both more expensive and permanent, but it will ensure that both your kitchen and those using it are out of the elements. It will easily allow you to add in overhead lighting, heating and fans.
A partial roof can give you some shelter while still allowing you to keep the grill and other cooking areas safely ventilated and away from flammable materials.
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2. Mistake: Settling for Inferior Hardware
Good-quality accessories and hardware, such as pullout corner units, drawer dividers, and soft-close runners and door hinges, often get excluded from kitchen designs due to budget constraints. But this can be a false economy in the long run as features such as these can make a big difference to your kitchen, boosting its storage potential and making the space far more pleasant to use.
These features do add to the overall cost of a new kitchen, but they’re worth the extra outlay, particularly if you’re an enthusiastic cook.
Solution: Know your options. Ask your kitchen designer about all the storage and hardware options available so you can make a fully informed choice.
If you don’t specify exactly what you want, you may end up with less than ideal hardware and storage solutions, which can be a missed opportunity — think a setup that consists of more cupboards than drawers, drawers without inserts and no soft-closing hardware. If budget is a concern, focus on those features that you feel will make the most difference to your experience of the kitchen.
Shop for cabinet and drawer hardware on Houzz
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Carve Out Space for a Pantry
Pantries are the best way to store canned goods, jars and bottles, as they keep everything in one organized space, says Simon Lennox of Adornas Kitchens & Interiors.
Of course, not all of us have the luxury of being able to incorporate a huge pantry, but even a small one can be a real bonus. “A well-organized larder cupboard will add a lot of storage space to a kitchen without necessarily taking up [too much] space, as they can be made to any shape and size,” Odile Kipling of SoKipling says
Kipling has some advice on how to get the most out of your pantry. “Do an inventory of what you want to store … and measure the tallest, widest, smallest and heaviest items to make sure everything has a place and is easily accessible,” she says.
“Pullout shelves or shallow drawers are ideal at the lower levels, especially if the cupboard is deep, so you don’t have to kneel down and reach for the items at the back,” Kipling says.
She suggests that pantry pullouts above the countertop are less practical because you may not be able to see inside them. Here she recommends shallower shelves and a rack on the back of the door for condiments, spices or — if you have enough cupboard depth — larger items such as pasta boxes.
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Mediterranean
Mediterranean-style kitchens emphasize natural materials such as wood, brick and stone for a casually elegant, earthy look inspired by sun and sea. While traditionally Mediterranean kitchens have featured warm hues and heavy wrought iron details, today’s iterations often take a lighter approach, with plenty of white space to offset the rich tilework and natural wood.
Key features of Mediterranean-style kitchens:
Dark, rich wood, such as walnutMaterials with patina, such as brick, stone and reclaimed wood
Colorful tileCurving arch detailsLighting made from wrought iron, hammered metals and reclaimed woodNatural fiber and leather accents
Color palette: Rich hues inspired by the warm earth and sparkling sea — such as chile pepper, terra cotta and cerulean blue — look striking in a Mediterranean kitchen, especially against a calming backdrop of white and natural wood.
Your Guide to a Mediterranean-Style Kitchen
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When and Why You Should Consider Hiring a Kitchen Designer
Specific kitchen designers’ services vary, but generally these professionals guide the homeowner through the kitchen design process, from initial consultation to installation. Not every upgrade necessarily calls for a kitchen designer. Paula Greer, senior designer at Bilotta Kitchen & Home in New York, says an interior designer or other design pro can help with minor changes such as replacing a countertop or backsplash. It’s when new cabinets and other big-picture elements come into play that a kitchen designer can really make life easier.
“A kitchen designer is going to have a background that other people — architects, interior designers — aren’t going to have because they specialize in kitchen cabinetry and the functionality of the kitchen cabinetry and how everything fits together,“ Greer says.
Kitchen designers also can help homeowners look at their kitchens with fresh eyes, suggesting new layouts, appliance configurations and room plans the homeowner may not have considered. Kitchen designers typically are familiar with the latest products and trends, can recommend (and potentially later manage) reputable subcontractors and suppliers and often can even help with details such as product warranties, Jennifer Gilmer of Jennifer Gilmer Kitchen & Bath and the author of kitchen design book The Kitchen Bible, says.
While investing in an independent kitchen designer’s services instead of going it alone or working with a customer rep at a big-box store can be pricier, a good kitchen designer also will be well versed in spending where it counts and making your dollars go further.
“Regardless of who designs the kitchen, it’s an expensive undertaking,” Gilmer says. “If a client is going to spend the money to remodel the kitchen, then using a kitchen designer will ensure that it’s done as well as possible, both in form and function.”
Find a kitchen designer near you
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In addition to the kitchen cabinetry and appliances, Chris Chapman of Chris Chapman Bespoke Kitchens & Furniture says it’s important to consider other aspects of the room, such as plumbing, lighting, the electricals and walls.
“I find in discussions with clients that these elements tends to be overlooked a little,” he says. “The scope of these other works is often seriously underestimated and, more importantly, insufficient budget is allocated.”
“Another thing to chat about is whether you would consider building work to achieve your dream space,” Berry says. “Often, moving a door or a window or knocking down a wall between two rooms can really make a space work better and create a more social environment, too. Try not to close your mind to suggestions as a kitchen is a big investment and getting it right can increase the value of your home and transform your lifestyle.”
Consider the above extras early to avoid unexpected issues later, say our experts. “The associated works can often exceed the total cost of the kitchen, which can surprise many clients,” Chapman says. “So it’s good to have this conversation to appreciate what will go into it, how long it will take and, ultimately, what the entire project will cost.”
How to Remodel Your Kitchen