Whether you are going to give your kitchen a complete overhaul or you have chosen to do just a few updates, you'll find that with the right choices, you can get a return rate on your investment of approximately eighty to one-hundred percent. In layman's terms, this means your home should increase in value by just about the amount you put into it. The key, however, is to make the right choices in your kitchen design ideas.
One of the main aspects of your kitchen that needs to be considered is the layout. The cooking zone is often overlooked when it should be your top priority. Generally, you will want to center everything around your stove and the cook top. Along with your microwave oven, any other major tools, such as toaster oven, should be close by, as well.
When designing your kitchen, make certain you also consider where your spice drawer will be kept, as well as the drawers where you plan to keep your pots and pans. These items will all need to be kept close to your cooking zone. If not, you'll find yourself wandering all over your kitchen and wasting precious time.
Another aspect of kitchen design ideas to be considered is whether or not you need your kitchen to be kid friendly. If you have young children in your home, you may want to create an area that allows your children easy access to countertop space so that they may assist you and learn from you when cooking. Often, a kitchen island space works well for this and, if your kitchen does not allow for an island, set up a space that is not too close to your cooking zone.
Ask any chef what the most important aspect of their kitchen is and they will most likely tell you it is organization. You will want to implement some great organizational ideas into the design of your kitchen. Also, keep in mind that you do not want to interrupt your work triangle (the imaginary triangle between the stove, refrigerator, and sink) with a lot of foot traffic. In other words, if people are going to be running to the pantry all the time, make sure you put it out of the center area.
For those who are concerned about the environment, you will also find a lot of great ideas that you can implement into your design and help you to conserve energy. Your light design should include lighting controls and you can choose energy efficient appliances, as well. Another great idea is to use recycled cabinets, as well as flooring in your design.
Making sure that your kitchen is easy to clean is also an important factor in your decisions. Choosing countertops made of easy-to-clean materials and a countertop with raised edges to prevent spills are just a few ideas you can utilize in your design. This is especially important when you have young children and your time in the kitchen is limited.