Thursday, August 18, 2011

August 3 Monthy Interior Design Tips : The Perfect Kitchen

3 Tips for designing the perfect contemporary kitchen :

1] Cabinet Height

Build your upper kitchen cabinets up to the ceiling [or bulkhead as the case may be] :

If you don't, you will likely get a deep dark shadow,  more visual "clutter" not to mention an area for dust to collect as seen here :

2]  Layered Lighting

Make sure you have layered lighting in your kitchen for both tasks and ambiance

For proper implementation of a kitchen lightning design, there are four kinds of lights that you can use.
These are the task, accent, ambient and decorative lighting.
The task lighting focuses on making the kitchen a working one. This is the most appropriate lightning that lets you see your sharp knife as you prepare food. Task lighting is usually situated between the work surface and the person running the kitchen.
The accent lighting, as its name denotes, accentuates the whole kitchen. It adds dimension and depth to the whole space. Accent lighting is usually low voltage. An example of accent lighting are the fixtures placed underside cabinets to spotlight back splash and counter top materials.
The third kind of kitchen lighting design is the ambient lighting. This kind of kitchen lighting can immediately improve your kitchen look. Make sure your have enough recessed lighting to create a soft yet warm glow that soften shadows.
The last type of kitchen lighting design is the decorative lighting (pendants above an island for instance). Decorative lighting adds sparkle to your kitchen but make sure not to overdo it. It can make your space look overdone and cluttered.

3] Consider Your Finishes


Remember that high gloss finishes on cabinets and counter tops will show every finger print for heavy traffic kitchens. If you are a childless couple who love to clean, go for this modern and sexy look!



If you have children and spend a lot of time in your kitchen consider a honed granite or quartz counter top finish and satin finished cabinets, rather than high gloss, for less maintenance.

Blogatchlater!

2 comments:

  1. Very helpful and informative! If I am on your xmas list, I love the range hood in the second to last pic. Cheers, Dave

    ReplyDelete

Thank you so much for taking time to read my interior design blog ! Much appreciated, Yvonne