If you are thinking of remodeling your kitchen, use the following small kitchen design ideas for maximizing the visual spaciousness:

1. Light worktops, dark base:

Having sleek black, dark brown or deep red at the base of units and white or other light colors at the top lifts the eye and makes the kitchen look more spacious than it actually is.

2. Bright white / white and silver / white and cream kitchen:

A completely white kitchen with white units, white walls and white reflective units provides a classy look to the kitchen apart from making it appear bigger. A variation could be complementing the white by metallic silver fridge, appliances, taps, sink and some more items. Another variation could be using a combination of white and cream. But remember to consider the wear and tear in your kitchen while preparing your small kitchen design; white is a high-maintenance color.

3. Single color wall and units:

Having a single color on walls and the units against it helps merge them together visually and heightens the space.

4. Reflective surfaces:

If you aren’t averse to the idea of restaurant type dramatic walls, do incorporate them in your small kitchen design. Reflective walls treatments and reflective cabinets provide a feel of spaciousness and of course the style statement. Choose warm colors for the walls and cabinets.

5. Glazed backsplash:

Like reflective surfaces, a glazed backsplash reflects light and throws it around the small kitchen to make it look bigger. Reflective and glazed surfaces are a great small kitchen design idea.

6. Downlights below wall cabinets:

Downlights below wall cabinets not only help you while prepping, but also reduce the impact of large cabinets and help provide a visual spaciousness.

7. French doors and large windows:

Allowing as much light to come in as possible and fill the cramped spaces is an important element of small kitchen design. French doors, large windows, and designing the arrangement of kitchen units so as to not obstruct light go a long way in enhancing the spaciousness of your small kitchen.

Small kitchen design requires a lot of creativity and a good sense of color. It may be a good idea to consult with a professional interior decorator to remodel your kitchen.

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1. Galley Kitchens:

If you own a small kitchen then Galley Kitchens can be suitable for you. These are long and narrow kitchens with counters or workspaces on either side of the central pathway. The best part of these kitchen floor plans is that they allow your kitchen to extend from wall to wall and have ample storage in the counters. Appliances, the sink, and other such items can be fitted between the counters.

Galley kitchen floor plans make good use of the kitchen triangle concept. You also have ample space to walk around. The disadvantage of galley kitchens is you need to keep it basic as you cannot have a central kitchen island for want of space.

2. U-shaped Kitchens:

These kitchen floor plans have cabinets and counters along three walls of the kitchen. U-shaped kitchens are much like Galley Kitchens but with one end closed. This closed end provides extra space for a sink or a range. U-shaped kitchen floor plans provide ample storage even without a central island. If your kitchen is narrow and you want more workspace, these plans will suit you best.

U-shaped kitchens are great for workflow by making use of the kitchen triangle concept. But make sure your kitchen is big enough to accommodate the U-shaped design.

3. L-shaped Kitchens:  

These kitchen floor plans are space efficient and use the kitchen triangle to good effect. L-shaped kitchens are extremely popular for the workspace they provide and the room space they save. These designs have an ‘L’ shape and hence the name. The longer side of the ‘L’ can accommodate two workstations while the shorter side can accommodate one.

Cooking can be done along one side where all the cooking equipment can also be kept. Washing can be done along the other side where you can have the sink and dishwasher. You need to have a decent sized room, though, for these L-shaped kitchen floor plans.

4. Island Kitchens:

Island Kitchens are the most preferred kitchen floor plans for large kitchens. A freestanding island sits in the center of the kitchen, allowing access from anywhere in the kitchen. The advantages of Island Kitchens are enormous. You get extra storage space, extra workspace, extra electrical outlets, another sink, and with some innovation you can also turn it into a dining table.

Small kitchen floor plans cannot afford an island at the center, but you can think of removing the wall separating the kitchen and the living room, and place the island in its place to create a great room. Another option for small kitchens is to have a small island or a mobile one.

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  The process of coming up with a small kitchen design brings to the forefront our need to use our space as efficiently as possible because the space is just not there. No matter how big the space we are working in, No matter how well thought out are plans may be when creating a small kitchen design we can always use just a little more space.  However, this doesn’t mean that you won’t be able to create a functional, stunning and efficient small kitchen design that satisfies everyone.

The small kitchen design should only be considered after determining the layout of the kitchen. There are five basic layouts found in today’s kitchens defined as – the L, G, U, Single, and Galley, and are the basis for creating a small kitchen design.

L Shape- The L-shape kitchen design, the most common small kitchen design, requires less space and offers more flexibility in the location of workstations.

 G Shape- The G-shaped small kitchen design is a version of the U-shaped kitchen layout, with the same amount of counter space and storage options that surround the cook on three sides. However, the difference with the G-shaped kitchen floor plan is the peninsula or partial fourth wall of additional cabinets.

 U Shape- The U-shaped small kitchen design is the most versatile because the layout offers continuous counter tops and sufficient storage, which surrounds the cook on three sides.  

Single-Wall- The single wall small kitchen design is ideal for small kitchen’s. The work triangle in this small kitchen design is less like a triangle and more of a work line with all three kitchen zones along one wall.

 Galley “Corridor” Shape- The corridor small kitchen design has a workspace large enough for one cook. In this small kitchen design, the work stations face each other on parallel walls, creating a small work triangle.  

Now that we understand the different kitchen floor plans we can effectively create our small kitchen design.

 Here are 7 tips for creating a small kitchen design to suit your space and your taste.

Creating a design for your kitchen, especially a small kitchen design, the most important thing is function. No matter how good it looks, if you can’t use it, it’s wasted. If you can’t reach it, it’s pointless. If you have to spend more time and effort getting to it or doing it, you’ve probably just overcooked your oven roast. A little thought and creativity can go a long way to having a small kitchen design that satisfies the whole family.

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- Being unrealistic: Envisioning your new kitchen complete with the most gorgeous cabinetry and appliances available can lead to severe overspending. Don’t ignore your budget just because you love the way something looks. Decide on a realistic expenditure and stick with it. Keep a running list of what things cost and if you really must have the pricey cupboards, cut back on the appliances or vice versa. Remain realistic and logical.

- Being impulsive: Never buy the first things that you see. Carry a design notebook with you and take note of items that you find in order to comparison shop and purchase the best components at the best value. Research in stores and online in order to view the widest selections. Photos taken with your cell phone while shopping can help you remember what items look like.

- Unworkable traffic pattern and improper measurements: It’s wise to be extremely meticulous when looking at traffic patterns for optimum functionality. Be careful in measuring the space and deciding upon configuration possibilities.

- Underestimating storage needs: Take an inventory of all cookware, dishes and utensils that you need to cook. Think about how much food you like to typically store in your pantry. Decide where you’ll store the trash can and how much space you’ll need to accommodate everything.

- Choosing a style that doesn’t go with the rest of your home. You don’t want to have an ultra contemporary kitchen with country decorating throughout the rest of your home. An entire household’s design should flow from room to room. If you’re not sure about design compatibility, look through decorating magazines to find a look you want to imitate.

- Blowing your budget with “extras”: Individually, all those extra gadgets don’t seem like such a large amount of money. But add them up and you may find that they’ve put you over your money. Decide what you really need ahead of time and stick to it.

- Forgetting to add the cost of installation into your budget: The cost of installing cupboards, countertops and plumbing fixtures add up. When doing your comparison shopping, be sure to include the cost of installation labor.

Keep a clear head when planning your kitchen design. Being organized will enable you to have a beautiful and workable and that also fits your budget.

In Sarasota, kitchen designs are truly customized to give you the best looking cabinetry. There is no limit to our offerings and you get the finest quality material with great finish. To know more, visit http://www.eurotechcabinetry.com.

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In addition to seating 4 (or more), islands today are used to house “luxury” appliances that do not fit in the cabinet structure like a second microwave, second oven, wine refrigerator or even another cooktop. Islands many times are fully wired for electricity and have plumbing for a second sink. The base of an island can be used as a wine rack. The possibilities are almost endless.

We are often asked if the countertop of the island needs to match the existing kitchen countertop in style, or what will be installed as the main kitchen countertop. In most homes I would say it does match, but it really does not have to at all, nor does the material need to be the same. In fact, if you are not going to match them up exactly it’s better if it looks like you are not even trying to match them, so using a completely different color and surface is perfectly acceptable. For example, we have seen islands of concrete when the rest of the kitchen countertop is made of granite or another material. We have seen a black island used as a nice “dividing wall” to keep the kids away from a white kitchen.

What can we expect to pay for an island during a remodel? This one is too hard to answer because there are simply too many choices. A “ready to install” stock island you can purchase in a home store with connections for drainage and power can run about $800. A custom concrete countertop island with sink, cooktop, and wine refrigerator can easily eclipse $10,000.

If you are not looking just for resale value, and we assume many of you will actually want to use your island, just think if the main uses for the island before construction. Will it be a place for the kids to eat breakfast or a baking center for your wife who like to make pies and cakes? The design should really follow the function when it comes to an island. For example, if you are tired of not being able to put hot pots directly on your countertop, install granite on your island, where placing a red hot pan should be no problem.

Plan the height of your cabinet appropriately. Since most islands will have at least two stools or chairs pulled up to the surface, you may want to think about the seating or stools first. There are two kinds of bar stools with one being much higher than the other. Unless the island will be used primarily for family eating, there really are no hard and fast rules on height. It does not have to match the height of the kitchen cabinet, but often does. If it is not going to match it should be taller in most cases.

Islands can “float” as well. Small kitchen design islands used primarily as an aid in cooking or baking can be fitted with wheels and moved around the kitchen as needed to aid in cooking. Whether you consider a floating island will probably depend on what you have installed on the floor now, or plan to install (a soft wood will be nicked and scratched).

For those remodeling and looking for an “open” feel where perhaps the wall or half wall separating the kitchen and the dining room is taken down, a strategically placed island acts as a subtle room divider mentally separating the kitchen from the dining room but with a much more open feel.

The straight-line arrangement functions nicely for little installations because it can be placed against a wall and adapted to the cooks’ duties. Wherever there isn’t enough room to arrange food preparation in a straight line, a well-liked and efficient option is the parallel flow. There are four variations of the parallel style:

1. Back to back. Gear is arranged inside a long, central counter or island in two straight lines that run parallel to every other. Sometimes a four- or five-foot room divider or low wall is positioned between the two lines. It’s primarily a safety precaution, which keeps noise and clutter to a minimum and prevents liquids spilled on 1 side from spreading onto the other. Nevertheless, placement of a wall here also makes cleaning and sanitation a lot more hard. The back-to-back arrangement centralizes plumbing and utilities; you may not need to install as many drains, sinks, or outlets, as both sides from the counter can share the same ones. A back-to-back arrangement in which the pass window is parallel to (and behind one of) the production places is sometimes recognized as a California-style kitchen. When the pass window is located perpendicular towards the production line, it might be referred to as a European-style kitchen area style. The benefit from the European style is that each cook on the line can see the progression of multiple dishes that make up 1 table’s order.

2. Face to face. In this kitchen area configuration, a central aisle separates two straight lines of gear on either side from the room. Sometimes the aisle is wide sufficient to add a straight line of worktables among the two rows of gear. This setup works well for high volume feeding facilities like schools and hospitals, but it doesn’t take benefit of single source utilities. Even though it’s a great layout for supervision of workers, it forces individuals to perform with their backs to one another, in effect, separating the cooking from the food from the rest from the distribution procedure. Therefore, it’s most likely not the best style for a restaurant.

3. L-shape. Wherever room isn’t sufficient for a straight-line or parallel arrangement, the L-shape kitchen design is nicely suited to access several groups of gear, and is adaptable for table service restaurants. It gives you the ability to place more equipment inside a smaller room. You’ll often find an L-shape design in dish washing areas, using the dish machine positioned at the center corner from the L.

4. U-shape. This arrangement is seldom used, but it’s ideal for a little room with one or two employees, such as a salad preparation or pantry area. An island bar, for example the ones in T.G.I. Friday’s restaurants, is an additional example of the U-shape at perform. There are also circular and square kitchen area designs, but their limited flow patterns make them impractical. Avoid wasted room if you can, by making your kitchen area rectangular, with its entrance on one of the longest walls to save steps.

The a lot more foodservice establishments you visit, the more you’ll realize that the back from the house is really a separate and distinct entity from the rest of the business, with its own peculiar difficulties and unique solutions.

Correct flow planning occasionally means breaking each kitchen area function down into a department, of sorts, after which deciding how those departments ought to interact with every other. They must also interact using the other, external departments from the facility: your dining room, bar, cashier, and so on. A great way to begin the design process-both for the overall company and for the kitchen-is to create a bubble diagram. Each region (or workstation) is represented being a circle, or “bubble,” drawn in pencil within the location you’ve decided may be the most logical for that function. If two different workstations will be sharing some equipment, you might let the sides of their circles intersect slightly, to indicate where the shared equipment might greatest be located.

The finished diagram will seem abstract, but the exercise permits you to visualize every perform center and think about its needs in relation to the other centers. You are able to also lay a kitchen out utilizing a diamond configuration, situating the cooking area at one point of the diamond form, and other crucial areas in relation to it at other points. Notice that this layout minimizes confusion (and accidents) with a separate kitchen entrance and exit. This allows the people who bus the tables to deliver soiled dishes towards the dishwashing area without having to walk via the entire kitchen to do so.

An alternative to drawing diagrams is to list every perform center and then list any other work middle that should be placed adjacent to it. Conversely, list any perform center that ought to not be next to it. For instance, it is most likely not a great idea to have the ice maker and ice storage bin adjacent to the frying and broiling center.

Franco Zinzi has been involved with online marketing for nearly 3 years and likes to write on various subjects. Come visit his latest website which discusses of Restaurant Fridges and Jenn Air Fridges for the owner of his own business.

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Check Overall Kitchen Design

To create a contemporary kitchen, all or most of the major elements of your kitchen design should adhere to that style. While many people create eclectic mixes of contemporary and traditional styling, that approach will not work if the goal is a true contemporary kitchen design. Instead look for contemporary styles of the following elements:

* Kitchen cabinets.

* Countertop.

* Kitchen appliances.

* Kitchen flooring.

* Wall tile.

* Cabinet hardware.

Kitchen Cabinets Set the Tone

The kitchen cabinet style you select will go a long way toward creating a contemporary kitchen design. When planning a cabinet refacing, look for cabinet doors and drawers with:

* Flat fronts and limited detailing.

* No crown molding.

* Sleek materials, such as laminate.

Spice Up Kitchen Design With Modern Appliances

Nothing says contemporary like stainless steel appliances. Look for a sleek side-by-side refrigerator and commercial range to blend with your refaced cabinets. Also look for:

* Thin stainless steel appliance door handles.

* Limited detailing on appliance doors and knobs.

* Shiny stainless steel appliances — not more subtle matte finishes.

Contemporary Kitchen Countertop Styles

Many contemporary kitchen designs feature edgy countertop surfaces, such as:

* Stainless steel – to blend with stainless steel appliances. Carry the metal look on the backsplash for a dramatic look.

* Concrete – this rough, hard surface has an urban look. Look for natural, honed concrete or a painted surface for an added touch.

* Granite countertops – a perennial favorite in many kitchen designs. Try sharp black for a contemporary look.

Kitchen Cabinet Hardware is Finishing Touch

The cabinet knobs and pulls you select should add the finishing touch to your contemporary kitchen design. Try adding styles that have minimal detailing and a sleek, edgy look. Among the options are stainless steel, thin pulls and crisp, round knobs in aluminum.

When planning a cabinet refacing project, look for ways to change your kitchen design. If you’ve always wanted a dramatic, contemporary kitchen design, look for ways to incorporate the style into your new kitchen design.

The kitchen is the central hub of most homes. Whether it’s a family gathering or just a normal day this is usually where most families come together. Having kitchen floor plans that function inside of the family lifestyle is not about pretty décor and fancy appliances, but having a well designed floor plan to compliment the family lifestyle.

When designing the kitchen floor plan, you’ll likely hear the phrase “work triangle” which is the area defined by the location of the refrigerator, the range or cooktop, and the sink. If you keep the triangle compact, you’ll limit travel time between these central appliances. As you see design styles and products change you should be able to use the following labels for floor plans to remain relatively unchanged.

Types of kitchen floor plans

The design of your new kitchen and choosing the best cabinetry should only be considered after determining the layout of the kitchen.  There are five basic layouts found in today’s kitchens defined as – the L, G, U, Single, and Galley.  Many kitchen floor plans can create an efficient flowing design, and can be further enhanced with the right cabinets and accessories.

L Shape- The L-shape kitchen, the most common plan, requires less space and offers more flexibility in the location of workstations. The benefit of this kitchen floor plan is that it not only provides the cook with an efficient work area, but it typically opens to a nearby room, making it easy for the cook to talk with guests.

G Shape- The G-shaped kitchen is a version of the U-shaped kitchen layout, with the same amount of counter space and storage options that surround the cook on three sides. However, the difference with the G-shaped kitchen floor plan is the peninsula or partial fourth wall of additional cabinets.

U Shape- The U-shaped kitchen is the most versatile layout for kitchens because the layout offers continuous counter tops and sufficient storage, which surrounds the cook on three sides. In larger kitchens, this floor plan is spacious enough to be divided into multiple work stations for cooks to easily prepare a meal together without getting in each others way. Pay particular attention to your work triangle here; if the appliances are too close together, you’ll be hemmed in at the corner. Consider a half-wall to open the room to an adjacent space.

Single-Wall- The single wall kitchen floor plan is ideal for smaller homes. The work triangle in this kitchen layout is less like a triangle and more of a work line with all three kitchen zones along one wall. You can enhance a single wall kitchen by adding additional storage and maximize the space by stacking cabinetry such as the wall pantry pull-out above the base super storage.

Galley “Corridor” Shape- The corridor layout has a workspace large enough for one cook. In this kitchen floor plan, the work stations face each other on parallel walls, creating a small work triangle. With this “corridor” plan, try to consolidate counter space near the appliances used most often. To create storage space, consider a bank of base cabinets or a pullout tower pantry. Use restraint — it’s easy to close this plan in.

Designing the kitchen floor plan

Start the process of determining which style of kitchen floor plan most resembles your current layout. When looking at your kitchen, focus on the work triangle created in the room. You may actually determine you can change the floor plan from you existing layout. You also want to keep in the back of your mind that you can also enhance the layout of your kitchen with the right cabinetry and avoid making significant structural changes.

7 Tips For Designing Your Kitchen Floor Plans

1.      Consider the traffic that moves throughout the house and what role the kitchen plays in that movement. Research the different styles you want your kitchen to look like by examining different magazines and visiting different showrooms to get ideas.

2.      Consider the lighting as integral to the design of your kitchen. A well-lit kitchen has different types: task, ambient, accent and decorative.

3.      Design the kitchen so that the work triangle of the kitchen is very easy to maneuver and work in. The work triangle is based on locating the sink, the cooktop range, and the refrigerator so that each of the three legs of the triangle measure between 12 and 26 feet.

4.      Locate the refrigerator so that the door can swing clear and can give two people access to the inside at the same time. It should not be up against a corner or block the entryway into or out of the kitchen.

5.      Locate the sink underneath the window whenever possible. Ideally the sink should be located first and then the other appliances can be placed around it.

6.      Installing the cook top range on an exterior wall will allow for easy installation of the hood and ventilation systems.

7.      Locate the sink in a place where you can have at least 36 inches of free space on one side and 24 inches on the other to allow for a place to put dishes. This also creates space for a dishwasher to be located next to the sink underneath the countertop.

 Whatever you decide a little thought and creativity that revolves around your family lifestyle will ultimately end up in a kitchen design that works best for you. 

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