A Guide To Planning Your Kitchen Interior Design
The process of planning your kitchen interiors involves more than just picking the colour of the walls, cabinets or appliances you need everyday. It’s important you know how much space needs to be left between two kitchen counter rows or the correct height for a breakfast bar. It is also important to decide on the essential features and storage solutions that need to be incorporated into a kitchen’s interior design based on who is using it. This guide will help you plan your kitchen interiors just the way an interior designer would determine the look and layout of a new kitchen.
Do You Have Enough Space In Your Kitchen?
An ideal modular kitchen design has everything you need, where you need it, and at easy reach! Think of how and where you use various items in your kitchen and put everything accordingly. The shape of your kitchen and the floor space plays an essential role in accomplishing this. And with the necessary information in a place you plan your kitchen interior design with the help of a professional.
Before you get started to remember the right layout is a base to designing the perfect kitchen. It helps determine the kind of storage options you can add, additional design elements that can fit in and the type of lighting that will play well with your kitchen. So let’s begin with the most important step, designing a kitchen layout!
What Is A Kitchen Layout?
The kitchen layout is the shape of your kitchen. There are six basic types of kitchen layouts: G-shaped, L-shaped, straight, parallel, U-shaped and island kitchen. This is created with the order of the kitchen countertop, essential appliances and storage spaces. This further creates the work triangle or the space between the refrigerator, sink, and your stove. While designing your kitchen and choosing the cabinetry the first thing you need to consider is the layout. Designing a kitchen is extremely subjective. A layout that might be ideal for one can be tragic for another mainly because of the taste, working styles and lifestyle that is different. Hence choose a kitchen layout based on your everyday requirements and taste.
Types Of Kitchen Layouts
Now that you know what a kitchen layout is and how important it is in designing a kitchen, let’s learn a little more about the different types of kitchen layouts you can choose from.
L-Shaped Kitchen
In an L-shaped kitchen layout there are two rows of cabinet walls that are perpendicular to one another which form the shape of letter L. It is one of the most useful kitchen layouts for modern homes. It offers a smooth and efficient workspace. This layout lets the appliances and cabinetry be placed along right angled walls with free space in the centre so you can move around while cooking. An L-shaped kitchen works only if your kitchen is square shaped. If you have a small or a rectangular-shaped kitchen this layout can work well provided it is not too narrow (like the small kitchens in a 1BHK apartment).
Explore More About L-Shaped Modular Kitchen Designs For Indian Homes
U-Shaped Kitchen
A U-shaped kitchen is an excellent choice for any type of kitchen. It refers to a layout where the counter runs along three sides of a kitchen creating the shape of the alphabet U. It’s versatile and suitable for every kitchen, be it big or small as it can be planned to make sure that all the essential appliances are within a comfortable reach of each other. A U-shaped kitchen layout is also an excellent choice for large kitchens with enough width. If you live in a joint family where multiple cooks prepare meals at the same time this kitchen layout will offer a great deal of counter space. The kitchen cabinetry in a U-shaped kitchen layout typically comprises wall-mounted cabinets fixed along all three sides with base and other additional units if you require more storage.
Explore More About U Shaped Kitchen Design Ideas For Indian Homes
Parallel Kitchen
A parallel kitchen is a classic layout with a narrow space with two walls on either side with a passageway between them. A parallel kitchen is ideal for small-sized homes or a small family with a single person using the kitchen. This layout is designed with base and wall cabinets on either side. It is a simple layout that compromises the space for corner cabinets.
Explore More About 20 Beautiful Parallel Kitchen Designs
Straight Kitchen
A straight kitchen layout works well for the tiniest kitchen out there. It takes up only a single wall leaving some space to walk around. It’s designed with basic wall and base cabinetry. If you live in a 1BHK apartment, a studio apartment or have a small kitchen, this is the right choice for you.
Additional Design Elements To Consider For Your Modular Kitchen
Apart from choosing the right kitchen layout and essential modules here are a few design elements that you can consider adding to your kitchen interiors. Let us take a look at them.
Island Counter
Incorporating an island counter is an excellent way of adding a statement to your kitchen. It’s incredibly versatile in its function. It can be designed with a hob and chimney, a sink, grill, breakfast counter, and a bar counter. Island counters are best suited for large kitchens with an open plan layout.
Breakfast Counter
Breakfast counters have become a popular choice with hip, modern homeowners. They are perfect for small families and working couples who need quick meals before work and a lazy Sunday brunch. Breakfast counters are a casual extension of the formal dining table experience where the emphasis is on comfort, ease of use and functionality. You can custom design them with storage options such as shelves, drawers, cutlery trays and even a bar unit.
Multifunctional Furniture
Multifunctional furniture helps you make the most of your kitchen by intelligently using space for two or more functions. Here are a few multifunctional furniture ideas you can pick from.
An Appliance Garage
Appliance garage, as the name suggests, is a large tall unit that is a mini kitchen in itself. It can house appliances like mixers, blenders, induction plates, hobs and more that are all neatly tucked away in a shuttered tall unit that otherwise rests on your countertop eating up most of your cooking space. It can further be customised with storage options such as drawers, shelves or pull-outs.
Pantry
If your square footage allows the luxury of one then consider adding a pantry in your kitchen to stock your groceries and large containers. If you have a big kitchen, a small section can be created as shown in this image here with ample space for racks, drawers and cabinets to store all your groceries.
A Drop Down Dining Table
If you have a small family and don’t have space in your kitchen for a breakfast counter, a drop-down dining table that neatly tucks away into your wall, is a great way to make the most of your space.
5 Things To Know Before You Start A Kitchen Design Project
Before you begin designing your kitchen or start looking for an interior designer for this mammoth project here are a few questions that you must ask yourself:
How Often Do You Use Your Kitchen?
The design of your kitchen and its units are heavily influenced by the time you spent in it. If you are someone who uses your kitchen rarely or on weekends you will not need as much storage and functionalities. On the other hand, if you cook every day you will want to get the maximum value out of your kitchen. A simple or basic kitchen design that’s light on the budget is ideal if you have a cook. Additional features and functionalities can be added depending on the time spent in the kitchen.
How Big Is Your Family?
The functionalities of your kitchen are directly proportional to the size of your family. Whether you have a small or a large kitchen, you can get the best value by designing it to suit the needs of your family. A well thought out kitchen with the right functionalities, storage solutions and accessories will make cooking an easy and breezy affair irrespective of the number of people you cater too.
What Materials And Finishes To Choose For Your Kitchen?
Knowing what materials and finishes to use in a kitchen helps you not just to keep your budget in check but also ensure the longevity of one of the most frequently used spaces of your home. A kitchen is an environment of extremes in terms of heat, moisture and endurance. Hence, choosing the right material and finishes is a vital part of designing a kitchen.
What Kitchen Style Do You Prefer?
Your kitchen must match your taste and style. So what you need to do first is to identify your sense of style. Do you relish the sophistication of a simple minimalist kitchen or are someone who doesn’t fear going bold with loud colours and edgy style of an industrial kitchen. Perhaps you want to bring back the old-world charm with a rustic kitchen? Well, you get the drift right?
Explore More About Modular Kitchen Styles
What Is Your Budget?
Your kitchen can be the most expensive part of your home interiors if not planned wisely. There are several units, accessories, hardware, materials and finishes that go into designing a well-thought out modular kitchen design. Therefore, it’s essential to have a fair understanding of all costs involved if you are planning to design a kitchen that fits your budget and meets your requirements.
There are also a few elements that you must have in your kitchen:
What Type Of Lighting Works For A Kitchen?
Here is the important part. We recommended that you plan your kitchen lighting early on in the process – at the extension design stage or while you’re choosing a layout for your kitchen. Lighting plays an essential role in binding the interiors of your kitchen together. Your focus shouldn’t just be on how to make your kitchen functional with the right storage and features but also if it has the right kind of lighting for different activities.
So let’s explore a few types of lighting that are good for kitchens:
Spotlights
Spotlights do a terrific job of providing lighting for countertop activities. So for instance if you are planning to install a chimney in your kitchen do know that it will engulf most of your stove with a shadow making it hard to cook. This is where spotlights above your countertop will save your day (and meal).
Pendant Lights
Pendant lights create a focal point by drawing the eye to a particular object. It will accentuate the design and architectural highlights of your kitchen. If you are planning to build an island or a breakfast counter these lights can be hung over them. And if you are planning to design a kitchen with only base cabinets then you can also use pendant lights over the countertop as shown in this image here.
Cove Lights
If you have an open-walled kitchen or if your kitchen is visible from your living space then do install cove lights for an aesthetically pleasing look. Besides, these lights will also create symmetry between your kitchen and common areas. The only issue with installing cove lights in your kitchen is that they eat up loft space. So therefore if you are planning to utilise dead space with full-length wall cabinets this isn’t the right type of lighting for you.
Strip Lights
Strip lights are an excellent way to add soft lighting in your kitchen. You can install them under the wall cabinets, inside the shelves or even on the floor. Strip lights work like guiding lights at night if you just want to grab a bottle of water and don’t wish to turn on any bright lights.
Chandelier
Not everyone’s choice for a kitchen but this one will surely turn heads! If you wish to add a centrepiece in your kitchen do install a chandelier. Avoid using huge, antique, crystal chandeliers instead pick something more modern, trendy and elegant as shown in this image here.
And that’s everything you need to know before you start planning your kitchen interior design. We hope this guide helps you to get started and design yourself the kitchen you always dreamed of.
Also, Check Out
