From the most sacred space in traditional homes to an entertainment hub, kitchens have come a long way in the journey of interior design. A kitchen is no longer a gender-specific area where the lady of the house is toiling away in the heat to prepare a delicious meal for her family. Today’s modern society allows gender-specific guidelines to be blurred. Therefore, in some homes, the kitchen is where families spend their best moments, from cooking together to enjoying their morning breakfast. As bespoke kitchens are a hot trend right now, Shami Goregaokar, Design Director, GA has shared with SURFACES REPORTER (SR) some important aspects of kitchen design. Take a look:
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List The Elements You Want in The Kitchen
A kitchen layout is the most crucial feature of the kitchen. The layout should allow for easy movement within the different zones and be prepared, bearing the existing plumbing and electrical connections. In order to arrive at a well-informed layout, the user should assess all her requirements in terms of cooking space, storage, electronic appliances, lighting and ventilation. It might also help make a list of all the things you do not want in your kitchen.
Do you need a kitchen to cook, or do you also want it to accommodate a place to have meals with your family? Once you’ve ticked your preferred boxes for the list of requirements, you must get involved in the planning – the placement of various zones for preparation, cooking, cleaning, storage and electrical appliances. For narrow kitchens, parallel counters along the length of the kitchen always work best. For square kitchens, counters on 3 sides are advisable for maximum utility of space.
How you want your kitchen to look is a personal choice. However, ideally, the design style of your kitchen should be in sync with the design of the rest of the apartment.
So, for a modern styled apartment, the kitchen design should be modern. A bespoke kitchen design with clean lines and a lot of counter-top space lends elegance to the zone.
Also Read: Five Kitchen Designs to make a statement
A clean kitchen with cheerful colours and neat cabinetry is always a joy to work in. To achieve the uncluttered look, you need ample storage space and built-in appliances. They are visually integrated to give your kitchen a rich look.
Some users, however, prefer free-standing appliances – these too can have a specific place to be stored away when not in use, thus helping to maintain a tidy and sleek look. Adequate cabinetry in a simple, neat finish with trendy colours should provide space for every utility item, thereby reducing counter-top cluttering.
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Flooring Material For Kitchen
Flooring material is the most important part of kitchen design. It needs to be non-slippery, stain-free and easy to clean, especially in line with the Indian style of cooking.
There is a wide range of tiles, from modern to rustic, that can be used for kitchen flooring. Remember that the flooring you use should complement the look and design style of your kitchen.
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Materials For Kitchen Counter-Tops
Kitchen countertops are generally made of granite; however, quartz has gained immense popularity as a counter-top stone in the last few years. Quartz has similar qualities as that of granite and is available in a wide range of colours. Corian is also a hard material available in many colours and can be used as a counter-top, but it is not scratch-proof.
Kitchen cabinet finishes are available in any colour that you want. They can be made of laminate, glass, acrylic or even natural veneer for the bespoke look.
Cabinets can be customized to your size, colour and finish to suit the design of your kitchen.
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Well-Planned Lighting Scheme
Kitchen lighting has to be factored in at the planning stage to make provisions for wiring, light fittings, electronic appliances and heating/ventilation. Apart from general illumination in the kitchen, each zone should have specific task lights – the cooking zone, the sink, the storage and the preparation area.
Also Read: Luxury blends with Function in this Kitchen Design
Task lights are generally fitted underneath the overhead cabinets, so they are mostly concealed. It is important to create a well-planned lighting scheme for your kitchen that sets the mood for cooking and entertaining. Clever lighting can make your kitchen look spectacular and mood-changing.
Every user wants their kitchen to be a comfortable space where they can spend their productive time effortlessly. They want their kitchen to look neat, clean and stylish. It should accommodate everything from expensive crockery and a washing machine to massive space for dead storage of the entire house! And this can be made possible with wise planning and careful designing.
Shami Goregaokar, Design Director, GA
About Shami Goregaokar
Shami studied interior design at Sir J J School of Arts as well as the Nirmala Niketan Polytechnic in Mumbai. She works on interior design projects of luxury apartments and club houses at GA design, Mumbai. She also holds an online certification as a Color Consultant from ISCD, Sydney (Australia) and has completed an Interior styling online course from the University of Arts, London.
Shami is a certified colour consultant and is equipped with extensive knowledge on interior styling as well as colour and lighting concepts. She combines this knowledge with a keen eye for latest design trends to create integrated urbane designs. Shami’s design approach compliments the research-based ethos of GA design.
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