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mdesign, kitchen design

Kitchens: The heart of any home

08.06.20

By Malika Junaid

The kitchen is one of my favourite spaces to design as it offers plenty of creative design opportunities. When designed well, it becomes the heart of any home.

There are 6 core elements that define every great kitchen:

  1. Human-Centric Design

A kitchen should always be designed with the homeowners in mind.

The layout should facilitate social connection! Islands with cooktops is the best way to engage with others while preparing a meal. If that island can function as a breakfast countertop, this potential is further maximized.

  1. Sleek, Functional Surfaces

It’s easier than ever to acquire beautiful, innovative and diverse materials for building kitchens. This plentitude of choice can be overwhelming, thus some of my favorite countertop materials hereunder:

  1. Antibacterial Synthetics

They are most suitable if you have a family member in the house with health issues. KRION is my top choice in this category. Aside from the health benefits, KRION allows flexibility in design: it can shape into any form you desire.

Stainless Steel

For clients seeking a modern industrial look, my choice is always stainless steel. Its sleek, trendy, anti-bacterial and can be used in diverse ways. Though surface scratches develop over time, I see this as adding character, rather than an imperfection.

Natural Stone and Granite

Natural stones and granite are classic choices. In modern kitchens, they look best when they have linear patterns or single tone slabs. If you are looking for extra shine though, Dekton is a beautifully sleek and contemporary countertop.

  1. Smart Hardware and Automation

Automation can add a level of comfort and accessibility that is not only efficient but excites the senses. For example, Blum Servo-Drive automatic openers for top cabinets and drawers is perfect for adding convenience and enabling a smooth design. I have also built hidden appliance cabinets into backsplashes where a simple hand gesture brings down the backsplash to access appliances.

  1. Effective Lighting

The ubiquitous nature of LED can result in a harsh, unappealing atmosphere, if overdone. To avoid this, keep 3 things in mind when Iighting a kitchen:

  • Color Temperature

Lighting falls on a spectrum of warm to cool, with warm candlelight set at 1800K and cool daylight at 7500K. The temperature you choose for your kitchen should be harmonious with the surrounding areas of your home. For modern houses, this is typically in the range of 3000-3500K.

  • Zones

Dividing a kitchen into zones allows for lighting to be strategically placed. I recommend creating at least 2 zones: A cooking zone and an eating zone. The lighting in each zone should be individually controllable.

  • Scenes

‘Scenes’ refers to the different activities and atmospheres that are desired in your kitchen. For example, large gatherings would require full lighting but relaxed days at home would call for more subdued illumination. Your lighting should be flexible enough to accommodate various scenes.

  1. Beautiful Cabinet Colors

One of my favourite things about modern kitchens is the sheer choice of cabinet colors and textures. Contrasting boldly colored cabinets against crisp white walls , perhaps even some natural wood, is a design approach I’ve taken many times.

  1. Something Special

To achieve uniqueness, a modern kitchen should always have something that captures the viewers’ attention. For instance, in one of my projects I used a tropical aquarium, filled with colorful fish as the kitchen’s entire backsplash. It worked as living art.

By breaking the mould and pursuing an unconventional design choice, you can take your kitchen from simply beautiful, to exceptional.

Learn more here: https://www.mdesignsarchitects.com/

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