Mon, 27 Jan 2003

Kitchen designs and remodeling

If you want to remodel your kitchen, preparing a proper layout is probably the most important step in the process. Although there are a wide range of options available in kitchen cabinets and storage, you should not ignore the basic concepts of design. When your kitchen is designated properly, it will be a place that is both pleasurable to prepare your meals in and pleasing to the eye.

Lighting is a very important and often overlooked item when designing your new kitchen. Most older homes have one of two overhead lights and a single light over the sink. Try to eliminate all of the shadows, if possible, when designing your kitchen lighting, and take advantage of existing and or a new window placements. This can be accomplished in a variety of ways and must be tailored to your own unique kitchen design.

The flooring you choose for your remodeled kitchen will have a huge impact on the overall appeal of your kitchen design. When choosing your flooring material keep in mind the durability, cleanability and cost of the product used. Vinyl-type flooring is probably used more than any other flooring product in the kitchen, although it damages rather easily.

Ceramic tile floors further enhance the overall appearance of a kitchen, but they require more maintenance and are more difficult to clean than other flooring options. Laminate-type flooring is growing more popular every year. This can be manufactured to resemble either wood or tile designs and provides excellent durability at an excellent price.

Kitchen designs need not be expensive. In fact, with a little creativity, your kitchen can be transformed into your dream kitchen.

Preparing a good design is not an easy task. You have to know not only about the proper materials to use but also about lighting and color, and many other important aspects in the remodeling process. Asking advice from a interior and kitchen designer might be the best way to get information before you start your remodeling work. But for those who are smart enough, cruising the Internet might be much more effective. You can get information from many different sources.

Decoration.remodeling-decorating.com, for example, is one of many websites you can browse for advice and inspiration. Below are some tips provided by the website:

-- Don't ignore basic design concepts. To create a comfortable working triangle between the refrigerator, stove and sink, an imaginary line that joins them should measure no more than six or seven meters. Longer distances can be tiring while extremely short ones create a closed-in area that is uncomfortable to work in. -- When possible use natural lighting, which is more diffuse than artificial lighting. For artificial lighting consider L- shaped track lighting on the ceiling to boost overall light levels in the room, and task lighting under the cabinets. Under cabinet lighting comes in several varieties, from fluorescent lights to low-voltage halogen fixtures, which cast a bright, white light. -- The stove or cooking surface should be placed along an exterior wall with a good hood or ventilation system. -- Shelves or cabinets above the stove top can hold foods that are not affected by warmth, such as rice, pasta and cereal, as well as spices and other cooking supplies. -- To avoid the expense of replacing expensive plumbing start your kitchen design keeping the sink in its current location. -- Keep in mind that the dishwasher should be located within easy reach of the sink. -- If you are thinking about placing a table in your kitchen, remember that a round table takes up less space but can accommodate more people if needed.