It is considered one of the most important rooms in a home. Used for cooking, eating and sometimes entertaining, the kitchen is pretty much the heart of any home. It is usually equipped with a stove, refrigerator, microwave, toaster and possibly a dishwasher. Some architectural designs even accommodate a washer and dryer, but that’s pretty atypical.
A kitchen is often the center of family activities. It’s the place where junior does his homework, dad checks his email early in the morning and mom visits with her girlfriends in the afternoon. At one point or another during the day, everyone ends up in the kitchen and that’s a good incentive to make this busy hub as inviting and attractive as possible.
The characteristics of the kitchen depend on budget, size and lifestyle. The architectural structure of some buildings only allows for miniature cooking spaces – apartments come to mind – while others have a lot of space, yet are organized in a rather simplistic way. No need to have the ultimate kitchen with an island, a microwave, a dishwasher, multiple stainless steel appliances, fancy pendant lights, granite countertops or antique copper patinated sinks with designer bronze faucets, when the chef is never home.
It is not always optional that a kitchen ends up underprivileged. The style of an older house can be quite space-restrictive, or there’s always the possibility that, with baby number three on the way, the resident family grew a little too quickly. These are just a couple of the reasons why limited space can make a kitchen undesirable or cramped. In that case, a home decorator or a more specific design expert can help with advice. For example replacing a hutch with an undulating island will create much more work space, and an island with a drop leaf and wheels can provide mobile convenience. Tucked against a wall, it won’t even interrupt the room’s traffic. And don’t forget floating shelves if you need extra storage