By James Mahoney

Custom kitchen design requires development of many details in several areas to be able to create the plans for your custom kitchen. Being able to create a custom kitchen design can be a very challenging task. It is important to satisfy the needs for style of the kitchen, as well as cooking, dining, socializing and your budget. This can be a very tall order when it comes to being able to design a beautiful kitchen where many hours are spent creating delicious meals, that can combine aesthetic beauty and function, and that will inspire compliments and serve as the focal point of your home.

Renovating a kitchen usually starts with a design for convenience, organization and functionality.
Many people want to change the look of their kitchen by developing great kitchen decorating ideas and also find ways to create a new feel for their kitchens and provide an atmosphere that they can be comfortable in and create a kitchen in an efficient and organized way.

As to where to begin, well you might want to start be browsing and saving ideas you may come across in magazines, online sources, the library and other resources. After you have put together enough design ideas you can start to plan your custom kitchen design. Good kitchen design depends on knowing about the latest trends in kitchen design.

There are many things to consider when you are planning your custom kitchen design. Among them are the areas of the kitchen to be used for storage. These areas include the pantry, cabinets, drawers, shelving, and pot racks and rails.

Kitchen Countertop Materials

Other areas to look at include kitchen countertop materials. Should you use marble or granite? These are the most expensive materials for kitchen countertops, although it is the most attractive. Other countertop materials are Corian, which is more affordable than marble and granite, and has a seamless design that look clean. Stock laminates make up the most affordable kitchen countertop material, although it is not seamless and the seams can catch dirt. Ceramic tile is best if it is used on the walls between the countertops and cabinets - the backsplash area. This is a better place for the use of ceramic tile because it will not get as dirty, particularly the grout area.

Kitchen Lighting Design

The right kitchen lighting design is important in that the kitchen serves as the hub of the home and provides a good place for family gatherings as well as a place to cook and prepare meals. There are many different light sources that can be used in most kitchens. These include pendant lighting, track lighting and recessed lighting as well as ceiling elements with dimming controls that can be arranged.

Task lighting is available in many different shapes and colors and they have a lot of flexibility. You can place separate lighting over the stove, sink, island and other work surfaces

Under the cabinet lighting should be considered in the kitchen as well. Use them to illuminate countertops.

Kitchen Appliances

Remodeling your kitchen provides a good time to evaluate your old kitchen appliances. You can consider new appliances that include professional grade.

New Electrical Outlets

Consider adding more electrical outlets just in case you might need them in the future. This should include adding outlets to a kitchen island.

Kitchen Flooring Choices

Ceramic tile is both durable and attractive, but make sure the grout is sealed well so spills and traffic don't ruin the clean look. Hardwood flooring can really express your style, but require some maintenance. Laminate wood flooring is a less expensive than hardwood flooring, and it can provide both looks and durability. Vinyl is the most affordable choice in kitchen flooring, is easy to maintain and is available in hundreds of patterns, styles and colors

Now is the time to begin to plan your custom kitchen. You should immediately establish a budget before you actually have the plans drawn. Without having done this kind of planning, you may have some unexpected and unwanted surprises in creating your new kitchen design. Your goal during the budget process is to spend your money on what is important to you and that is how the perfect custom kitchen is created.

You will find that there are all kinds of help available to you. For instance there are also many types of kitchen design software programs that are being used by kitchen professionals that you can also use to help you with developing your custom kitchen design.

By James Mahoney

Today's modern kitchen serves as a family hub of household activity and entertaining. They are now well lit, open places. The kitchen's size and design should address your family's lifestyle and how your kitchen is used for cooking, eating and entertaining. Since the kitchen is called on to fill more roles than any other room in the house they have had to increase in size as well. Today's kitchen design challenge is in creating an open-faced kitchen - one that's part of a dining area, family room or so-called great room.

Both the function and style of the modern kitchen play important roles when tackling a kitchen design or renovation project.
If you're remodeling an existing kitchen or planning a kitchen addition or a new home, here is some current kitchen design trends to keep in mind.

One of the more recent trends in modern kitchen design ideas is to make the kitchen part of a 'great room', that is to combine the kitchen with an adjacent family room. To create the great room the wall separating the kitchen and family room or dining room is completely removed creating a more open space centered by a spacious kitchen island or peninsula.

There are some definite advantages to expanding the kitchen. You can open up the space and in so doing you make both the kitchen and the other room look and feel more specious. Also since kitchen cabinetry, countertops and appliances are beautiful pieces of furniture in their own right you can now show off your new kitchen. Your remodeling costs won't really increase all that much by opening up the kitchen other than the cost of extra cabinetry. Anyway the added cost that would be put into this type of kitchen design would be more that offset by the increase in the value of your home.

Furniture-style cabinetry will continue to be a popular trend in kitchen design at least according to the National Kitchen & Bath Association (NKBA). These furniture-style cabinets are considered to be especially popular in the development of kitchen islands. Features that give cabinets a furniture-like appearance are legs or bun feet, corbals onlays and mouldings. Cabinet doors are made with solid hardwoods, the most popular being maple and cherry. As for finishes light and medium finishes continue to be popular, although kitchen designers and trendwatchers also see a growing interest in deep, rich browns as influenced by the furniture industry to some extent and to create a more formal look for the kitchen.

Cabinet manufacturers and kitchen designers are starting to design more individual and freestanding pieces of furniture instead of the usual built-in cabinetry for expanded 'great room' kitchens. This is known as the 'unfited' kitchen design first popularized by English designers and cabinetmakers. This also leads to another trend of incorporating features from heirloom quality furniture such as glazed, distressed and antique finishes.

Undermounted sinks in both cast iron and stainless steel are among recent changes in kitchen design because homeowners like the clean smooth look which blends with modern designs. The advantages of an undermounted sink are that it is functional, beautiful and very easy to install. The bowl is attached underneath a countertop. No sink rim shows above the countertop and there is no lip to collect water and catches dirt and crumbs. Instead debris is easily swept into the sink so that the counter can be cleaned faster.

Other recent trends in modern kitchen design include:

Countertops: Natural stone remains most popular countertop material with the most popular being granite. Limestone is another popular choice. Mixing different materials is becoming more common, using stone on some counters, butcher block or concrete on others.

Appliances: Commercial quality appliances are becoming popular particularly ranges, as are built in refrigerators and European style dishwashers. Warming drawers and convection microwave ovens that can be used as a second oven are also popular.

Putting pots and pans into drawers. With heavy-duty drawer glides one can put large, heavy pots in drawers instead of cupboards now.

Cabinet door thickness is likely to be 1 inch instead of 3/4 inch since this size is more considered as being of higher quality.

Glazed, distressed and antique finishes are being used more and more to replace traditional ornate details once used on many high-end cabinets.

Painted finishes now include colors as cranberry, white, off-white and oyster.

According to kitchen designers as today's kitchen expands in size and complexity, "mixed orders" are becoming more commonplace. Kitchen islands, wet bars, baking centers and butler's pantries are being incorporated into more and more kitchen designs creating the need for more contrasts-in cabinet styles, colors, types of wood and finishes.

By James Mahoney

If you have a small kitchen to design then the problem of designing a great kitchen boils down to just what you can fit and where. There are many different cabinet designs and surface patterns that can help you provide your small kitchen design with a sense of space.

To create the small but efficient kitchen design, you need to work on three major areas of small kitchen design: storage, lighting, and appliances.

Small kitchens may seem to be a very difficult design challenge, but they can also be functional, beautiful and efficient. Even with a small budget and building restrictions, you can find that there are many options open to you to transform your kitchen into something more ideal for your needs.

To create a more spacious look for your small kitchen design the National Kitchen and Bath Association (NKBA) recommends designing more unique storage solutions, mixing natural and ambient lighting, taking advantage of more space saving appliances, and adding personalized touches.

A small kitchen design requires creativity in coming up with storage solutions. Some ideas to try include:

· Putting an island in the center of the kitchen that can provide freestanding storage that is also convenient from any spot in the kitchen.

· Using a galley kitchen design in which the cabinets and appliances line up on either side of a corridor can work out very well for a small kitchen space.

· Today's appliance manufacturers have come up with more compact space-saving appliances make small kitchen design easier, such as refrigerators that are 24 inches deep instead of 30 inches deep, as well as appliances that can be hung underneath cabinets like microwaves.

· Other small kitchen design tricks to create an eating area in the kitchen include using a drop table or a small sized round table with two small chairs that can be tucked into a corner. Or a built-in counter along the wall with chairs to provide an eating nook.

· Another interesting challenge in small kitchen design is creating an illusion of space with under cabinet lighting or under the counter. With the proper type of lighting the kitchen can be made to appear larger and more pleasing.

· The use of light colored cabinets with glass doors.

· Installing deeper counters that can accommodate more appliances and increase work space.

· Flooring tiles can be placed on a diagonal, and in a galley style kitchen hardwood flooring can be run the length of the kitchen.

· For storage you can hang up pots and pans. This is a perfect way to free up cabinet space, and they add a certain charm and character to your small kitchen design. The insides of cabinet doors can be used to hang up everything from utensils, oven mitts, and other miscellaneous items. Pantry storage with units that go all the way to the ceiling with the upper cabinets to provide more space for seldom used items while making the lower cabinets more accessible with rollout shelves, lazy susans, and tilt-out bins.

· Install a large kitchen sink, since larger sinks are considered to be more practical than small sinks when it comes to cleaning pots and pans.

Remember most kitchens are small. When you look in kitchen design magazines you naturally notice that the kitchens featured are large and so you might think your small kitchen in inadequate. But good small kitchen design means being able to create space and incorporating ample storage facilities and being able to fit in all the necessary appliances.

By Hywel A Merrett

Let's get right to it and discover what we need to think about in terms of kitchen layout and what you should consider before moving a hob or sink...

Planning - Section 1

Existing kitchen layout

o How old is your house? If it's relatively new I would recommend staying with the same basic layout - certainly location of sink, oven and hob. A qualified architect will already have designed the room with the best (and safest) use of space in mind. (You don't have to change things just for the sake of it - new units and worktops will transform it anyway).

Existing room features to be worked around

o Modern houses normally have rectangular shaped rooms with few physical features to hinder your design. However if your bathroom is directly above the kitchen then there might be a pipe-box in one of the corners or a sloping section of ceiling if the staircase is in that part of the house. (Remember this when planning wall or larder units).

o In older properties you may have to contend with a chimney breast or an old pantry that might need to be worked-around or removed before the new kitchen will fit. (Now that we have modern refrigerators, many people do away with pantries in favour of a larger kitchen).

Existing equipment features to be worked around

o The usual culprit here is the central heating boiler. Older style, large, floor-mounted boilers are obtrusive and inefficient compared to modern equivalents. Consider renewing and/or relocating it if it's getting in the way and your budget allows.

o Likewise if the kitchen has a heating radiator installed, it may make sense to relocate this or change it for a narrower towel rail type if it's spoiling your plan. This would be straightforward if you have access under the floor, but if the pipes are buried under concrete it's not going to be so easy

Is room being enlarged or changed shape?

o If you're enlarging the kitchen with an extension, or knocking a wall through to a dining room maybe, then your options are greater. But if you do think of moving the sink etc, remember that water, gas and electricity supplies may have to be moved too and this can get expensive.
(Despite what a kitchen salesman might tell you, you don't have to fill it all with units just because you have extra room available - sometimes a room can look too 'busy' with no open wall space).

Tip: We've done a few kitchen/dining room knock-throughs now and created some pretty spectacular rooms - BUT if the wall is a 'supporting wall', then you must get a Building Warrant so I would highly recommend seeking specialist advice (having your upstairs rooms downstairs is not good)

How many people live in the house, how many will use the kitchen, what ages are they - do you have a young family?

o Who is in the house, their ages and their ability to reach cupboards (young or old) should be on your mind here. Are you single, a couple, a family with young children or teenagers? Or maybe looking after an elderly parent? Kitchens are often multi-functional for most families ranging in use from food preparation to hobby and homework areas.

Tip: we rarely specify extra tall wall units (900mm) anymore as they're just too high for most people to reach without steps - as a result the top shelves become a home for clutter and things you'll never use. Also, the smaller gap between ceiling and the top of the unit tends to make the room look smaller and darker.

o Think whether you want a breakfast-bar area to sit at for snacks, coffees and reading the paper, or maybe you need space for a proper table and chairs. Of course, a lot depends on the size of the room and this will largely dictate how you use it and what you put in it.

o Also give thought to who's cooking in it and what their cooking style is - are you the next Gordon Ramsay or more of a microwave-meal cook? This will also reflect in your choice of oven & hob, sink & tap and fridge freezer - basically all your food preparation and cooking equipment.

Existing location of sink, oven & hob

o Think twice before moving any of these items. If your plan shows them any more than about a metre away from their existing location then the plumbing and electrical work might take a larger part of your budget than you thought. Having said that, in some situations it makes sense to do so if these items were in a poor position anyway.

Also moving the sink, oven or hob to an 'island' location in the middle of the room can look amazing and become a focal point of the whole room (and house!). Just be aware of the practicalities of moving the services (the type of floor is your biggest consideration here - wood: easy, concrete: not!)

By Marci McFarland

The latest look in kitchens is spacious, pristine, neutral clear cut lines and totally clutter-free. This was the look that carried off the 2008 Regional Chrysalis Award for The Best Kitchen Remodel. It is indicative of the look favored by Arclinea who worked on the design with architects Ruhl Walker.

Supreme care has been taken with every detail in this kitchen, with a silent stainless and glass hood fan ensuring total peace. The most functional parts of the kitchen are enclosed behind large streamlined closet doors, which blend in so well with the room that they almost appear to be another wall.

Simplicity would appear to be the hallmark of this company. In one of the designs favored by them, much of the functional clutter (i.e. the dishwasher, all the smaller kitchen appliances and the food storage areas) are enclosed behind huge tall closet doors.

However, there is no cramped feeling inside, there is space for pantry storage and room to maneuver trolleys on wheels etc. With most of the working of the kitchen kept here, the need for clutter is gone. In the kitchen proper, a large deep kitchen sink and stainless steel stove complement the palest of silver gray granite work surfaces.

With walls, doors and paintwork in white, neutrals and stainless steel, one almost gets the feel of an office rather than a kitchen. In this respect the designer does give a whole different feel to a 'kitchen'. Even the handles of drawers and cabinets are shaped and concealed rather than being displayed as a drawer knob or door handle.

Many of the drawer units are designed along the lines of a 'filing cabinet' look, adding to the efficient atmosphere of the kitchen. The seamless look of the kitchen integrates perfectly with a modern floating fireplace.

In one design a large floating pantry, touching neither floor nor ceiling houses a special fridge and dishwasher just for the children and joins into the breakfast room.

Great attention has been paid to detail, with features such as non-drip edges molded into the stainless steel ledges. Each cupboard and drawer interior is a gasp of amazement as innovative ideas rush at you. One cutlery drawer has a wooden butchers block inside with vertical slats to house each knife.

If you want to look at your kitchen and see only pristine spaces instead of work-related items 'decorating' the surfaces, perhaps you should think of remodeling along these lines.

By Lisa A Mason

Organization is the key to designing the perfect pantry. It maximizes storage capacity and increases your efficiency in the kitchen. It also allows you to take advantage of good sales to ease your budget.

You should be able to see everything you have stored at a glance, when you plan it out carefully.

One wall should hold shallow shelves from top to bottom. This should be for spices and canned goods.

Keep vegetables, fruits, soups, tuna fish, etc. all in those shallow shelves. Your deeper shelving should be used for packaged goods, cold cereals, pasta, rice, jarred tall items like condiments, jellies, bottled sauces, syrups, juices, coffee, tea canisters and other beverages.

If you do a lot of baking, those things should have their own wall of shelves. A good way to set them up is with deep shelves, but shallow ones above them. That allows you to store large bags of flour, sugar, big boxes of cake mix, corn meal, etc., on the deep shelves, and put things like baking powder, soda, flavorings, cocoa, decorating items etc. on the shelf directly above . It's not a bad place to store cookbooks either!

Under the deep shelves you can store baskets, bins, a kitchen stool and such. In a deep corner you can use a lazy suzan for things like salad dressings, seasoning packets, and so on. On the back of your pantry door, hang a hook that you can snap your broom into, for easy access. Another one for your dust pan and you are all set.

By Roger Klein

INTRODUCTION

Many of my clients have, unfortunately, initiated the design of their kitchen without an understanding of the extent of what is actually involved in the process, in terms of design, budget, timeline and other issues. In these cases, our design process together, was frustrating for the client and for me. As a result, this article will clarify the process so that you will have the opportunity to become better informed before you begin your kitchen project, thereby avoiding uninformed decisions or possibly spending time and/or money needlessly.

This article is not about the specific design features of your kitchen and how to design it. There are many good resources available for that. Instead, it is about the process of designing your kitchen. It is meant to help in getting a head start and to expose anyone who is, or might be, embarking upon the design of a new or remodeled kitchen, to the first and most important step - Planning.

Designing a kitchen for a new or existing home is a big investment in time, money and energy and it is sometimes stressful and challenging. Unfortunately, some vendors and TV programs don't like to dwell on this aspect and therefore mislead the consumer regarding the actual amount of time and effort that is required. Even though creating a new kitchen is challenging, most clients say that the results are more than worth the effort. I hope that the information provided herein will be a helpful contribution toward having you well on your way to a successful project.

Before you begin the process of designing your new kitchen, you will need to set the criteria for the design. I recommend that you engage a professional kitchen designer that not only designs the cabinet layout, but designs every element of the kitchen and is involved throughout the entire project, so that the final result will be a cohesive design that reflects optimum function and style. The designer will not only help you create a beautiful, efficient, kitchen but will save you significant time and money and you will both have fun developing your joint creation. I trust that what follows will get your energy flowing and thoughts racing, in preparation for actually embarking upon your journey. And, it "is" a journey!

THE KITCHEN OF TODAY

The kitchen has traditionally been the most important room in the house because cooking and sharing food has long been central to family life. Meals will always be important, but cooking has, in some cases, significantly changed. The grocery industry has focused on replacements for home meals and hundreds of restaurants have incorporated "to-go" in their business model. Whether we cook frequently or not, kitchens remain the foundation of family life because it is where we live and gather. It is where most of us start and end our days and share the information of our day.

Today's kitchens serve more roles than ever before: entertainment center, home office, cooking and dining space. The electronics for an entertainment center may include TV, music and internet connection and the office area may have a desk, files, computer and bookshelves.

THE FIRST STEPS

Determine with your family, who uses your current kitchen and how, and discuss the conveniences you would like to have in the new version. Make a scrapbook of articles and notes on kitchens and kitchen features that interest you and photographs of kitchens you like. Evaluate how and when you cook, where you serve meals to whom and how often you entertain and how you entertain. Inventory your dishes, silverware, serving pieces, cookware, linens, and your typical grocery storage requirements so that you can be sure that the new design accommodates everything.

It seems that no matter how much time you budget for a remodeling project, it usually takes longer than you expected. For a complete remodel, the down time during construction can be at least two or three months and much longer, depending upon the size and extent of the project. Your family needs to eat in the meantime. So, before construction starts make arrangements to store, heat and clean up, enough to keep you going until the kitchen is back on-line. Many of my clients who have had the good fortune to have a bar sink in the family room, have moved in the old refrigerator and microwave near the bar sink and this combination becomes the interim kitchen during construction of the new one. The upside to this is that it provides a great rationale for eating out more often!

THE KITCHEN FOOTPRINT

Let's start with the space you have available for the kitchen. Whether you are designing for a new home, or remodeling in an existing one, you are limited by how much space you have available in which to create your dream. If the space is fairly small, you will want to consider whether or not you have the option of expanding. You may be able to accomplish this in your existing home and, in a new home, very often you still have time to alter the architectural plan, if needed. In either case, if you can eliminate or relocate a wall or walls or add to the house to create more space for the kitchen, it will improve the function and value of the room significantly.

Of course, if you don't create an addition to the house, and just remove or relocate a wall(s), you then have infringed upon a contiguous space and decreased its size, so you have to weigh which option is the best for you. Is it worth giving up the other space to increase the size of the kitchen? In my experience, if you can do without the adjoining space, it is much better to devote that extra space to the kitchen.

When you plan to remove or relocate a wall(s), the key factor to determine is, by so doing, will you encounter a load-bearing situation? This occurs when the wall(s) is part of the support system for the structure of the house. Usually a contractor can determine this. If the contractor is uncertain, you will need to have a structural engineer examine the structure to make that determination. If it is non load-bearing, when you are ready to start construction, the contractor can proceed to build out the space per the new plan. If it is a load-bearing issue, your local building authority will require that you retain a structural engineer or an architect to design a structural solution for removing or relocating the wall(s).

He or she will submit design drawings and calculations of the solution, to the building authority for approval and permit. Upon receiving the permit, when you are ready to begin construction, the contractor can then proceed to build-out the structure per the engineer's or architect's specifications. This is the process in California, based upon the state building standards, Title 24. The process in the other states is very similar.

In any case, once you have made the decision of whether or not to expand or re-configure, you will know the size and shape (footprint) of the space that you have available from a horizontal standpoint - Plan View.

VERTICAL SPACE

You should also consider what size and shape the room will be from a vertical standpoint as well. If it is possible to increase the height of the room by raising, eliminating or altering an existing low ceiling or soffit, you should seriously consider taking advantage of this option. The additional height will provide more cabinet storage from the increased height of wall cabinets and the room will become more voluminous which is always more visually impressive and comfortable. From a construction standpoint, the load-bearing issues will apply to increasing the room height just as it applies to moving or eliminating walls.

Of course, in dealing with all of these design and construction issues and decisions that need to be made, you will not be alone. Your designer will be the pivotal person who will help you evaluate the choices you have available. He or she will produce drawings in order to visually demonstrate these options and will offer advice on which options are best and why.

I understand that this all sounds very tedious and problematic. In some sense these two words are a good description of the design/construction process. However, what I have outlined above is done thousands of times every day and most of those homeowners have survived and, as a result, now have the new, beautiful, functional, kitchen of their dreams. You notice I said "most"! Seriously, the project will be challenging and there will be some problems. This is just the nature of design and construction and that is why you should not proceed without experienced professional help throughout the process from the very beginning to the end.

UTILIZING YOUR KITCHEN

Are you an expert chef, who does it all: cooking, baking, barbecuing, or are you a minimal cook whose main goal is to just get a meal on the table for the family as expeditiously as possible, or are you somewhere in between? Do you always cook by yourself or do you often have family and friends help with the cooking? Do you often entertain and all flow into the kitchen while munching on your Brie between sips of chardonnay? Do you bake often and want a marble surface for that purpose? The questions can go on and on.

Some clients have large, prestigious, homes and entertain frequently and/or have large families. They may have someone do the cooking for them. Some of these types of projects may need the full treatment, such as a butler's pantry or walk-in pantry, two islands, two refrigerators, two dishwashers, two microwave ovens, a wine cooler, a separate beverage cooler, a built-in espresso machine, sink, prep-sink and bar sink and glass-door cabinets to display the family heirloom china, etc.

Most clients require something substantially less than all of this, but I bring it up just to emphasize that how you utilize your kitchen has a strong influence on the design and therefore, as I mentioned, you should think about how you want to operate and what you want to accommodate in your kitchen. You can start to think about what type of appliances and features you would like. Think of the three major work areas of a kitchen: Food Prep (refrigerator and sink), Cooking (cook top, oven and microwave) and Cleanup (sink, dishwasher and recycling). You will find a myriad of styles and options available which you and your designer will need to carefully consider. More planning, of course!

HOW & WHERE YOU WILL EAT

You may prefer to be able to eat in the kitchen by having an island with seating. The size of the island that the room will accommodate will determine how many persons you can seat. Seating at an island reduces the storage space available in the island, so the balance of the kitchen storage will need to absorb this loss. You can basically sit at three counter heights: chair height (29-30"), counter height (36") and bar height (42").

If you have an adjacent breakfast room, you may want to eat there in the interest of having more storage space in the island. If the room will accommodate it, you may like the idea of a built-in booth in the breakfast room or kitchen, in lieu of a typical table and chairs. Many clients like to have the option of eating in both the breakfast room and at the island in the kitchen. In some cases there is no breakfast room and the dining room serves as both breakfast room and dining room. In any case, you should give these and other possibilities careful consideration.

THE DESIGN STYLE

There are many design motifs available to you: Traditional, Modern, Contemporary, Country, Craftsman, Cape Cod, etc. The design motif that you select will obviously heavily influence the selection of all of the other elements in the kitchen. The cabinet style and finish have the strongest influence on the design style of the kitchen. As I mentioned, you can start by collecting magazine photos of kitchens to get a feel for what you do and don't like. They will give you great ideas for all things kitchen. Stock, semi-custom or custom cabinets have many different styles and finishes to offer and of course, custom cabinets can provide any design and finish.

REMAINING ISSUES

The planning process will continue until every aspect of the total kitchen design is selected and specified. However, once you have established your footprint and vertical space, how you want to utilize your kitchen, how and where you want to eat, and your design motif, you are more than half way there. The planning process continues, on a smaller scale, as you are making more decisions about all of the items and issues that make up a total kitchen design.

Examples: Do you often make spaghetti and pasta, which requires filling a large pot with about four to six quarts of water? If so, you should have a pot-filler over the cook top or range top. Since there are only two of you and it takes a long time to fill up the dishwasher before you can wash the dishes, you should consider a two drawer dishwasher which enables you to wash one drawer at a time, thereby saving energy and providing you with clean dishes more often. Do you prefer an air switch in the countertop for the disposal or do you want the switch to be on the backsplash? Do you want a garbage disposal in the prep sink as well as the main sink? Do you want soft close on your cabinet drawers? Do you like the idea of pendant lighting above the island? Do you want a filtered water system? The questions go on and on!

The various categories you will be encountering in designing your new kitchen are as follows. This listing of categories will give you an idea of what is to come. I didn't say it was easy!

APPLIANCES, CABINETS, HARDWARE, FLOORING, PLUMBING, COUNTERTOP, BACKSPLASH, LIGHTING/ELECTRICAL, WALL FINISH, FURNITURE, WINDOW TREATMENTS, ART WORK, ACCESSORIES AND CONSTRUCTION.

CONCLUSION

I trust that by reading this article, you now have an appreciation of how important careful planning is to the successful design of your kitchen. The more thought and quality time you devote to it, the better prepared you will be when you begin with your designer and the process will become easier and more efficient, which everyone involved will greatly appreciate.

Once you have made most of these macro-decisions that I have mentioned, you will be ready to tackle the micro-decisions that are coming next. As you can see by the examples I have mentioned and the listing of categories above, you have a lot more planning to do, but remember you are now over half way there. Be strong and resolute and I am sure that you will get through the entire process virtually unscathed. And, if you are thoughtful, organized and work in the spirit of mutual cooperation, you will probably have some fun too! Remember that not all of this is on your shoulders. Your professional designer will be by your side for the whole trip.

I sincerely hope that you have found this information helpful and I wish you the best of luck on your journey.

By John Anthony Vanderkolk

Someone who is planning a kitchen upgrade, or even building a new home, is going to usually have a file or a notebook full of ideas. They might have paint samples, pictures from magazines, and even preferences about the materials to be used. Because there are so many resources claiming to offer the best kitchen design options, it can often be incredibly difficult to choose such simple things as countertops, cabinetry, or even paint colors.

The first, and probably the most important, factor in the decision making process is to seriously consider the lifestyle of the homeowner(s). For example, a homeowner might have seen a magazine article where the kitchen has heavy concrete countertops and a very modernistic look. Though they might have become entirely enamored with this style, if it clashes with the rest of the home and with the general day to day life of the family who inhabits it then it is not the best kitchen design to select.

Obviously it can be difficult to give up on a style or a look if it isn't suitable to the existing surroundings, but it is even more difficult to often let go of a fascination with certain unnecessary "extras" as well. For instance, many websites and magazine articles show the unique types of cabinetry that can make a kitchen more efficient. There are pantry drawers that can hold all kinds of foods and cooking supplies, there are special cupboards meant to hold pots, pans, and lids in an organized way, and there are even things like refrigerators concealed in the various drawers of a cabinet area too. If such options are unnecessary and difficult to fit into the existing plans it is usually a serious conflict to overcome.

It helps to use the "best kitchen design" argument in order to understand which items or choices will "work" for the space and the lifestyle of the owner. For example, the pantry cupboard is a wonderfully handy feature, but does the homeowner make a lot of food from scratch? Do they already have a strong need for pantry space? If not, it is necessary to demonstrate how the space could be put to use in a more productive and effective way.

There is no such thing as an absolutely perfect or best kitchen design, instead there is only the best choices in design for the particular needs of the homeowner.

By Jeremy Myers

Design Your Own Kitchen - Here's How

Article #1 - Defining Goals-Storage Capacity.

This is the first in a series of articles about designing your own new or remodel kitchen. I will cover creating written plans and drawings, cabinet types, after-market hardware, ventilation, trim elements, plumbing, countertops, electrical / lighting systems, windows and contractor selection among other goodies. In other words, most of the topics that would be covered by a kitchen design professional during a design / remodel process.

The articles in the series proceed in logical order from basic design considerations to installation tips. You do not have to be an uber handyman to understand the concepts I'm presenting. On the contrary, a lack of initial knowledge on the part of the reader might be a good thing. Such a reader might be more inclined to actually consider some of the ideas presented without pre-conceived notions or prejudices. Some of the best kitchens are designed by artistic types who know little to nothing about construction but are clear about their needs.

I spent almost 10 years as a full-time commissioned kitchen designer. In that time I designed hundreds of kitchens and oversaw the installation of virtually all of them. I no longer work in the field so I have no financial incentive to recommend any particular products or methods. My sole intention is to show you what works and to help you through the process. Whether you design / install your own kitchen or have the work done by a studio, independent contractor or other source, I hope you find this information usefu in planning a well thought out and workable kitchen design.

Once the decision is made to remodel or install a new kitchen the tendency is to jump ahead and immediately start looking at catalogs and visiting showrooms for "inspiration". My advice: resist the temptation. Why? Because you must define the workspace functionally in a very specific way before you even start thinking about "product". At this point, showrooms are a distraction. Function drives form, not the other way around-so let's take things in their logical order, plan first, shop later.

First, a little requisite lingo to get you talkin' the trade. Cabinets on walls over the countertops are referred to as "walls", cabinets sitting under countertops are called "bases" and "talls" are cabinets that run from floor to ceiling, generally as pantries or similar. A commercial order for cabinets will list them in that order; Wall, Base, Tall. Sometimes cabinets are also called "boxes" for short, as in "How many boxes in this order?" or "These boxes are really nice..." Makes you sound like you are in the know...

Your absolute, don't skip, must do-first step is to take inventory of your anticipated storage needs. If you fail this step, you could end up spending mucho bucks for a kitchen that does not have enough cabinets to store all your cooking equipment and food. A distinct bummer, as they say in the trade.

If you're remodeling, you'll measure the existing kitchen. If you are starting from scratch, go find a kitchen that looks about right and measure it. You're going to quickly learn the difference between what a kitchen with 150 cubic feet of storage looks like and one with 300 cubic feet. Forget about door styles, island designs and fancy stoves. For now concentrate on understanding the key measure of storage capacity-cubic footage. We'll get to the other stuff later, I promise.

In the kitchen industry, storage capacity is measured in cubic feet. Cubic footage is calculated as width x height x depth of a cabinet or cabinet run, in that order. You're going to measure the storage capacity of your base, wall and tall cabinets in your current or someone else's kitchen. Since almost all cabinets that you will be encountering have standard depths and heights, all you have to worry about is the total run of cabinets being measured. I'll show you how and give a couple of examples to ensure that you're doing this correctly.

Remember to do all calculations and descriptions of cabinet dimensions in the order wide, high, deep (WHD). To keep things simple I like to do all my capacity calculations in feet, but I'll show both ways.

Wall cabinets are generally 12" deep and either 30", 36" or 42" tall. Therefore an 11' run of 30" high wall cabinets, using inch calculations, would be:

132" x 30" x 12" = 47,520 (132" is 11 feet x 12" per foot)

47,520 / 1,728 = 27 ½ cubic feet of wall cabinets (1,728 is the number of cubic inches in 1 cubic foot or 12" x 12" x 12")

So your 11' run of 30" high wall cabinets is 27 ½ cubic feet of storage.

Calculated in feet rather than inches, the following would be correct for the above:

11' x 2.5' x 1' =27.5 cubic feet.

Base cabinets are just the same only they are 34½ " high x 24" deep. I typically round the 34½" value to 3' when doing calculations in feet-close enough.

Example: 16' run of base cabinets, calculations in inches:

192" x 34½" x 24" = 158,976

158,976 / 1,728 = 92 cubic feet.

Calculated in feet:

16' x 3' x 2' = 96 cubic feet.

Tall cabinets are either 12" or 24" deep depending on the design.

The calculation of the storage capacity does not have to be exact, within 5% is good enough. Here are some things to keep in mind when running your measurements:

* Do not include the cabinet door in the depth measurements, you're only measuring the "carcase" or actual box dimensions. Keep it simple!

* When measuring an "L" shaped run, do not measure the inside of the "L" twice, measure the entire length of one side, measure the total length of the other side and deduct either 24" for bases or 12" for walls.

* Do not include the width of appliances in the measurement in a run, i.e. deduct 30" for a stove and 24" for a dishwasher in a run.

* Include the width of all sink cabinets in a run.

* Don't forget the cabinet over the refrigerator.

* Bottom line, if it's a cabinet, include it in the run. If it's empty space like a refrigerator, stove or dishwasher bay, leave it out of your storage measurements.

Let's assume you've just finished measuring your existing layout that you plan on remodeling and it came in at 225 cubic feet. This is your benchmark number.

Here's what you do next. Round up all the loose items presently stored oustide the kitchen that you want to include in the new design; extra canned food in the garage, brooms or perhaps a vacuum in the hall closet, cooking tools you're lusting after, roaster pan presently stored in the tool shed, you name it. Now go get yourself some cardboard boxes, store all that stuff and measure the cubic footage of the boxes. Be sure to load the boxes in a similar manner as you would load a kitchen cabinet-no cramming allowed. Add your extra cubic footage requirement to the existing kitchen and you now have the real number. Congrats! You've completed step one. Now it's time to think about possible solutions.

So, how much capacity are you adding to the existing layout? 10-25-50%, more?

The question becomes; "Where will the extra capacity come from?" To meet your goals you either optimize the existing space or configure a new floor plan.

Some possible answers to consider, organized from lowest to highest cost:

* The over-fridge cabinet should be 24" deep, bet yours is 12" deep. There's 3 additional cubic feet.

* Many kitchens with 8' ceilings have 30" high upper cabinets. These can be expanded to 36" or even 42" high cabinets. A 42" high cabinet has 1 extra cubic foot of storage per lineal foot compared to a 30" high cab, this adds up if you have a lot of wall space available.

* Hang double-sided cabinets over an existing peninsula.

* Base cabinets with half-depth shelves waste tons of space. Retrofit with ball-bearing rollout trays everywhere.

* Countertop cabinets called hutches can be used to fill odd counter spaces, they are 12-15" deep and in a kitchen with 8' ceilings could be 48" to 54" high. That's 4 cubic feet per linear feet of run.

* Many kitchens have "blind" interior corners in the base and wall runs. A base lazy susan reclaims 12 cubic feet. A "pie cut" wall cabinet gets you 3 additional cubes.

* Consider replacing part of a wall / base run with a 24" deep pantry unit with rollouts in the bottom and tray dividers up top. You can even get these configured to hold a broom or vacuum.

* If the kitchen abuts a garage wall, build a bay into the garage space and stuff it full of pantry storage.

* Reorganize the kitchen into a Double L or L with Island configuration. Done correctly, these are very efficient uses of space.

* Annex part of an adjoining room as new kitchen space.

* Move walls, doors, windows and partitions to claim more real estate for a modified floor plan.

* Expand the floor plan into new territory by building a bay, a new room or similar. Involves a new foundation, walls and roof line.

* Sell the house, buy a bigger one.

Congratulations, you're well on the way to mastering the process.

By Albert Grande

One of the most underutilized spaces in any kitchen is the area between the ceiling and the tops of your kitchen cabinets. This space can be an ideal area for storing pots, pans and large serving dishes. Don't overlook the obvious when planning spaces for kitchen storage.

You can also use this space for collectibles, display baskets or houseplants. Many kitchen remodel designs do not use this valuable storage space. You can easily add storage boxes that fit in with the design of your kitchen. Sometimes it pays to go against the trend in design.

Make as many boxes as needed out of 3/4 veneer plywood. You can also stain or finish the boxes so they will match the rest of your kitchen décor. Build the boxes so they butt up against each other. Cover any exposed plywood sections with accented molding. The edges of the plywood can be accented with simple veneer tape which can be purchased at any home supply center. The tape can be ironed on for a simple installation.

Another remodeling idea is to create a shallow pantry storage area between the wall studs. Any working kitchen can always use extra storage for items such as spices, or small appliances.

Create this pantry in an area between two wall studs. Make sure this space is free from pipes, electrical switches, or wall outlets. You may want to line the back of this pantry area with sheet rock or plywood. Decide which will work best for your kitchen.

To finish your pantry you may want to frame it flush with the wall. You can also extend the shelves several inches if you wish. For a finishing touch, add doors to this area.

Consider adding a recycling center in some part of your kitchen. You can create bins which will tilt out in order to sort your recyclables. You can also create a bench with a hinged top. The bench could have dividers for different types of material. You can install the bench near the back door or somewhere in your kitchen where a sitting area makes sense.

Remember to plan these ideas in advance, before you begin your kitchen remodeling job. Planning ahead, is the key to user satisfaction.