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Designing a Kitchen
Kitchens and bathrooms are the most frequently
remodeled rooms in the home. When upgrading
your kitchen, we offer the following advice
for your consideration.
Walls
You can choose from paint, wallpaper, tile, or brick walls (or you can blend two or
more together). Whichever you choose, use
a waterproof surface around the sink and
any main work area where you might splash
a light of water (this is often accomplished
by using a "backsplash," a vertical
extension of the countertop that is about
four inches or higher, perhaps as high as
several feet). Choose light colors that will
reflect light (the kitchen is, after all,
a work area). If possible, use a pass-through
to provide better spatial connection between
the kitchen and the rest of the house; however,
remember that cooking and doing dishes is
a noisy affair, so avoid connecting to a
room where quiet is important to others,
such as where the TV is located.
Floors
As with walls, there is an array of flooring
choices. Ceramic tile is the material preferred for cost, durability,
and ease of care considerations,
but ceramic
tile will chip when jars and
other heavy
objects are dropped on it, so
you may want
to invest in porcelain tile instead.
Finished
wood floors have come back into
fashion,
but they are not our personal
preference.
Avoid carpet and any other surface
that will
absorb water.
Cabinets and Countertops
Don't skimp on the quality of cabinets and countertops. Pick cabinets with strong hinges and good drawer mechanisms.
In most kitchens, standardized cabinets will
work just fine; in very tight kitchens, where
space is at a premium, consider using custom
made cabinets so that precious storage space
is not lost behind filler boards. Choose
the cabinet face that matches your motif,
such as smooth finishes for a modern look,
or recessed panels for an older, elegant
look.
Countertops should be sturdy and scratch and stain resistant.
Be sure to provide ample counter space even after reserving space for toasters, mixers, toaster
ovens, can openers, and other countertop
appliances. The work area should be conveniently
located between the sink, the refrigerator,
the stove, and storage cabinets so as to
allow easy access to each.
Lighting
Although spotlights are dramatic, plenty
of bright, even lighting is far more practical
for getting a good look at what you're doing
while you are preparing the food. Avoid placing
lights in a location that will cause you
to work in your own shadow.
Appliances
Unless you are feeding an army or running
a restaurant, skip the industrial grade appliances.
While impressive to view, they take up more
room, use more energy, and take longer to
clean. Instead, pick appliances suitable
to the size of your kitchen and the number
of people you intend to feed. When buying
a new dishwasher, it is worthwhile to spend
more for a quieter model. |
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