Kitchen Design: The Balance Between Style and Functionality

Building a home is a big investment, one that is important to get right from the main living and sleeping areas, right down to the laundry room.

Each space requires time and energy to ensure it’s going to be stylish and cohesive, but most importantly, that it’s going to be functional.

Kitchen design demands more attention than most other parts of a new home, because on average we spend 90 percent of our waking hours there.

David Reid Homes is known for custom designing stylish and functional homes, often engaging input from specialists in particular areas.

Rochelle Jackson of Kitchen Elements has worked with David Reid Homes Wellington / Kapiti on a number of occasions, and has shared some advice with us on planning the perfect kitchen:

The Starting Point
With the rise of websites like Pinterest, Google Images and Online Blogs, finding kitchen design inspiration for your kitchen is easy, Rochelle says.
“Pinning pictures to an inspiration board is a great place to start gathering ideas. You will often find a common theme keeps popping through that you get drawn into,” she says.
While finding inspiration is easy, it’s important to ensure the design decided upon is chosen to suit the home.
“We often see clients who are replacing kitchens only 10 to 15 years old as they look dated. This often happens when something in fashion at the moment is selected, rather than designed to suit the home,” Rochelle says.
Engaging a kitchen designer is one way of ensuring the design you continue to be drawn to is also going to be functional, and cohesive with the rest of the home, she adds.
“We know how to not only make a home look amazing, but how to make the space really function. This will save you so much money in the long run. We know all the tricks and tips to make the most of a space and create something timeless that holds its value.”

Budget
When it comes to budget, there is no “one size fits all” for a kitchen design, Rochelle says.
Budget is determined by the value of the home, the size of their space, and ultimately, the client and how much they would like to invest.
As a guide, however, it is often said that 10 percent of the value of your home should be spent in the kitchen, given how much time is spent in there.
“It needs to work well, function, last, and do your home justice,” Rochelle says.
“Quality kitchens that are durable are constructed very differently to basic modular cabinets that are mass produced to standard sizes.”
With such a wide range of possibilities when it comes to the kitchen, and the cost that comes with it, Rochelle recommends working closely with your designer builder and kitchen designer to ensure the budget and design requirements all align.
“It’s important to have a great designer who looks at the space, really listens and can advise you realistically on what those figures could be for you.”

Layout
A correctly laid out kitchen is the key to creating a functional space.
Rochelle says it’s often important to compromise a little on the gadgets you’re selecting, and put more into the building work which ensures the new kitchen improves your home and lifestyle.
“Too often clients spend a lot of money putting a new kitchen in that is exactly like the last but looks prettier, but fundamentally the space does not work,” she says.
“The value you can add to the home long term and your enjoyment in the new kitchen is immense, and you usually get a great return when you sell the home years later.”
Planning for the future is also important for those not planning on selling their home.
“Many of our clients are future proofing their homes,” Rochelle says.
“Touch opening soft close drawers can half your prep time in the kitchen, especially for older clients with arthritis. It’s about designing the space to make the most of the area between your knee and shoulder height.”

Finishing Advice
Invest in a great kitchen designer, Rochelle says.
“If you do one thing, no matter how stylish you are with colour and interior design, it is important to engage a great kitchen designer who really understands the technical and design aspects of cabinetry. We know how not only to make a home look amazing, but how to make a space function, and this will save you so much money in the long run.”
Kitchen designers look at everything from the way the house faces, where the sun rises and sets, to the flow of the house from leaving the car with groceries to the food prep and serving spaces.
“We are looking at unique architectural features and details on the exterior and interior of the home to ensure the design suits the home, all the while balancing individual storage needs.”
 
Talk to your home designer-builder about your kitchen needs when planning your new home, or if you’re renovating an existing home, be sure to engage the right kitchen designer.