Elements of a Spectacular Kitchen
For manyyears we have been designing dream kitchens for our clients in theGreater Cincinnati region. Our experience indicates that there areseveral key components essential to creating an individual's dream kitchen thattoo often are not given due consideration. These elements include thefollowing:
- Lighting
- Seating
- Organization and Storage
Good lighting makes a new kitchen more enjoyable, and bad lightingdoes just the opposite. Lighting can make or break how a new kitchen looks,feels and functions. It is equally as important as cabinets, countertops,appliances, back-splashes, flooring, sinks and faucets. Effective lighting illuminates a space in layers using differentcomponents and strategies to paint the final picture. You can buy a functional$70 faucet in a home center, but that faucet will not add much to the beauty ofthe kitchen. A similar analogy holds true for lighting. Simply placingflush-mounted fixtures in the center of your ceiling can provide functionallight, but it may do little to beautify the space, create a mood or evokefavorable emotional responses. Layers of light contribute not only to the functionality of thekitchen but also to its design and beauty. Kitchens require ambient, task andaccent lighting. The goal of ambient lighting is to provide soft, generalillumination without necessarily drawing attention to the light source. Ambientlighting provides enough light for safe navigation, cooking and washing dishesand helps to define the space. Task lighting is employed to illuminate the activities that takeplace in the kitchen and provide light to prep, cook, bake, read recipes,easily find ingredients, watch television or do homework. Recent technologicaladvances enable designers to integrate task lighting into drawers and cabinetsby installing LED strip lighting or puck lights. LED lights are often installedunder wall mounted cabinets to illuminate countertops. Accent lighting is used to help keep the kitchen from lookingordinary or bland by highlighting open shelving, artwork, architectural detailsor other objects. A feature or work of art that draws the attention of the eyeis referred to as a focal point. Light fixtures that provide light and shadowscan make the space more inviting and comfortable. These may include tracklights, recessed adjustable fixtures and spotlights. Accent lighting is subtle.A focused beam of light directed at a plant or highlighting a work of art, or aspotlight placed behind a plant and pointed upward through the leaves createsshadows on the wall that can make a kitchen more attractive. Most homeowners want to have an abundance of seating in their newkitchens to entertain friends and family and to use the kitchen for additionalpurposes such as preparing meals, cleaning up, doing homework, bill paying,reading, relaxing and working from home. That why islands have become so popular.They serve multiple functions in addition to serving as a focal point. A great kitchen must not only look out of this world, but it alsomust incorporate the best functionality that meets your needs. There is a vastarray of storage and organizational tools ranging from drawer and cabinetorganizers to pull out drawers and pantries that provide a place for all ofyour kitchen utensils, small appliances, plates and glassware, cookware andpots and pans. What elements are necessary to make your dream kitchen a reality?Find out by calling us at 513-271-3490 or at 513-722-3490 or visit us at one ofour two showrooms.
