The kitchen\u00a0is typically the most used room in any house.\u00a0 Because of this, a well planned and designed kitchen is critical to the enjoyment of every home.\u00a0 While design trends will change from one year to the next, what remains consistent are the 14 essential design elements required in every high-end\u00a0kitchen design.<\/p>\n
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1<\/strong>. The “Work Triangle”<\/strong> If you place these too far away from each other you waste a lot of steps while preparing a meal. If they are too close to each other you have a cramped kitchen with out any place to work.<\/p>\n 2. An Island 3. The Eating Area 4. A Workstation 5. Cabinets 6. Counter-tops\/Back-splashes<\/strong> On the practical side, counter-top material needs to be durable, non-porus\u00a0and heat resistant.\u00a0 The most common height for a kitchen counter top is 3-feet (36-inches).\u00a0 For most people, this\u00a0height\u00a0provides a comfortable work station.\u00a0 However,\u00a0if you are\u00a0extremely short or tall, or those with special needs, you may want to modify that height to better suit your specific\u00a0need.\u00a0 Back-splashes need to be durable and cleanable.\u00a0 This design element can get expensive, but for high-end kitchens do not go cheap.\u00a0 You will pay for it in the end.<\/p>\n 7. The Floor<\/strong> 8. Wall Color\/Texture<\/strong> 9. Natural Light<\/strong> 10. Artifical Light<\/strong> 11. High-Performance Appliances<\/strong> 12. A Hook<\/strong> 13. A Designer<\/strong> 14. Quality Wine or Chocolate Cake<\/strong> The kitchen\u00a0is typically the most used room in any house.\u00a0 Because of this, a well planned and designed kitchen is critical to the enjoyment of every home.\u00a0 While design trends will change from one year to the next, what remains consistent are the 14 essential design elements required in every high-end\u00a0kitchen design. \u00a0 1. The […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":868,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[2],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-211","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-blog"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"http:\/\/architectusinc.dreamhosters.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/211","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"http:\/\/architectusinc.dreamhosters.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"http:\/\/architectusinc.dreamhosters.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/architectusinc.dreamhosters.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/architectusinc.dreamhosters.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=211"}],"version-history":[{"count":10,"href":"http:\/\/architectusinc.dreamhosters.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/211\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":915,"href":"http:\/\/architectusinc.dreamhosters.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/211\/revisions\/915"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/architectusinc.dreamhosters.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/868"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"http:\/\/architectusinc.dreamhosters.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=211"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/architectusinc.dreamhosters.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=211"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/architectusinc.dreamhosters.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=211"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}
\nAn efficient kitchen is typically a key point in enjoying the heart of your home.\u00a0\u00a0When designing one you need to start with the basics of space planning,\u00a0a good work triangle.\u00a0 The kitchen work triangle is\u00a0the centerpiece of good high-end kitchen space planning. The goals of a good kitchen work triangle\u00a0are to place the three most common work sites at the most efficient distance apart and to minimize traffic through the work zone.\u00a0 In the traditional kitchen the three main work sites are:<\/p>\n\n
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\n<\/strong>An island is essential because it will serve several functions.\u00a0 In the overall space plan, the island will become\u00a0the social center of the kitchen.\u00a0 Practically speaking it could help with the design of the “work triangle”, be a place for additional storage,\u00a0provide a casual eating place or give extra counter space.\u00a0 Ideally\u00a0it\u00a0becomes that place where people just love to hang out and chat.<\/p>\n
\n<\/strong>There is nothing like a warm cup of coffee, a good book and a window seat to help\u00a0kick start your day.\u00a0 Well planned high-end kitchens have a place to set a\u00a0small cafe table or create a cute built-in breakfast nook.\u00a0 While dining at the island will work for some situations,\u00a0other kitchen designs\u00a0require\u00a0a separate dining area.\u00a0 This ancillary dining area does not need to be large, just comfortable.\u00a0 The number of seats will depend on your family’s need, but 2 to 4 are typical.\u00a0 It’s purpose is to be a place to relax, eat, talk\u00a0and just “chill” first thing in the morning or after a long day at the office.\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n
\n<\/strong>Every well planned kitchen needs a workstation or “drop-off” site.\u00a0 This is the place you first come to after a long day at work.\u00a0 It the place you “drop-off” your keys or dock your cell phone.\u00a0 It is also the place where you can sit to do bills, shop online or kids can do their homework.\u00a0 It is an ancillary space which is essential to effective household management.<\/p>\n
\n<\/strong>After getting the space plan resolved deciding on what the cabinets will look like is the next major design decision.\u00a0 What material to use, what color to make them,\u00a0what features should they have\u00a0and\u00a0what level of quality construction should be used to build them are all complex decisions which will impact both aesthetics and function.\u00a0 As the major design feature in high-end kitchen design, the cabinets set the tone for your kitchen’s design style.\u00a0 Is it a traditional kitchen or is it modern?\u00a0 Through the use of material,\u00a0color, detailing\u00a0and texture the cabinet design gives\u00a0your kitchen that feeling of quality and style.\u00a0 You could easily\u00a0spend as much as $100,000 on cabinets alone\u00a0for a high-end kitchen.\u00a0 At this level you want to take your time, seek the advice of a good professional, think through your decisions and\u00a0get it right the first time.<\/p>\n
\n<\/strong>As a professional designer I treat these horizontal and vertical surfaces as one design element.\u00a0 Even though I may\u00a0treat one surface with stone or concrete and the other tile or glass as a design composition they must work together or aesthetically it will be a disaster!\u00a0\u00a0 Have fun with this design element,\u00a0feel free to be playful!!\u00a0 This is one\u00a0area where you can use the design elements of texture, color, pattern and light in creative ways which will give your kitchen flair and that much desired “wow” factor.<\/p>\n
\n<\/strong>Most\u00a0people, and many design professionals, would tend to overlook the\u00a0impact of design\u00a0element because after all, it’s just the floor.\u00a0 An excellent kitchen\u00a0design is a comprehensive design which treats all surfaces and maximizes their impact potential\u00a0on the overall design composition.\u00a0 I had a client import tile from a old chateau which was being demolished in\u00a0France.\u00a0 They wanted this\u00a0tile for their new\u00a0kitchen floor because of it’s quality and character.\u00a0 It accentuated the feeling they wanted for their\u00a0French Country kitchen.\u00a0 If hi<\/p>\n
\n<\/strong>After\u00a0working around your window locations, determining where the\u00a0cabinets will go and designing your back-splash you may not have much wall space left.\u00a0 I will guarantee you whatever you have left is significant.\u00a0 Believe me the color you choose for the 12″ of wall space above the cabinets or next to the breakfast nook will make a difference.\u00a0 Even though it is typically in the background of your kitchen composition wall color\/texture needs to accentuate the major design elements.\u00a0 This can be done with either using color as a\u00a0contrast or compliment, but whatever method is chosen needs to be thought through.\u00a0 Color is completely subjective, what one person likes another will not.\u00a0 There is no right and wrong in this area, so be honest with what you like and what you do not like.\u00a0 Remember you will be living with it for a long time.<\/p>\n
\nAlways look\u00a0for ways to maximize the use of natural daylight.\u00a0 Nothing makes a kitchen feel more warm and bright than direct sunlight.\u00a0\u00a0If possible, eliminate\u00a0cabinets next to windows.\u00a0 Where you can, have at least one large window focused on an exterior view.\u00a0 Use\u00a0transparent or reflective materials like glass and stainless steel to allow the light to freely bounce throughout the space.<\/p>\n
\nThe sun\u00a0will eventually go down, when it does you will need to have some options.\u00a0 You never want a dark kitchen.\u00a0 General lighting design standards for\u00a0kitchen illumination are 300 Lux for general lighting and 750 lux for task lighting.\u00a0 While most local codes will require energy efficient light fixtures and switches for the main lighting source you can always include secondary lighting sources.\u00a0 This provides you an opportunity to be creative.\u00a0 The use of custom decorative light fixtures can add a splash of color or become a visual focal point.\u00a0 Hidden accent lighting, when well placed, will give your kitchen a sense of drama\u00a0and\u00a0sophistication.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\nToday, high-efficiency burners and ovens with convection and self-cleaning are really indispensable.\u00a0 High-efficiency refrigerators and freezers will provide you space and save you money.\u00a0 Do your research and get what meets your families needs.<\/p>\n
\nEvery great kitchen has a hook, that one unique element that just pulls you in. It could be a hood, a sink, a pot rack or a decorative tile pattern in the back-splash.\u00a0 Consider it your signiture piece.<\/p>\n
\nKitchen design is complicated, and the landscape is constantly changing. Hiring a design professional is perhaps the most valuable investment you will make.<\/p>\n
\nIn my opinion, no kitchen is complete without it either one.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"