Where the designers are pros, and the views are yours
In this day of endless home improvement programs convincing homeowners that they can do it themselves from what they’ve learned on television, it’s important to know that designing a kitchen takes thorough planning. We all enjoy the inspiration of seeing what others have done to improve their homes. But that is not the same as having real life experience in planning and implementing an actual home renovation.
Continue reading ‘How to avoid kitchen design problems’
Kitchens are most commonly laid out in one of three floor plans, L-shaped, U-shaped, and galley. A less popular, but still functional design is the single-wall kitchen. Single-wall kitchens are designed with the elements of the typical work triangle along one wall. Typically seen in apartments or other small homes where maximizing space and efficiency is at the forefront of design, this style of kitchen is gaining popularity in larger homes with open concept floor plans.
These kitchens work well because they keep all appliances and cooking tools within reach. This design often has the sink set in between the range and the refrigerator, offering easy clean up and usually has counter space on either side of the range. With the kitchen viewed as a social hub within the home, the small kitchen footprint creates a feeling of openness and flows seamlessly with other rooms.
A common challenge in single-wall kitchens is the lack of work space with the range, sink, and refrigerator taking up valuable counter space. A solution to this in apartments or small homes is purchasing a counter height dining table that doubles as work space or a rollaway island. In larger homes, a permanent kitchen island is a popular addition to provide supplementary storage and work space while maintaining the open floor plan.
Maximizing storage space is one of the most desirable features in any kitchen. With the compact design of the single wall kitchen, it becomes even more important. Tall upper cabinets, bridge cabinets, and creative use of built in shelving will help to maximize storage. Additionally, the use of an island (both permanent and rollaway) will help to increase the amount of available storage.
No kitchen is too small for the talented designers at Kitchen Views. Visit one of the six Kitchen Views showrooms to meet with one of the designers and begin designing the perfect kitchen for your space.
With the growing popularity of “tiny houses” with their own television shows, many people are thinking about how downsizing can free them for enjoying activities other than cleaning a regular size home. Whether you have a small condo that needs better space planning to make the best use of every inch, or find that your regular size kitchen is in chaos, careful planning can improve your everyday life.
One of our favorite contributors to the Kitchen Views blog recently retired, but her wisdom regarding good kitchen design is timeless. So we are sharing again her perspective on making the most of limited space.
“Making the Case for a Tiny Kitchen” by Pam Kuliesis
Originally published on November 26, 2013
Tiny kitchen 2020 layout by Pam Kuliesis
After turning a corner in life, I find myself living with a teeny, tiny kitchen. It’s a U-shape space. The working triangle is about 9 feet total, no more than 3 feet between the sink and the range to the left and the sink and the refrigerator to the right and just about 3 feet between the range and refrigerator across from each other. I can stand in the center of the room and reach all three without moving my feet. I pretty much don’t even have to lean. Very tight.
At first I couldn’t imagine being able to create anything in this “Easy Bake” kitchen that would be worth serving. But, a girl’s gotta eat, and take-out gets old pretty quick.
Once I started putting stuff away I was amazed at just how much storage this little kitchen had. And then I started cooking. Everything I needed was within arm’s length. Prep time was so much faster, not having to schlep across the room for the pepper mill that, in my old kitchen, I would leave way over by the sink. Also, I’m much neater. I don’t have the luxury of moving around the kitchen leaving a messy trail behind me. I clean as I go, making the final clean up a breeze!
There are so many great kitchen storage options available from all of the quality cabinetry brands we sell. Stacked wall cabinets maximize every vertical inch. Carefully planned base cabinet configurations and storage accessories make the best use of every nook and cranny.
Kitchen Views designers have the knowledge and the tools to create great kitchens in any space, big and small. Our designers are pros and the views are yours
Kitchen Views at National Lumber
71 Maple St, Mansfield, MA 02048
(508) 339-8020
www.kitchenviews.com
There’s always a lot of talk about trying to stay neutral and go with the timeless trends when remodeling your kitchen. Mainly this is done with the idea in mind that you will be selling your home in the future. However, if you’re planning to stay in your home long term and you have the budget for it, nothing should stop you from building your dream kitchen just the way you want it.
With the seemingly endless design options available today, you can go all out in your customization of every aspect of your kitchen. It all starts with the cabinetry and the countertops, the two most important parts of your kitchen. If you plan to stay put for the long-term, using custom cabinets can help you create just the space you desire. If it’s not in the budget for you, though, there are plenty of semi-custom options. Dynasty by Omega has many styles and options that you can mix and match with custom units for just the configuration and design style you want.
Imagine the slick, clean contrast of a contemporary penthouse apartment to the looming metropolis, crowded streets, and noise below. This city dweller’s dream kitchen was designed with custom cabinetry in an exotic wood called figured anigre, with skillful use of aluminum and glass.
The use of exotics is completely driven by the European contemporary look and style. This style is characterized by flat paneled doors with striking wood grains. The exotic wood panels are finished with a high gloss, and simple hardware elegantly completes the look. This clean, contemporary style with unique wood is sought by high-end clients desiring one-of-a-kind living spaces.
There are many ways to customize your kitchen such as your choice and style of flooring and appliances. Here you can see the bold checker pattern of the tile flooring. Also, the custom stove hood piece that becomes the focal point of the kitchen. Add sleek custom cabinetry with frosted glass display cabinets and you have a high-end kitchen as sophisticated as you are.
If you like the look of stainless steel, consider cabinets with stainless steel doors to match the appliances.
Miami Beach’s Ocean Drive inspired the contemporary vitality of this vignette. Stepping into this vignette you begin to feel the fun at your feet with cooling water-blue “pool” tiles.
Sunlight shines through the custom arched windows from Andersen to add sparkle to this kitchen’s “Blue Star” quartz countertops, softly polished stainless steel contemporary cabinetry, “Miami Beach” Art Deco era inspired “Cobalt Blue” mirror backsplashes, and glass accents. We can recreate this kitchen for your home or summer residence.
Of course, you don’t need to go all-out to these extremes. These are just a couple of the options to consider when designing your dream kitchen.
Today’s consumers use the vast information available on the Internet to browse and research every sort of product or project imaginable. When it comes to redesigning the home, one place that homeowners can go to research and gather ideas is Pinterest. This unique photo sharing social network allows you to easily organize a wide variety of design elements. You can sort the pictures of elements you are drawn to, that make you happy, or comfortable, or energized. Whatever goal you have for your home improvement project, Pinterest is a great place to start.
Kitchen Views has been on Pinterest for quite some time. Not only do we share some of our own designers’ projects, but also those from some of our favorite cabinetry and countertop manufacturers. We also share interesting design ideas as we find them. Our Pinterest boards are broken down into bathrooms, kitchens, and general home design.
With Pinterest, you can also browse complementary elements such as appliances, backsplashes, flooring, lighting and more. By having separate boards for these you can easily organize ideas and products that you like. Also, Pinterest is very good at suggesting pins relevant to your interests. It also bases suggestions on what you’ve already searched, favorited, and pinned.
As a research tool, Pinterest can be invaluable as both a discovery and organization tool. It even allows you to upload your own pictures to share. You can use it to complement hardcopy idea books, or you can use it exclusively. Many in the design business use it already and will be happy to see what you have to start from when it comes to your ideas. As a visual aid, nothing really beats Pinterest.
It’s free to sign up and easy to use on both the computer and mobile devices. Be sure to follow Kitchen Views on Pinterest here: https://www.pinterest.com/kitchenviews/
Kitchen Views
www.kitchenviews.com
The KBIS show of 2015 was filled with plenty of brands we know and love. All our favorite brands have clearly embraced new technology and used it to make our lives easier. The one take away from this year’s Kitchen and Bath show was that technology is king. Here are my notes from the KBIS 2015 show that demonstrate how technology, design and function come together to better our lives.
Kohler’s Touchless Flush Toilets — just when you thought a heated seat was the best invention added to toilets, now we don’t even have to touch our toilets to flush them!
Kohler Touchless Flush Toilet
Tech Top by LG — this was really cool. Just place your cell phone, exercise tracker, glucose meter, heart rate meter, or portable speaker on the LG Viatera or HI-MACS counter surface and your battery will automatically charge! Check out their website http://www.lgtechtop.com/ to get the details and demo.
Tech Top by LG
Viking Incognito Induction Warmer — this product installs under any counter surface and cooks through it with induction technology.
Viking Incognito Induction Warmer counter closeup shows no visible signs of the technology
The Viking Professional French-Door Double Wall Oven — this design gives a modern, commercial look to your oven. It matches the current French-Door refrigeration trends and allows users to open using one hand. Perfectly designed for ADA needs. The large convection fan with bi-directional movement allows maximum airflow and excellent cooking results.
The Viking Professional French-Door Double Wall Oven is perfectly designed for ADA needs
MasterBrand Cabinetry — Omega, Dynasty and Homecrest — these are our favorite cabinet lines and they can be used anywhere. Laundry, mudroom, and craft room are just a few possibilities!
Lots of storage keeps your laundry area organized
A mudroom never looked so good before! Everyone has everything they need ready to go out the door.
An organized craft area provides everything you need within easy reach
Visit a Kitchen Views showroom and meet with a designer to add these great features to your dream kitchen, or any area of your home.
Brandy Souza, General Manager of Kitchen Views
Have you ever thought about the historical roots of the modern kitchen? As with most things in life that we take for granted today, form really does follow function.
Born and raised in historic downtown Hingham, Massachusetts, I’ve always had an affinity for elements of architectural design and aesthetics. Researching historic facts of architecture has informed my design ability. There is so much we can learn about ourselves by studying the past and the lessons learned by those who came before us.
Sioux Indians (mid-1800s) gathered around the cooking fire
Settlers of the American West gathered around the Chuck Wagon
We are inherently drawn to the source of our nourishment, but most of us don’t think about it consciously. Without a building, we are drawn together around the cooking fire. This shared experience forges emotional ties. Family loyalty is strengthened by these everyday routines.
The kitchen is now truly the heart of the home, however, this wasn’t always the case. From the colonial period up until the mid-20th century, most kitchens were an afterthought in the planning of a house. They were simple rooms predominantly for food storage and minimal food preparation. They lacked space and no one could say they were “designed.” The cooking methods and tools of the day were primitive, which left kitchens dysfunctional for centuries.
Early 1900s
1920-1930
1940s
It was not until the late 19th century that iron stoves became commercialized and municipality systems for gas, water and electric became readily accessible. Once these advances took place, kitchens were poised for transition, and the kitchen industry was born.
The industrial period led to scientific studies of productivity that considered efficiency dealing with movement and spacing, from which came kitchen design concepts that took into account the process of food preparation. The stove, sink, refrigerator and counter space were identified as key work areas and were now being spaced according to a well-thought-out design for maximum efficiency.
Starting in the 1950s, household work came into vogue depicting the “perfect” middle class household. As a result, even more emphasis was placed in the kitchen. Traditionally, the kitchen had been built at the back of the house, away from living areas. The advancement in technology, flooring, lighting, etc., changed the location of the kitchen within the home.
With this new focus on kitchen appliances, and the development of suburban neighborhoods, competitiveness required that upwardly mobile families had state-of-the-art kitchens. “Keeping up with the Jones’” became a way of life. These modern appliances had become both necessities and status symbols.
With pride in their modern kitchens, families were happy to gather at the kitchen table to eat meals together, instead of in a separate dining room. Kitchens were becoming the place that brought the family together. This was the beginning of the concept of a kitchen as “the heart of the home.”
This period of rapid development from the 1950s through the end of the century saw the family gathering place being improved. With homeowners willing to invest in modern kitchens, designers explored color choices and new materials (such as the aqua blue 1960s kitchen shown below), storage options inside the cabinets, and new configurations to eating areas (such as the 1970s picture with seating around an island instead of a stand-alone table).
1950s
1960s
1970s
The 1980s saw a change in kitchen layouts, which most people didn’t realize was moving them out of “the heart of the home.” Kitchens began to be designed with work islands in the center, to provide more work space for meal preparations. The kitchen table got pushed to the side, or back into a designated dining room. Individuals went to their bedrooms or a designated family room and/or entertainment area during their recreation time.
1980s
1990s
How many people understood that this physical separation was creating an emotional rift in their family? There is no one factor responsible for the shift in American society. But any honest observer recognizes that we went through a turbulent period with jobs requiring relocation or frequent travel, a rise in the divorce rate and a generation that was out there trying to “find itself.” Perhaps that’s why we’ve finally seen a shift back to the importance of family, whatever form that family takes.
Today’s kitchen is the focal point and gathering place for family and friends. Kitchen islands have transitioned back to include seating for the family to gather in the kitchen, at least for casual meals. The family is also being brought together with the contemporary concept of an open floor plan. This could include a dining area as well as a family room and/or entertainment area. Parents want a line of sight to see small children playing while they do their kitchen tasks. Older children working on homework or playing video games are still “part of the family” instead of off in their bedrooms alone. The family cook may have felt separated from the family, alone behind a wall. With open concept layouts, the person preparing meals can easily converse with the family. The concept of the kitchen as “the heart of the home” has been expanded to include a larger family living area.
It’s where family bonds are made, a place where kids do homework and preparing meals with one another is a pleasant activity. Today’s kitchen is fully integrated into your lifestyle and deserves to be stylish and functional.
This open concept kitchen and living area layout is a good example of what we have discussed as a contemporary style.
Traditional cabinetry details are included in this contemporary open concept kitchen.
This open concept kitchen includes two large islands, with natural flow into the family living area.
As you can see from these examples, there are endless variations on the theme of open concept. Your kitchen should reflect your aesthetic and your lifestyle.
Don James | Showroom Sales & Design
Kitchen Views | 3356 Post Road, Warwick, RI
djames@kitchenviews.com
Don graduated from Wentworth Institute of Technology’s Architectural Engineering Program. He began his career in 1986 hand drafting kitchens for other designers. Don’s notable skill in conceptual design has earned him a reputation as one of the areas premiere kitchen designers.
