She has an interest in sustainable building methods and always has her eye on the latest design ideas. Amy has interviewed countless self builders, renovators and extenders about their experiences for Homebuilding & Renovating magazine. She is currently renovating a mid-century home, together with her partner, on a DIY basis, and has recently fitted her own kitchen. “Before you begin a new kitchen project take a look at your kitchen on paper if you can, maybe measure it all up and draw up a rough plan,” advises Helen Parker of deVOL.
This island end cap shelving, in a design by Meredith Owens Interiors, provides room for recipe books, beautiful decor, and a radio. Interior designer Caren Rideau of the Kitchen and Design Group proves you can have your small kitchen and coffee nook, too. The recessed built-ins don’t take up as much real estate space, and provide a place for cookbooks, vases, and other necessities. For a streamlined look, consider adding doors to your coffee nook, as seen here. In extra tiny kitchens, a narrow stove/oven can help save space while still providing plenty of room for cooking and baking.
Galley Kitchens
Dark grout and linear lining call extra attention to the special design detail. Visual layers are an easy way to up the coziness and luxe feel of any space. Finishes like plaster or limewash can add subtle texture to a room, warming up even the most utilitarian spaces with their chalky and mottled appearance. When we think of the word luxury, one of the first things that comes to mind is metallic accents.
For example, this funky backsplash placed behind the stove in a design by Rodeheaver creates a warm and inviting place to cook. “Storage is, of course, important and critical for functionality, but it should be balanced with the need to bring natural light into the room,” says Ashley Macuga ofCollected Interiors. Floating shelves provide that contrast and offer a nice sense of openness.
Switch up Your Subway Tile
These days, a kitchen is not only a place to cook meals, but also a diner, office and even a temporary classroom,’ explains Rohan Blacker, Founder, Pooky. ‘Other small kitchen storage ideas to consider include a drawer with integrated sockets for re-charging phones and tablets and dedicated out-of-sight areas for baskets or bins to sort recycling. While base unit cupboards are typically 540mm deep, you might add shallower ones at 380mm deep to make use of space on the “non-working” side of an island, behind bar stools, for storing items used only occasionally. It is also essential to include a space close to the oven for hot dishes.
- “When thinking about style, I look for vintage objects like ceramic vases.
- You thought wallpapers were reserved for the dining room or decades’ past?
- This sleek Chicago 1970s highrise kitchen remodel from Alexis Bednyak Design and Searl Lamaster Howe Architects features a sophisticated palette of black, white, and gray.
- Open and spacious, with playful abstract tile flooring, this kitchen in Burbank, California, was designed by Hub of the House Studio.
- You may not want to completely remodel your space every year, but that doesn’t mean there aren’t creative ways to keep your cooking space feeling fresh and modern.