Keep these tips in mind when planning your new kitchen.

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1. Don’t place the stove beside a wall or at the end of a counter run. There should always be a bit of counter space on both sides of the stove so the side of the stove is not exposed. Even if you can only fit a 10” cabinet it just looks better. The other consideration is that if the stove is exposed then the hood fan above it is also exposed. This is not an attractive look for your new kitchen.

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2. Don’t crowd the island. It is easy to underestimate how much space you need for traffic flow around the island. Leave a minimum of 36” between counter and island, 42” is ideal. If you have stools on one side allow 24” for the stool and 3 ft for walking behind the stools. The minimum width of the kitchen with a 3 ft wide island and cabinets on one side is 12 ft. Most kitchens are only 10 or 11 ft and are too small to properly allow for an island.

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3. Don’t end up with a dark kitchen. Most people don’t think about where they need the light in their kitchen. If the source is further than 2 ft from the wall then it will not work for task lighting above the counter tops. Place pot lights or track lighting about even with the edge of the counter to ensure the light hits where you are working. Don’t forget about over the sink and island as well. Remember, you do not need to light up the kitchen floor, only the work areas.

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4. Don’t jeopardize your insurance coverage by going against your local building code. Find out the minimum distances you need from your stove to combustible surfaces. Your stove manual will also give information about this. This is especially important for gas stoves since some models reach very high temperatures that require special venting above the stove. Find out what you need to know from your kitchen designer, municipal office or your builder.

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5. Don’t install a sink in an island. Sometimes you have no choice if your kitchen is small but in general it is best to have at least 3 ft of counter work space between the sink and the stove. If you plan on using the island as an eating space you don’t want a messy wet sink with dirty dishes staring at you when you are sitting at the counter. Also if the island is only 3 ft wide there will not be enough space for sitting in front of the sink.

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6. Don’t choose too many focal points. This is a common mistake, and one that can ruin the look of your kitchen. “You may choose a wooden range hood, staggered heights, a light valance, open shelves with arches, a spice rack, and glass doors on your cabinets and more. You think you’ve got it all, but really all you have is a big, cluttered mess.” Instead, choose focal points carefully and be consistent with the style and design of your kitchen.

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7. Don’t encourage mail, messages and junk to end up in the kitchen. Installing a desk just provides a place for stuff to pile up and takes away from room for cooking and baking. Instead set up a message center somewhere central with a cork board, note pad and garbage can for junk mail.

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8. Don’t forget about pot drawers. These very handy cabinets are the best thing for kitchen storage. Cabinets with shelves are difficult to find things in and waste a lot of storage space. Pot drawers make it easy to find items and nest bowls and pots for extra storage. The other great thing about pot drawers is that each cabinet has standard drawers on the top so you can eliminate the standard bank of drawers.

Luckily there are many opportunities to choose green for your new kitchen design.

Flooring – Ceramic tile has always been environmentally friendly but now floor tiles made from recycled materials are also available. Hardwood that comes from sustainable woodlots has the green stamp. Look for finishes that are formaldehyde free, solvent free and non-toxic. As part of a trend to produce a more natural product, some manufacturers have started offering natural oil and wax finishes. Of course cork is a green favorite since it only uses the outer bark of the tree and is renewable. Bamboo flooring is gaining in popularity and is available in many textures and colors (make sure you get  the hardest bamboo available or it will not be durable). If your supplier is associated with FSC, LEED, or FloorScore they will carry eco-friendly options.

Cabinets - Find a cabinet manufacturer who has a commitment to producing eco-friendly products made from renewable resources. Their company polices should reflect this commitment to the environment. They should not be using volatile organic compounds in the cabinet materials and the paints, primers and finishes should be of low VOC products. ESP certification is the best way to confirm the company’s ability to manufacture a ‘green’ product. Recycling your old cabinets is another way to be earth friendly.

Countertops – You could consider granite and other stone tops eco-friendly except for the emissions produced by the mining and transportation of these materials. They do last a long time and so do not need to be replaced as often as some other counters. Quartz counters are a great alternative  especially if they are manufactured in North America. Numerous recycled glass countertop options are becoming available. If you like a wood counter bamboo is an option as well. The latest offering is a recycled paper product that is quite durable but I also a bit expensive.

Appliances -A lot of your home’s energy consumption goes into your kitchen appliances. Replacing your old appliances with energy efficient items will save money on your hydro bill as well as the greenhouse gasses emitted by older models. Fortunately this is one of the easiest areas to go greener thanks to the Energy Star ratings given to all appliances that meet the efficiency requirements by the Department of Energy. Look for the Energy Star label to find the energy use of the appliances you are considering to help make the greenest choices for your new kitchen.

The GreenHomeGuide is a great website from the Green Building Council that will give you much more info on eco-friendly building products and ideas.

Do you care about design trends?

In my years as a kitchen designer I have come to realize that few homeowners are concerned with trends in the design industry. As shocking as it seems to a designer the whole world does not revolve around the latest kitchen faucet shape or particular stain color for the cabinets.

Just as with fashion, if you work in the industry you develop the misconceived idea that ‘everyone’ cares about the 10 things that you think are important this year. If you sit in the center of a shopping mall or walk through city streets you will observe that most people dress in a way that has nothing at all to do with the looks in the latest fashion magazine. They are happy to wear something comfortable, affordable and similar to everyone else. I don’t believe most people want to stand out in a crowd, they want to blend in and not have the responsibility of being a trendsetter or trend follower.

The same is true for home design. When I help homeowners make choices for their entire home I am always surprised how many of them are satisfied just to have the standard builder kitchen with no upgrades.’The standard is fine’ they say. It is just not worth it to them to spend any money on upgrades in the kitchen.

There are trends that add to the quality of your life such as Eco friendly products. There are trends that add to your housework such as stainless steel appliances. Most trends are in response to the emotions of society as a whole, whether they know it or not. Right now it seems we are into simplifying life and reusing and recycling to make the world a better place. This translates into natural finishes and textures and colors from nature.

So why pay attention to design trends? I suggest it only works for you if you find a trend that you feel comfortable with. If you like a simple, rustic feeling in your home you might like the modern country look that is really a different style from the ‘ceramic rooster’ country look of earlier times. If you love a white kitchen but do not want it to look like your grandmother’s kitchen search through magazines to find a combination that will work for you in a more modern way.

There really is nothing new in kitchen design; it is just recycled in a different way each time. The important thing is that it works for you and your lifestyle. Look for the design trend that fits your ideas to ensure you end up with a kitchen that looks current but reflects your own style.

I hope my site helps you with these decisions.

Yvonne