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Having downsized home (needed to) and performed the de-clutter, I am now faced with a new dilemma.
The kitchen in new home (albeit a old house) needs new cabinets, appliances etc. I want to maximise the existing room constraints and boxed in areas, electrics etc (services pipes and so on).
Visiting a local Kitchen Store has them wanting to propose a whole bunch of new units gizmos with the 'not needed' added design/cost. Love to hear thoughts on these aspects and I cant seem to find "fit for purpose". Seems to be something we dont come across these days.
Im after (ideally) some ideas on a clean, modern and comfortable but "minimalistic" Kitchen Design which would be so helpful. There may be examples of layouts and personnel you might have come across?.
I can get shelves and cabinets made by a friend whose good with wood etc, but I am missing the flair of clever design and something not dissimilar to the effectiveness of a RV even though I dont want it to be or look like one as such ;-)
Its only a simple box shape we have but I am really finding it hard. I fully appreciate that the key is in the room "Design" and similarly finding appliances (that do exactly as needed without the extra buttons/complexity and so on) also impossible to find.
So greatful for help/advise as I start my journey; cost constraints 'play' in to this also (my situation)
for minimalistic, there are actually a lot of good options in slab front cabinet doors in the marketplace now. your friend can build your cabinet boxes (using standard sizes) and then you can purchase the doors & hardware.
I'm redoing my kitchen now and I went with Ikea (due to budget constraints and loving the look of their new line), but I did see quite a few options for slab fronts other places as well. (you could still do Ikea doors on your own boxes, provided the sizes matched up).
"Minimalistic" is not a "purpose"- "purpose" isn't "minimalistic".
You start with a cabinet shop/dealer then say you have someone who can build- did you think you were just going to steal someone else's design?
There "form" and "function". When you start with basically a clean slate for a kitchen form should follow function. Now we're back to "purpose"- what is the intended use of the kitchen? Pop-tarts and TV dinners? Gourmet dinners? Pastry Chef's ultimate creation room?
By planning an intended use you can strategically plan a layout based on a working triangle. From there you can decide on appliance choices, storage space, and "working room". Oh; and if there's more than one person in this design/planning future I hope you're both on the same page.
Personally, I love to cook. Would love a large kitchen with a true working triangle- with an island at one point. My other/half likes a kitchen to look at- not use (it stays clean that way)! So I compromised- small galley kitchen. I don't particularly like cooking in it because if there's anyone else in there its crowded! Needless to say, it stays clean A LOT!
I would suggest you go around to several different contractor type places that sell cabinets, sinks, etc. with your kitchen dimensions and list of requirements. Generally, they will have at least one kitchen designer on staff who will consult with you at no charge on designing your kitchen.
We did this and got five different computerized mock-ups to compare. Some made more sense than others. The one we went with, the firm was offering a significant discount on one line of cabinets that worked for us. We were able to get sinks, faucets, everything right there and at a decent price.
Personally, I love to cook. Would love a large kitchen with a true working triangle- with an island at one point. My other/half likes a kitchen to look at- not use (it stays clean that way)! So I compromised- small galley kitchen. I don't particularly like cooking in it because if there's anyone else in there its crowded! Needless to say, it stays clean A LOT!
Hahaha! I'm the same way, love to cook (and bake, but I don't like the way my body 'inflates' when I do much baking) ~ my wife just wants something pretty, but clean... clean is the most important.
We Currently have a big kitchen with island, it's clearly not big enough for the island size because there's only room for 1.5~2. Design/layout is HUGE when it comes to kitchens, and know what you want to do in there is the first step. I can't wait till we have the means to rip out these POS "Martha Stewart Living" boxes the prior owner installed and change the layout to something more suitable for cooking.
OP, you really need to identify how you use the space. Make it functional first, then pretty it up once it's as functional as possible.
Get yourself to an Ikea for inspiration and sources for the things you want. At least I think so. It was hard for me to tell by your post. I think you want an efficient and simple kitchen with maximized storage. Ikea is a good place to start.
Try some kitchen design (not just kitchen decorating) books from your local library or look online at some design sites.
I'll usually ask a client what their biggest meal is per year and set the kitchen layout up to do that easily. I'll also ask what their basic daily meal preparations are like and set the kitchen up to meet that demand with as few compromises as possible. How it's decorated after that doesn't matter.
Start out with your basic grocery list, then figure out bringing that in from the grocery. Where will it be stored, is it easy to store away? Is there room for it? Then, figure how it will come out to be used. Can you open the refrigerator door and easily put things on a flat surface? Usually it goes from the storage areas or refrigerator to the sink, then to the microwave or to the stove. Then to the table or other eating area and then the dishes all have to migrate back and become clean. They are then put back where they are easily accessible to be used again.
Kitchens are mostly about paths followed by food and food prep. The triangle between the refrigerator/sink/stove gets mentioned a lot, but it's not the only thing to contemplate when designing a kitchen. Food in and out of the kitchen as well as the path the plates and utensils are used also needs to be looked at.
Also how the kitchen interacts with the rest of the house and the people in it. Some folks entertain in their kitchens, other folks don't. Once you get the basic layout, then worry about details and decoration.
I second the recommendation to look at the Ikea showrooms. They have tons of small to tiny kitchens with everything you need in them at a pretty good price. They show all the cute additions that make a small kitchen efficient.
Do watch out for the appliances. Sometimes Ikea appliances are not the best deal. At the end of the year you can buy full kitchen appliance set (refrigerator, stove, microwave, dishwasher) for a pretty good price anywhere, especially if you aren't interested in top of the line.
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