Tips To Create The Kitchen Of Your Dreams

The kitchen is the heart of the home for most of us. If you dream of having a beautiful kitchen, you may be wondering how to turn a vision into a reality.

Whether you’ve recently moved and you’re in the process of conjuring up ideas for your new home, or you’ve decided to revamp your kitchen, here are some top tips to create a room you love.

Get Ideas and Inspiration

Some people know exactly what they want when they embark upon a renovation project or a kitchen makeover, but others struggle to come up with ideas.

Before you start decorating or sign an agreement with building firms or interior designers, take some time to research and get inspiration for your project. Think about places you’ve visited, such as restaurants, hotels, resorts and bars and designs you’ve seen on TV or in movies. Flick through magazines and check social media and blogs.

Use screenshots, images, reels and magazine cuttings to create a mood board. Note down ideas you love or themes and concepts that complement your taste and style.

It’s beneficial to get a sense of the kind of aesthetic you want to create before you start buying accessories, choosing colors or ordering fixtures and fittings. 

Celebrate your Style

It’s very tempting to embrace popular trends and follow in the footsteps of others when putting plans together for a new interior design project or sprucing up a room, but it’s important to celebrate your style.

Don’t feel that you have to follow trends if you don’t like them or they don’t suit the style of your home. Put your stamp on the design and mix and match elements to create a plan that you adore. Interior design, like fashion, should be an expression of your personality.

There’s nothing wrong with opting for minimalist styles if kitsch, country cottage kitchens have come back into fashion or choosing a retro kitchen if industrial, modern decor is all the rage. The most important thing is to feel comfortable and happy in your home. 

Consider Functionality

Our homes are much more than spaces to sleep and eat. Today, many of us use our homes for all kinds of activities, including spending quality time with friends and family members, working, exercising, educating our kids, relaxing, entertaining and even running a business.

For most homeowners, the kitchen is the most important room in the house. When you’re putting ideas together for a kitchen revamp, or you’re planning a renovation project, think about how you plan to use the space.

Is the kitchen all about cooking and eating for you, or do you want it to be a place to gather, chat, hang out, watch TV and socialize? Do you want space to entertain or are you planning to have a living space as part of your kitchen?

Do you want a kitchen that doubles up as a workspace, or are you keen to design a room that provides the perfect base for quality time with your family?

It’s particularly important to think about function and versatility if you love to cook or entertain. If making meals and being able to whip up a storm in the kitchen is a priority, you’ll need to create a space that works on a practical level.

Think about layout, surface space and the flow between your stove, units and cupboards and dining area. 

Set a Budget

The cost of designing a dream kitchen can range from less than a hundred dollars to thousands of dollars, depending on the scale of the project, the changes you make, the amount of labor and work required and the materials you choose.

Set a budget at the outset based on how much you can afford to spend and how much value you can add to the property. There are some very simple, inexpensive ways to transform a kitchen if you’re on a tight budget.

Examples include painting the walls and changing the colorway and adding accessories and furniture. For large-scale projects, you may be thinking about changing the flooring, extending or knocking down interior walls, adding new units and countertops and buying new windows and doors. 

Figure out your finances in advance and be realistic about your budget. Try to avoid stretching yourself too far.

If you have grand plans, but they’re not affordable, it may be possible to lower costs or to undertake work in phases to spread the cost. Often, it’s possible to save money by changing the materials you choose or switching to cheaper fixtures and fittings, for example.

You could also reduce spending by doing some of the work yourself. 

Add appliances

One of the most exciting parts of overhauling a kitchen is buying new appliances. This is particularly important if you’re a foodie, you love to cook, you’re a fan of entertaining or you love tech and gadgets. Before you buy new items, think about what you need in your kitchen and do some research.

Ask for recommendations if you’re looking for a new oven or you’re replacing a refrigerator or a kettle and read reviews to find the best coffee machine. It’s also a great idea to visit stores so that you can have a look at different products.

There are all kinds of gadgets and gizmos you can add to your kitchen in addition to popular appliances. Read blogs, check out gift guides and look for innovations that will help you to make the most of your new kitchen.

If you’re an enthusiastic amateur chef, for example, it’s worth getting ideas based on what you see on TV cooking and baking shows, food blogs and social media accounts. 

Before you buy a toaster, a coffee machine, a washing machine or a fridge-freezer, compare prices. Once you have a shortlist based on your research, use search engines to find the best deals.

You can enter a product name or code and compare prices from different websites or stores. 

Consider your Lifestyle

It’s incredibly important to design a kitchen that looks incredible, but it’s also crucial to ensure that your kitchen works for your family.

Consider your lifestyle and what you want and need from the space. If you have young kids, for example, you may want to design a room that enables you to cook while your children play or eat together as a family.

If you love being outside or you have a pet and your kitchen usually ends up coated in mud, it makes sense to opt for materials that are hard-wearing and easy to clean.

You may want to add a small room or an area to keep dirty clothes and muddy boots or wash your dog, for example. If you plan to work in the kitchen, you may want to set up a quiet zone with a desk overlooking the garden and use a screen to provide privacy away from the social parts of the room. 

Think about the feel of the room

Most of us dream of a kitchen that looks the part and checks the practical, functional boxes, but it’s also essential to think about the feel of the room. What kind of vibe and ambiance do you want to create?

Do you want to design a bustling, sociable space reminiscent of a trendy bar or restaurant, or would you prefer a tranquil, relaxing space to unwind?

Do you love the idea of an uplifting, energizing space, or are you a fan of calming rooms? Would you prefer an open, bright kitchen or a cozy, intimate room? 

There are lots of ways to add ambiance and set the tone. Using color is one of the best options. Think about how different colors make you feel. Some shades are energizing while others are calming and soothing.

If you don’t want to use colors on every wall or be too bold, you can inject splashes of color using accessories or create a statement wall with paint or wallpaper. If you have a small space, you can create the illusion of a larger room by opting for light colors, such as white, cream, beige, pale gray and pastels.

Darker colors, such as burgundy, bottle green, black and navy are ideal for adding coziness. Tones of yellow and orange add energy and vibrancy to spaces while green, blue and purple have a calming effect. 

Accessorize

Using accessories is one of the simplest and most affordable ways to create a beautiful kitchen. You don’t have to overhaul your kitchen and change everything about it to design a stunning space.

If you’re on a tight budget, or you don’t have time to carry out a lot of work, consider adding accents and touches, such as plant pots, vases, storage jars, wall art, candle holders, colored appliances and printed towels and cloths. 

Are you planning a kitchen renovation, or are you keen to spruce up a dated or drab kitchen? If you’re on a mission to create the kitchen of your dreams, take these tips on board.

Get ideas and inspiration before you sign off on plans, celebrate your style and set a budget. Think about functionality and versatility, consider your lifestyle and prioritize feel and ambiance as well as aesthetics.

Add appliances and accessories to finish the look and don’t be afraid to mix and match trends and styles to create a unique space that you adore.