All-white kitchens have an open and airy feel to them. This kitchen is from a home we designed in Preston Hollow.
In the past, kitchens were usually set apart from the rest of the home. Homeowners today, however, often prefer their kitchens to be a hub where they can work and entertain guests at the same time. Following are some general guidelines for designing a kitchen that can do it all—whether you're renovating your Dallas home or starting from scratch.
The first floor of this Dallas home has an open concept layout. The kitchen connects to the living room on the right.
Identify Your Goals
Everyone has different needs for their kitchen, so begin the design process by identifying your top priorities. If you love to cook and entertain, make sure you have more than just one stove. If you don't cook often, there's no need to invest in restaurant-quality burners.
Choose a Layout
The size of your kitchen is another important factor in how you should lay things out. When you've got a small space to work with, you may consider installing an island with storage, overhead pot racks, and cabinets that run all the way up to the ceiling. Running cabinets up to the ceiling eliminates the gap that normally just collects dust. By making storage space a design priority, you can store away as many kitchen appliances as possible. This has the advantage of leaving your countertops uncluttered.
As with any small room, you can help a small kitchen feel more expansive by painting the wall colors in a light shade, and letting in as much natural light as possible. Large kitchens allow for more leeway with amenities (such as the number of ovens), as well as dramatic colors and decorative effects. A midsize kitchen can feel more like a big kitchen if you open it up to the family room. One word of caution, however: you might not want kitchen messes to be in your line of sight whenever you’re in the family room!
We worked with Helene’s Luxury Kitchens on this remodel. You can see how the sink, island, and stove form a triangle.
Regardless of whether your kitchen is large or small, it’s worthwhile to plan out pathways. Many designers use the ‘kitchen triangle’ method to plan an ergonomic design. In this method, the fridge, sink, and stove form the three corners of a triangle. Your flatware and dining ware should also be stored close to the dishwasher to make unloading faster and easier. If you want your kitchen to be a ‘hangout’ space, make sure to provide seating that is set away from your work area triangle. Island seating and breakfast tables are two common solutions to this problem.
The stainless steel cabinets and kitchen island (by Bulthaup) share the same gray-blue color in this Kessler Park home.
Pick Complementary Paint Colors and Materials
Speaking of islands, I recommend painting your island the same color as your cabinets to create a unified look. The exception to this rule would be large kitchens, which can visually accommodate a wider variety of paint finishes and colors.
Glass cabinets can help give your kitchen depth and make it feel more spacious. However, remember that your dinnerware will all be on display. If you have dining ware that doesn't match with the rest of your collection, you might want to install frosted glass panes instead.
While there's nothing wrong with stainless steel, make sure to not overuse it. You should also take into consideration the visual flow and rhythm of your kitchen when you choose stainless steel. Putting it everywhere can break up the kitchen's design, making it feel uneven. Stainless steel also scratches easily, so it may not be the best material for counters where you’ll be doing cooking prep. If you have a lot of stainless steel visible in your kitchen and would like to introduce variety, you can have wood fronts installed on your dishwasher, refrigerator, or cabinets.
Glass door cabinets help to highlight the client's beautiful crystal and china collection, as seen above.
Renovating or designing a kitchen can be a lengthy process. Yet regardless of how much cooking you do, you’ll want your kitchen to be a room you enjoy spending time in. A beautiful, thoughtfully-designed kitchen is always worth the trouble!
Just because you have a historical home doesn't mean you can't enjoy the most up-to-date appliances and modern furnishings. If you think it’s time to update your kitchen, consider reaching out to Chambers Interiors. Our design team is familiar with historical home renovation and can help you update appliances while staying faithful to your kitchen’s aesthetic. Contact us by calling our Dallas office at 214-232-9501 or sending an email to info@chambersinteriors.com.