As a Memphis custom home builder, we are often asked “Is the kitchen the most important room” in designing the house plan.
For a variety of reasons, the short answer is yes. The kitchen is the heart of your home, and the most important room in the house.
WHY IS THE KITCHEN SO IMPORTANT?
Generally, the kitchen is the most important room in your home because it is the center of your family’s day-to-day living. Nearly everyone begins their day in the kitchen with a cup of coffee or breakfast to get their day underway. Its where everyone gathers. Kitchens are where memories are made. Family, friends and guests at a party tend to congregate around the kitchen. It’s also the first thing a prospective buyer considers if you are likely to sell your home in the future.
KITCHEN DESIGN CONSIDERATIONS
If the kitchen is the most important room in the house, it stand to reason that a good deal of attention should be spend on its design. Today’s open-plan designs reflect a desire for the kitchen to be more than just a place for cooking and eating. Here are a few important considerations for your new custom home kitchen design:
- Space for Entertaining: Plan for enough room for family and friends to gather outside of the cooking area if you are prone to having guests.
- Integration with Other Areas: Today’s open-plan designs include breakfast areas and great rooms integrated into the kitchen plan
- Technology: The kitchen is no exception to the trend to incorporate technology everywhere. Built in speakers, bluetooth functionality, smart appliances and features such as warming drawers, steam ovens and induction cooktops are consideratons.
- Storage: Decluttering the kitchen area is a must in an open design where the kitchen is the hub of activity beyond cooking. For instance, storage in a kitchen wall will allow you easily rid your kitchen of clutter.
- Beauty vs Functionality: Are you the type to cook culinary masterpieces or something a bit more simple? For the former, functionality will be a vital consideration. For the latter, beauty may be more important.
- Placement of sinks, dishwashers, garbage bins and electrical outlets: For functionality, your kitchen should have a working triangle between your stove, sink and fridge. Garbage bins should be in a location that is accessible to the triangle. Consider how you will use the kitchen and be sure to plan for enough electrical outlets. Under cabinets, and under countertops are considerations for addtional outlets and are easily hidden from the eye.
- Pantry Organization: In a functional custom home kitchen, you will want to consider special spice shelves, pull out shelves and baskets. And a Butler pantry is a beautiful way to protect heirlooms and staging meals.
- Decorative Lighting: Lighting is hugely important to both the functionality and the beauty of our custom home kitchen. Make sure there is enough lighting to make cooking easy. Consider dimmers on the main lights for the kitchen. But by all means, devise a decorative lighting plan that sets off your kitchen design.