Kitchen & Bathroom Design Plans

Kitchen Storage Planning

The best kitchen designs are laid out with work zones in mind. Using what’s called “the work triangle,” kitchen designers place everything from ovens and cooktops to sinks and refrigerators — as well as the cabinets themselves — within various zones.

Harmony® Storage Solutions by KraftMaid are organized by zones as well. These zones include Food Storage, Tableware Storage, Preparation, Cooking and Cleanup. Specialized Storage Solutions work within these zones, allowing you to maximize storage, accessibility and comfort in your kitchen.

Review the many options in this section. You’ll see how easy it is to create a kitchen that’s more organized, more efficient and more livable than you ever imagined.

This zone contains all of your basic food items, including canned goods, dry goods, perishables, refrigerated foods and bulk storage. In your kitchen layout, it should be placed near the Preparation and Cooking zones, and should be easily accessible for unloading groceries. Harmony® Storage Solutions that make this zone work hardest and smartest include lazy susans, pull-out pantries, multi-storage pantries, a variety of roll-out trays and utility cabinets.

This zone is used to store dishes, glasses, stemware, serving pieces, silverware and other items that you use in your daily kitchen routine. This zone should be planned so that it is easily accessible from the eating area as well as the Cleanup zone. Think about Harmony® Storage Solutions, like cutlery dividers, china display cabinets, base drawer storage and more.

This is the main work area in your kitchen. This zone will contain work knives, utensils, mixing bowls, food processor and other small appliances. Of course, it should be designed in proximity to the Cooking and Cleanup zones. This area will gain efficiency and practicality from Harmony® Storage Solutions, like base pots and pans cabinets with adjustable drawer dividers, cutting centers, floating island base cabinets, tambour storage, utensil ensembles and much more.

As you can imagine, this zone will include your cooktop, ovens and microwave. It will also contain your cookware, bakeware and cooking utensils, as well as your spices and cooking oils. This zone is the true focal point of your kitchen layout. And you can keep the focus on efficiency with Harmony® Storage Solutions, like a base cooking center, roll-out trays, spice racks, tray dividers and microwave cabinets.

The Cleanup zone is another area that can define your kitchen layout because it most likely will be dictated by plumbing access or the placement of your dishwasher and windows. This zone contains your sink and dishwasher, trash and recycling bins, cleaning tools and cleaning supplies. Make your Cleanup zone more efficient with Harmony® Storage Solutions, like a sink base door storage cabinet, pull-out wastebaskets and more.

 Kitchen Measurement and Volume

Measure Your Existing Space

A) Start with the first wall on the left and work to your right around the room. First, measure the overall length of each wall in your kitchen. Use grid paper to record all your measurements.

B) Indicate all breaks in walls (windows, doors, closets) by measuring from the corner to the outside edge of the molding. Don’t forget to indicate any permanent appliances, air vents, offsets, etc.

C) Measure to centerline of plumbing, ducting and outlets. Remember, plumbing and outlets may be moved to accommodate a design.

Create Your Floor Plan

Using your kitchen measurements, start sketching your cabinets. Start in the corner of your grid paper and work out. Note the location of your electrical outlets, plumbing fixtures and air ducts. You may be able to move major appliances several inches either way to accommodate a layout change.

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This is a very effective use of cupboard space and kitchen lighting. With so much natural light coming in through the windows this homeowner can feel confident that using a dark stain on the cabinets will not make the space feel dark and gloomy. The walls, countertop and floor have all been done in neutral shades which is ideal if you are renovating for the purpose of selling.

In this kitchen photo, ultramodern design is stated with bold shapes and smooth textures, and is enhanced by the dramatic use of color. All are elements that can be incorporated into a small or large kitchen. Because the color in this kitchen has been limited to only a few surfaces, it can easily be changed if and when you are ready for a new color theme.

The ambient lighting in this kitchen design enhances the natural beauty of the woodgrain. The finishes have been kept tastefully simple for a coordinated and clean-lined effect. The combination of materials and the compact layout suggest a feeling of calm efficiency.

This French country kitchen design picture may make you think you’ve stepped back in time. (medieval time) It is vastly different from all of the previous kitchen design pictures and we’ve shown it simply to demonstrate that anything is possible. The size of this stove/cooktop is so impressive, it must be in a very large kitchen. Somehow a castle comes to mind. View more pictures of French country kitchens.

This beautiful designer kitchen with rich, detailed woodwork could be found in an estate home. It has a very traditional look that incorporates marble countertops, glass cabinet doors and architectural details like crown molding. Portions of the cabinetry have been made to look like furniture pieces. One peak at this kitchen and you want to know if the rest of the house is just as elegant.

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For people who are looking to have a warm earthy feeling to their kitchen along with the simplicity of nature then country kitchen decorating theme is the way to go. Today the country kitchen look has become one of the more popular interior decorating designs being used at is provides an overall welcoming and friendly feeling to a very important area of the home.

However if you are considering to decorate your kitchen in a country style then you will also need to consider whether this will be limited to the kitchen or will spread in to other areas of your home. Plus you will need to look at your budget if you want to be able to carry out such a style of decoration to your kitchen. Below are a number of decorating ideas that you could use if you want to produce a country style kitchen in your home.

1. Colors

For any country style kitchen the colors you use should be fresh, clean and warm and the ideal colors to achieve this are browns, yellows, greens, whites, pinks and the various different shades in between.

2. Accents

By adding just a few accents such as fruit, flowers, vegetables and plants will also help to increase the feel of a country kitchen that you are trying to achieve.

3. Furniture

It is preferable that you use lighter woods or wicker furniture in your country style kitchen design and it is wise if they can be upholstered in either gingham or floral type patterns. If you want to save money then instead of buying new furniture why not just make slip covers for the furniture you already have.

4. Flooring

The preferred kind of flooring for a country kitchen should be made from a natural material such as wood, tile or flagstones. However if these will not be covered in the budget you have then the same look can be achieved using wall to wall carpeting or laminate flooring instead. However, it is important that the flooring you use is the right sort of colour (any light shade). You could even use hooked or braided rugs instead in order to add an authentic look to the finished room.

5. Accessories

The final thing you need to consider when doing a country kitchen decorating design is what kind of accessories will work best and that the family will enjoy looking at. Why no put some family photos in to wooden frames, a painted rustic scene is a good idea, whilst plants, candles and even lace curtains can provide you with a finish that are all important to finish off your country style kitchen.

It is important that when designing your country style kitchen is to have an open mind and only include those features which appeal to you the most.

Lee Dobbins writes about kitchen decorating. Visit kitchen-decorating-idea for more great kitchen decorating ideas.

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Kitchen & Bathroom Express

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A small room may be all we need, but giving it the feel of larger room may be want we want! Take these few steps and you will be surprised how much bigger your kitchen feels.

Step 1

ORGANIZE

It may be helpful to take the drastic step of take everything out of all your closets and drawers and putting them on a kitchen or dining room table. You can then see clearly what you have. Sort your items according to use and then place them back in the closets in a spot most convenient to their purpose. Stop by Lowe’s or Target and pick up some organizers to help you fit more items in your cabinets. They have an organizer for everything! The more efficient you can make your cabinet space the more you can keep in your kitchen. But you want some extra space left when you’re done minimizing and organizing to accommodate the next step. If you need some help with this step visit some of the many web sites

It can be easier than you think to do home improvement projects in your kitchen. Getting high-quality materials at low prices is half the battle, but your labor is the other. Here are some areas that can easily spruce up your kitchen.

Kitchen Floors ¨C install new tile, vinyl or hardwood floors.

Kitchen Cabinets ¨C just take them off the hinges and replace them with new ones. If you don¡¯t feel like updating the entire cabinet, use new hardware for simple shine.
Kitchen Backsplash ¨C add a decorative touch to your kitchen walls.