Admit it.
The minute you saw the words “design”, “kitchen”, and “secret tips” in the title, you were tempted to click, weren’t you?
It’s not just you. For most of us, life revolves around the kitchen, and the kitchen is built around the family. The fragrance of freshly baked cookies or the sweet aroma of rice kheer envelops the house..and you know it from the smile of the family as they walk in through the door at the end of the day. No other place in a home works as hard or brings as much joy.
Kitchen is also the most difficult part of the house to design. One area where it is a tough balance between aesthetics, functionality, and personality. I’ve included personality because the style of cooking and a family’s habits is individualistic, one that plays a critical role in a kitchen’s layout.
When it comes to kitchen design, everyone talks about the famous triangle linking the sink, stove/hob and the refrigerator. But, rarely does anyone talk about these secret tips that stem right from your dreams, your vision of your dream kitchen. So, let’s dive straight in as I share my secrets with you:
1. Focus on one element: Pick a focal point. Each one of us dreams of how we want our home, especially kitchen, to look like. It could be anything. For me, it was a window in the center of the kitchen with sink beneath it and an east-facing kitchen to let the morning rays flood in. For you, it could be open shelves, color of the cabinets, placement based on Vaastu or Feng Shui principles, and just about anything. Identify that element close to your heart and work around it. Everything else in the kitchen should complement that element. What do you think is the focal point of the kitchen below?
Or, an exposed brick wall kitchen?
Often, the things you want badly are not the ones easily available. Like my aqua blue wall tiles, for instance. I went around every tile shop in Bangalore for six months before I found a vendor across the country. No kidding. “And, when you want something, all the universe conspires in helping you to achieve it.” ? Paulo Coelho
2. Break the monotony: Wall cabinets with doors keep clutter out of the way, but it can get monotonous. Alternate them with open shelves to break the monotony and display your crockery in the open. Adds to the cool factor. Go boho chic!
3. Experiment: break the rules and don’t be afraid to experiment. Have you ever thought that one of your cabinet doors can become a board to write upon – a convenient place to stick your to-dos, grocery lists, recipes, and plan the week ahead. Merino Laminates has a board laminate in different shades.
4. Educate yourself on the products: an island chimney need not always be a bulky, rectangular cold sore to the eye. They come in nice shapes that blend with the decor. So step out of your conventional zone and explore. Who knows what will surprise you out there?
5. Flaunt your style: It’s your kitchen; it’s your space. Is it a mirror of your character, or does it pass off as any kitchen on the pages of a magazine? Do it up the way you’ve always wanted to and don’t look for a stamp of approval. Flaunt your great-grandma’s 100-year old iron mortar and pestle, if you wish to. Will you be able to say, “This is what I wanted because I wanted it, not because it made my neighbors gape at me.”? – Ayn Rand.
It’s your turn now.
Share the one thing that’s unique about your kitchen.
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