Key Takeaways:
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Incorporate interior or exterior cabinet lighting, such as removable LED track lights, to improve visibility and create ambiance. These versatile lighting options are often affordable and offer various color settings to match your desired mood.
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While all-white kitchens remain timeless, introducing wood cabinets or accents can add warmth and texture. With numerous wood grains and stains available, you can customize the look to suit your style preferences.
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Designing an open-concept kitchen that seamlessly connects with living and dining areas fosters a welcoming atmosphere. This layout enhances spaciousness, allows for better interaction with family and guests, and facilitates multitasking, such as supervising children while cooking.
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Maximize kitchen functionality by adding ample cabinets and possibly a walk-in pantry to store dinnerware and utensils. Utilizing organizers and stylish containers can keep counters clutter-free, providing more space for meal preparation and entertaining.
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A central island enhances kitchen utility by offering additional counter space, storage, and seating. Opting for a design with a cooktop on the island allows you to engage with guests while cooking, making it both a functional and social centerpiece.
How to Design the Perfect Functional Kitchen
Cabinetry Lighting
Staying in line with the trend of kitchen functionality, adding lighting to the interior or exterior of your cabinets is a way to not only find things inside easier but to create a moodier atmosphere in the evening when you don’t want to have overhead lights on. Consider adding removable LED track lighting to cabinets and drawers – most products you can find on the market today are inexpensive and pack a huge punch. As an added bonus, most small LED track lighting options are available in a variety of hues – with the click of a remote, you can change from soft white to a beautiful salmon hue, depending on the mood you are going for.
Wood Over White
An all-white kitchen is classic and timeless, there’s no doubt about it. However, some homeowners in 2024 are opting for wood cabinets to add warmth and texture to the kitchen. If the kitchen is not the right space to integrate wood & wood-like materials, we are also seeing an uptick in demand for wood flooring and wooden beams throughout the home. With the plethora of options to choose from when it comes to wood grain and stain options, integrating this design concept into your home has never been easier… the hard part will be deciding which wood type is right for you!
Open-Concept Kitchen
An open concept is a very important must-have kitchen element. Allowing the living, dining, and cooking spaces to flow together gives the home a welcoming ambiance. Not only does an open concept make the room feel more spacious and bright, but it’s also an easy way to keep an eye on young children, spend more time with family, and entertain guests while preparing food. By having these rooms “connected,” everyone can feel like they are a part of the action.
Optimal Storage + Counter Space
Even with the spacious feel of an open floor plan, you always want to make sure you’re maximizing the storage space of your kitchen. This can include adding more cabinets for dinnerware and cooking utensils and switching a small closet out for a walk-in pantry. You can boost the existing space with organizers, wire baskets, and more to hide the cluttered, less functional items away in cabinets and pantries. Create work-station charm with jars and stylish containers for your coffee station, cooking utensils, and fruit. By optimizing your storage space, not only will your counters feel more aesthetically pleasing and functional, but you’ll also have more room for meal prepping and entertainment.
A Center Island
In terms of maximizing usage and functionality, having a center island in your kitchen is a must. It heightens your walkways, increases your storage capacity, and adds additional counter space and seating. We recommend a gourmet kitchen option that features a cooktop on the center island so that you’re able to face your guests and cook simultaneously. As a focal point of your kitchen, the island beautifully combines function and style.
Today, a kitchen is way more than just a kitchen, it’s a living space for you, your family, and your guests. And, as you can see, having a functional design is key for both cooking and entertaining. With over 75 home designs to choose from, Maronda Homes is here to make your kitchen dreams come true!