Kitchen Design
10 Terrific Kitchen Design Tips From This Week’s Stories
Find out how to hide a drying rack, choose tile finishes and more
And on the other side of the island are drawers featuring clean slab fronts without hardware, while the island end is capped with a custom barn-like X-detail.
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2. Don’t blacklist black cabinets. Sometimes it’s hard to tell if homeowners really, really love white cabinets or just fear taking a chance on colors. Perhaps it’s a mix of both. But the owner of this home in Ontario, Canada, knew exactly what she wanted and why. “White was a scary choice for me,” she says. “My kids have little ice cream hands. I didn’t want to be chasing them around the house and wiping white cabinets.”
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3. Think symmetrically. During the design phase of this California kitchen, there might have been some discussion about locating the sink beneath one of the windows. But not doing it paid off, establishing a symmetry that enhances the overall design.
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See more of this kitchen
4. Consider tile finishes. You might already know that you prefer white subway tile for your kitchen backsplash, but the decision-making process shouldn’t end there. There are several finishes to choose from, from a high-gloss glaze to a muted, flat matte, as shown here. Be sure to spend extra time weighing your options when it comes to tile, because it’s a material that will cover a large portion of your surfaces and be in your view every moment you’re in your space.
See more tile finishes
See more tile finishes
5. Don’t be afraid to fake it. High-end kitchen materials, like marble, can take a sizable chunk out of a budget. If you’re a bit strapped, there’s no shame in considering faux-finish materials, such as the imitation Carrara marble tile on the countertop shown here. It’s not for everyone, but it can be worth looking into.
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6. Behold the power of tiny shelves. When thinking of a shelf, it’s common for the mind to immediately jump to a deep, long shelf that holds tons of stuff. But a slim, shallow shelf can have just as much impact. The small shelf above the sink shown here holds just a few items — dish soap, a vegetable brush — but frees up countertop inches that are invaluable in the 900-square-foot apartment.
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7. Roll out! If you’ve ever thrown a party, you know how important serving surfaces are. If only you could scoot your island 10 feet to the right! Well, if you had the forethought to put that island on wheels, you would be rolling pretty. The owners of this Texas home love wheels and applied them to several furniture pieces throughout the house, including the double islands and dining table shown here.
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8. Focus on countertop color, not material. If you’re having trouble finding the right countertop material, take a step back and try a different approach. Instead, focus on the color you want first, then weigh your options for countertop materials available in your choice of color. Oftentimes it can help you land on your dream countertop that complements all the other elements in the room, and you realize that color was more important to you than the material itself.
See how to choose a countertop color
See how to choose a countertop color
9. Use the same countertop material for your backsplash. We pointed out the importance of symmetry earlier, and that approach can extend to harmony in materials too. Here, a natural quartzite stone material in rust, white and gray makes up the countertops as well as the backsplash, adding to the overall visual balance of this kitchen.
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10. Spring for a pullout drying rack. It doesn’t matter how many dishwashers you have; you’ll always be air-drying a few pieces in your kitchen. If you’ve got room in your budget for a little splurge, consider a pullout drying cart like the one shown in this Northern California kitchen. It takes the place of a cabinet right next to the sink and keeps the clutter off the countertop.
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More
Your New Kitchen: 7 Tricky Questions You Didn’t Know You’d Ask
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4 Kitchen Design Decisions to Spend a Little Extra Time On
Other Resources on Houzz
Search kitchen products
Find a pro near you
See more of this home
More
Your New Kitchen: 7 Tricky Questions You Didn’t Know You’d Ask
From the Pros: 8 Reasons Kitchen Renovations Go Over Budget
4 Kitchen Design Decisions to Spend a Little Extra Time On
Other Resources on Houzz
Search kitchen products
Find a pro near you
This Boulder, Colorado, kitchen is a great example. The drawers on the base cabinets to the right have simple slab fronts with large bar pulls. The upper-cabinet doors and island backing are Shaker inset style.