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4 Kitchen Design Decisions to Make Life Easier
Combine careful planning with smart design choices and you'll have a hardworking kitchen that's great-looking too
Sponsored Content
These days our kitchens are the centrepiece of the home where everything happens, from eating and entertaining, paying bills to doing homework, so above all it should be designed as a user-friendly, practical space that feels comfortable and welcoming. However, all these factors and considerations can often make the kitchen planning process a daunting prospect, particularly when there’s many lifestyle needs to take into account, too.
Well don’t panic! Help is at hand, thanks to the surface innovators at Laminex. We asked their experts to identify four kitchen design aspects that will help you and your family live better together.
Well don’t panic! Help is at hand, thanks to the surface innovators at Laminex. We asked their experts to identify four kitchen design aspects that will help you and your family live better together.
1. Be Savvy With Practical Materials and Surfaces
Your kitchen is likely to be a hive of activity so it’s important to choose robust, durable and easy-to-maintain finishes that will ensure your space not only looks appealing, but it will retain these good-looks through the busy times. Avoid benchtops that can be prone to scratching or staining, such as expensive marble and timber, and opt for extremely efficient surfaces that offer the same visual appeal but require less maintenance, such as a chic Carrara marble laminate, or a streamlined engineered stone.
Opt for easy-to-maintain finishes. Dreaming of an island unit where family and friends can gather? Well, ensure your centrepiece stays in tip top condition despite being in constant use, thanks to durable, laminate surfaces. The underside of the island is going to take plenty of wear and tear from shoe-scuffing stool users, therefore it’s vital to pick a surface that can be cleaned up easily.
Your kitchen is likely to be a hive of activity so it’s important to choose robust, durable and easy-to-maintain finishes that will ensure your space not only looks appealing, but it will retain these good-looks through the busy times. Avoid benchtops that can be prone to scratching or staining, such as expensive marble and timber, and opt for extremely efficient surfaces that offer the same visual appeal but require less maintenance, such as a chic Carrara marble laminate, or a streamlined engineered stone.
Opt for easy-to-maintain finishes. Dreaming of an island unit where family and friends can gather? Well, ensure your centrepiece stays in tip top condition despite being in constant use, thanks to durable, laminate surfaces. The underside of the island is going to take plenty of wear and tear from shoe-scuffing stool users, therefore it’s vital to pick a surface that can be cleaned up easily.
2. Consider the Best Layout That Will Meet Your Needs
Whatever the size of your kitchen, it’s important to focus on enhancing all available space in a practical way so that it functions efficiently and flows comfortably. The classic working triangle is a great starting point for planning your space, as it aims to cut down on walking distance between the stove, sink and fridge. However, creating this traditional triangle won’t be possible within all layouts, particularly if you have a one-wall kitchen where the three points will be in a line. In these cases, you may prefer to consider your kitchen in terms of task zones, such as hot cooking hub, dishwasher area, pantry storage and food prep spot. Whatever layout you opt for, above all keep it well-organised with regularly used items on hand.
Control the flow of people. With our kitchens becoming more of a sociable hub and not just a work zone, plan a layout that steers traffic away from the cooking zone and towards more user-friendly spots, such as a dining table.
Whatever the size of your kitchen, it’s important to focus on enhancing all available space in a practical way so that it functions efficiently and flows comfortably. The classic working triangle is a great starting point for planning your space, as it aims to cut down on walking distance between the stove, sink and fridge. However, creating this traditional triangle won’t be possible within all layouts, particularly if you have a one-wall kitchen where the three points will be in a line. In these cases, you may prefer to consider your kitchen in terms of task zones, such as hot cooking hub, dishwasher area, pantry storage and food prep spot. Whatever layout you opt for, above all keep it well-organised with regularly used items on hand.
Control the flow of people. With our kitchens becoming more of a sociable hub and not just a work zone, plan a layout that steers traffic away from the cooking zone and towards more user-friendly spots, such as a dining table.
3. Inject Some Personality for a Spot of Drama
A kitchen has to be appealing as well as practical, especially if you are planning on entertaining there, so don’t be afraid to introduce colour, texture and pattern into the space. Consider the kitchen as an extension of the rest of the house and you’ll create a welcoming flow throughout. By expanding your design ideas, you’ll open yourself to a realm of innovative products and solutions that will help you achieve your dream look without having to compromise on functionality.
Make your home stand out. With the trend for dark interiors continuing to grow in popularity, introduce these sultry tones into your kitchen and take it from work zone to luxury living space. Want to find more ideas for your kitchen renovation? Then visit Laminex’s design hub for tonnes of inspiring spaces.
A kitchen has to be appealing as well as practical, especially if you are planning on entertaining there, so don’t be afraid to introduce colour, texture and pattern into the space. Consider the kitchen as an extension of the rest of the house and you’ll create a welcoming flow throughout. By expanding your design ideas, you’ll open yourself to a realm of innovative products and solutions that will help you achieve your dream look without having to compromise on functionality.
Make your home stand out. With the trend for dark interiors continuing to grow in popularity, introduce these sultry tones into your kitchen and take it from work zone to luxury living space. Want to find more ideas for your kitchen renovation? Then visit Laminex’s design hub for tonnes of inspiring spaces.
4. Try Before You Buy
Not many of us would buy a car without test driving it first, right? And in a similar way, you should also take your new kitchen surfaces for a spin before you commit to them. Visit a showroom to view all of your samples, from the flooring, to the benchtops, splashbacks to the wall tiles. Then touch them and wipe them, to get a good sense of how they’re going to work. Choose the finishes that are going to transform your kitchen into the ultimate easy-living space for all its users and guests.
Create a visual mood board. You’ve seen them on Houzz and in magazines, now try giving a mood board a go at home. Layer your kitchen samples over one another, then consider the look as a whole. Do the finishes complement each other, or perhaps create the striking contrast you imagined? If your heart skips with anticipation at the final result, then you’re on the winning track!
More: For more information about the latest products and to order samples, visit Laminex’s website. To find out your kitchen style and to get more inspiration, visit the Laminex Design Hub.
Your turn
Any top tips for a user-friendly kitchen?
This story was written by the Houzz Sponsored Content team.
Not many of us would buy a car without test driving it first, right? And in a similar way, you should also take your new kitchen surfaces for a spin before you commit to them. Visit a showroom to view all of your samples, from the flooring, to the benchtops, splashbacks to the wall tiles. Then touch them and wipe them, to get a good sense of how they’re going to work. Choose the finishes that are going to transform your kitchen into the ultimate easy-living space for all its users and guests.
Create a visual mood board. You’ve seen them on Houzz and in magazines, now try giving a mood board a go at home. Layer your kitchen samples over one another, then consider the look as a whole. Do the finishes complement each other, or perhaps create the striking contrast you imagined? If your heart skips with anticipation at the final result, then you’re on the winning track!
More: For more information about the latest products and to order samples, visit Laminex’s website. To find out your kitchen style and to get more inspiration, visit the Laminex Design Hub.
Your turn
Any top tips for a user-friendly kitchen?
This story was written by the Houzz Sponsored Content team.
Design for life. Laminex has been part of Australian life for more than 80 years. Our commitment to design,... Read More
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Professional. Helpful. Then a hiccup. I went to Laminex Tullermarine after our kitchen builder left holes in our laminex panels and cut off the sealed edges of the mdf panels to make them fit instead...More
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