The kitchen is often considered to be the heart of the home. It seems to naturally draw all of the members of the family towards it and in most homes it is a central hub which is used for more than just preparing meals. However, despite the important role of this room in our day to day lives many of us seem to neglect it when it comes to interior design. Here at 27estore.com we have always prided ourselves on offering our clients a wide range of choices when it comes to kitchen cabinetry.
We feel that it is every bit as important to be able to put your own personal sense of style into your kitchen which is why we offer so many different finishes from traditional oak to more contemporary high gloss finishes. We were interested to discover whether or not our views were shared with others in the industry and we recently caught up with a few interior designers from across the globe to ask what their thought are on the importance of paying attention to your kitchen décor just as you would in the rest of your home.
Alice Roussos of Las Vegas based Interior Motives told us that she believes 'it is even more important since most people spend a lot of time there. If you are not a gourmet cook it may not be necessary to invest in the most expensive appliance. But, you can still create a beautiful space with paint colors and finishes.' Alice is currently looking towards much lighter finishes for kitchen cabinetry to counteract the recent popularity of dark wenge wood cabinetry and her secret weapon when it comes to designing kitchens for her clients is to incorporate oversized islands into the room.
Alice's opinions were echoed by Mark Gacesa of Ultraspace. 'Kitchens are such an important element in a home and they are never overlooked in my designing for many reasons. They are usually the 'hub' of the house, a congregation spot. And for this reason, kitchens need to perform many important roles besides just cooking. I not only put effort into a kitchen's functionality, but also an original aesthetic and appeal, and (most importantly) the way that aesthetic flows into the rest of the design of the dwelling,' said Mark. The smooth action of good quality hardware is something that Mark looks for when choosing kitchen cabinetry which is functional yet stylish. Mark also offered us some advice on making your kitchen something special! 'Think outside the box when it comes to kitchens,' said Mark. 'Get creative and and don't treat it like 'just a kitchen'. There are so many creative ways of making the kitchen an unexpected talking point of the whole house with the use of unexpected finishes, creative lighting and clever design.'
Mark is not the only one who is keen to use high quality cabinetry when remodeling kitchen, something we have always striven to achieve with our carefully sourced materials and handcrafted veneers. Komal Sheth of Spaces Designed told us that what he looks for in cabinetry for his clients is quality. 'When looking for kitchen cabinetry you need to look for several things. First, the sturdiness of both the casework as well as the hardware. Second, the quality of the wood- is the grain even, is the stain/laminate color even. You want to make sure that each and every door matches and will give a seamless clean look throughout the space,' said Komal. 'As one of the most important and most often used space of a home, the design of a kitchen is key to a functioning eating, cooking and gathering space. The design of a kitchen can make or break the functional aspects of the space from organization, to de-cluttering, to the overall flow of the room.'
Jessica Bear of Jess Bear Interior Design believes that the number one consideration when it comes to kitchen cabinetry is durability. 'The kitchen cupboards take a daily beating, so they must be able to clean up nice and resist scratches,' said Jess. She prefers deeper stains like mahogany and walnut largely because they are great at hiding fingerprints in between cleaning making them great for the family home. However, she also feels that these choices provide a timeless touch of elegance in the home. Jess also offers some valuable advice when it comes to planning a kitchen remodel. 'Splurge on great ventilation. Not only does it reduce oils and smells in the air, but you won't have a headache from any noisy fan. It is sort of like lighting; if it is done right, no one will notice,' said Jess.
The general consensus among these interior designers was that kitchen design is every bit as important, if not more so than in any other area of your home. In addition to creating a visually stunning kitchen, the issues of quality was also raised. One of the important factors that is taken into consideration by interior designers when picking out kitchen cabinetry is the quality of the materials. This is something we take very seriously at 27estore.com. Our cabinets are all carefully crafted using eco-friendly materials and are finished using one the best Italian wood veneers. We offer luxury as standard and out cabinets are crafted using the same techniques employed by the high end European furniture manufacturers.
Quality of materials seems to be top priority among design professionals
With 2013 well underway, there are a number of trends emerging when it comes to the Kitchen. So many people are wary of following design trends when it comes to the kitchen because the expense of changing cabinetry every year is not something anyone wants to get caught up in. However, it is possible to keep your kitchen in style by incorporating the latest trends into classic designs that will look great in your kitchen for years to come. We asked three top interior designers for their thoughts on the kitchen design trends that define 2013.
It seems that this year's 'buzz' word is modern! Alice Roussos of Interior Motives tells us that right here in Las Vegas she is noticing a preference for modern spaces. 'Even in the Tuscan homes that are still popular here, we are moving to a cleaner more classic look. Stainless steel is still king of the kitchen, says Alice. Although she finds herself leaning more towards lighter finishes for cabinetry at the moment, this is more a reaction to the recent popularity of darker woods rather than a definite preference. 'I am open to all wood finishes, says Alice. 'It depends on the client, the architecture, the style etc.'
"Stainless steell is still king of the kitchen" according to Alice Roussos
Over at Ultraspace, Mark Gacesa is also feeling modern when it comes to kitchen design. 'Contemporary style kitchen bench tops are going to go into the opposite direction to being super-thin in appearance as opposed to the thicker slab look,' says Mark. A much more streamlined look is also on the cards in Mark's opinion. 'There will be more attention to concealing much of the 'working' parts of the kitchen (if they are front of house) and creating a more seamless look as has already happened with integrated dishwashers, refrigerators, etc.' In terms of wood finishes, Mark admits to being 'a bit of a sucker for smoked American oak,' but he also advocates the importance of mixing it up with other elements so as not to overpower the room with nothing but oak!
Komal Sheth of Spaces Designed also likes to mix things up in terms of finishes. 'When doing a single finish throughout a kitchen we tend to favor a natural maple stain, however we typically recommend mixing finishes to separate each station of a kitchen- cooking space, prep space and island,' says Komal. When it comes to current kitchen design trends, Komal also feels a modern approach is important. 'Modern European Kitchens such as German and Italian Kitchens are becoming more popular. With the advancement of technology and kitchen gadgets the simple, clutter free design of these modern styles make for a very functional space. In these kitchens each cabinet, drawer and encasement has a specific purpose and adds the easy flow and function of the space.'
Jess Bear has a slightly different design tip for us, one that is ideal for busy moms! 'More and more we are seeing office organization and desks are being included in the kitchen layout. Moms know that the hub of the home is the kitchen; kids' homework and artwork, mail, bills, keys, purses/bags, and memos rarely make it to their intended spots without first passing through the kitchen, so it makes much more sense to have an office tucked behind kitchen cabinets to wrangle the bunch,' says Jess.
Jess Bear's advice, consider a workspace area in your kitchen.
One of our solutions is to add pencil drawer/desk cabinets.
Here at 27estore.com we are happy to work with you to fully customize your choice of kitchen cabinetry to suit your needs. We offer a full range of contemporary cabinets and modern finishes which is sure to meet your needs. So if you are thinking of remodeling your kitchen this year, why not think about ways to put a modern twist on your kitchen. Komal Sheth offers this valuable advice when it comes to choosing how to approach your kitchen remodeling project. 'When designing your kitchen don’t worry about finishes right off the bat, figure out what kind of space you need such as the ratio of drawers to cabinets to specialty storage as well as the different type of preparation you will be doing- cooking, baking, pickling, mixing, etc. This will allow for easy organization of the design from the start.'
Why not get in touch with us today, and start creating the modern kitchen of your dreams.
We would like to extend our gratitude to Alice Roussos of Interior Motives, Mark Gacesa of Ultraspace,Jess Bear of Jess Bear Interior Design and Komal Sheth of Spaces Designed for sharing their valuable expertise and advice with us.
