Classic Vs Modern Kitchen Design Styles

Whether you are a culinary aficionado or a weekend warrior in the kitchen, the design and layout of your kitchen plays a significant role in your cooking experience. Incorporating classic kitchen design ideas and selecting the best kitchen cabinet materials can transform your ordinary kitchen into a culinary sanctuary. This article dives into the depth of classic kitchen design and highlights the best kitchen cabinet materials to choose from for a stunning and efficient kitchen.

Classic kitchen design tends to be timeless, meaning most classic design ideasnever go out of style. This traditional kitchen design portfolio shows many examples of classic design ideas. These classic design concepts lean towards neutral colors, clean lines, and functionality details that deliver both style and efficiency. For instance, a classic white kitchen is always a good choice. The use of white cabinets provides a clean, bright atmosphere that can be complemented by any color or material choice for countertops, flooring, and your backsplash. Additionally, this neutral palette allows you to easily change or add pops of color according to the season or your mood.

Hardwood flooring is another classic kitchen design element. It not only brings warmth to your kitchen but also creates a seamless flow with the rest of the house. This is particularly relevant for open-concept floor plans. Another classic idea is the incorporation of open shelving for displaying items. While they serve as a functional addition to your kitchen, open shelves also allow you to display your favorite dishes, cookbooks, or decorative pieces, thereby adding a personal touch to your culinary space.

The kitchen island, a staple in many homes, is another classic design element that adds both functional and aesthetic value. They provide additional workspace, storage, and can also serve as an informal dining area. You can enhance the classic look by opting for panel-ready appliances that blend seamlessly with your cabinetry, creating a cohesive and clean look.

Moving on to the best kitchen cabinet materials, understanding your options and their associated pros and cons is crucial. Kitchen cabinets significantly contribute to your kitchen's overall aesthetic and functionality, so it's vital to choose wisely. The most popular kitchen cabinet materials include solid wood for doors, plywood, medium-density fiberboard (MDF), and stainless steel.

Solid wood cabinets are highly durable, warm, and come in a range of species and finishes. They're a classic choice, particularly for traditional or country style kitchens. We lean toward solid wood cabinets for the custom kitchen cabinets we design for customers. However, they can be more expensive and may warp in high humidity environments.

Plywood is a more cost-effective alternative to solid wood for the actual cabinet construction. It's strong, durable, and less prone to warping. Plywood for cabinet boxes can be finished with a veneer of hardwood, providing the look of solid wood at a lower cost.

MDF is another budget-friendly option. While not as durable as solid wood or plywood, MDF does not warp easily and offers a smooth surface for paint, making it an excellent choice for the actual cabinet boxes. These boxes definitely need a finishing ingredient as MDF alone looks incomplete.

Finally, stainless steel cabinets are an excellent choice for a modern or industrial-style kitchen. They're durable, easy to clean, and resistant to heat and stains. However, they can show fingerprints and scratches easily.

In conclusion, creating your ideal kitchen involves thoughtful consideration of both design and materials. Kitchen designers in New Jerseythat useclassic kitchen design ideas ensures a timeless look that will continue to please for years to come. The best kitchen design in South Jersey is the one that you feel part of. A well-designed kitchen is not just a space for cooking; it's a place where memories are made and shared. So, take the time to design a kitchen that truly reflects you.

Kitchen Cabinets and Appliances for the Gourmet

Some like their kitchens super simple. Others dream of having a cooking space fit for a gourmet. If you belong to the latter, this post is for you! We’re running down gourmet kitchen appliances and cabinet must-haves to help you achieve your dream kitchen.

What’s In A Gourmet Kitchen?

Generally, gourmet kitchens are more equipped than regular ones. The goal of this space is to help you prepare dishes more efficiently and provide storage for your cooking arsenal and ingredients. Whether it’s your childhood dream to have a professional-looking kitchen complete with custom kitchen cabinets or you simply wish to improve how you cook food at home, this list can serve as your guide for your gourmet kitchen design.

Professional-Grade Range

Before you go on to choose elegant yet functional kitchen cabinet materials, you have to first tick off a big essential to any kitchen — the cooking range. If you want to go gourmet, opt for a professional-grade range that offers durability and versatility. And if you’re really serious about cooking (and baking), you should also consider getting a double oven and a convection microwave.

Sinks

Properly washing dishes and pots is an important responsibility of any cook. It keeps your kitchen tidy and hygienic. For gourmet kitchens, having a deep sink is standard because it accommodates large pots. Undermount sinks are also staples. These types of sinks, which have no protruding lips and are seamlessly mounted under the countertop material, allow easy sweeping of food scraps.

Custom cabinetry

If you look at gourmet kitchens, you may notice the use of cabinets made rift sawn white oak cabinets. The grain direction matters and adds significant aesthetic value to a rather serious-looking gourmet kitchen space. Apart from choosing sturdy material, you should also go for a custom cabinetry design to cater to your unique needs. For instance, you may need separate storage for your collection of herbs and spices.

Gourmet island

Kitchen islands are space-maximizers. A double island kitchen layout screams gourmet. When cleverly and aesthetically designed, it can even act as the focal point of your gourmet kitchen. If your space can accommodate it, incorporating a kitchen island with stools or chairs help family and friends connect while the gourmet chef prepares your meal.

Refrigerator/s

While many smart, stand-alone units are available in the market today, some gourmet kitchen owners also opt for a second fridge (typically placed nearby their pantry areas). Others invest in another refrigerator drawer integrated into the island for easy access to drinks and other kitchen ingredients.

Easy-to-clean countertops and backsplashes

Apart from having long-lasting cabinetry like quarter sawn wood cabinets, you also have to pay attention to the materials you’ll choose for your countertop and backsplash. From quartz to ceramic tiles, you have several options to choose from to help elevate the look and functionality of your kitchen space. You also have to consider their resistance to stain, water, and chemicals, and their ease of maintenance.

Task lighting

You won’t be able to maximize your gourmet kitchen appliances without an appropriate lighting system. Besides having a main light source, you must equip your kitchen with under-cabinet lighting and pendants to help you perform tasks in different zones within your space.

Kitchen Design for the Country Home

Warm, comfortable, and inviting. These words best describe a country home. And at the heart of this residential space is a fully functional country-style kitchen. When you visit a kitchen design center, you’d observe that country kitchens tend to focus on the use of natural materials — from wooden beams, cabinets, and furniture to an accent wall punctuated by bricks. These kitchens are also characterized by high ceilings and huge windows for a barn-like feel.

Are you designing a country-inspired kitchen for your home? Here are a few designing and decorating tips, plus some useful ideas to help you out.

Take note that farmhouse sinks are a staple. A country or farmhouse kitchen design isn’t complete without that huge, deep sink. It’s not only visually striking — but it also provides ample space to cater to many sink-related activities (e.g., washing dishes and ingredient washing).

Invest in a statement island. Farmhouse sinks are just one part of the equation. Another distinctive component of a modern white farmhouse kitchen is a large kitchen island with stools or chairs. A kitchen island with seating lets you maximize your kitchen space while giving a more communal feel to your kitchen.

Bring in a farmhouse table. If your space allows, having a farmhouse table is highly recommended. More than being a place to eat, it transforms this part of your home into a wholesome place where you can forge stronger bonds with your family members and guests.

Install open kitchen shelving. If you ask any professional kitchen designer in NJ, another way to make your kitchen country-inspired is to install open shelving here and there. Bring those pots and jars out and display them on a shelf (typically made from barn wood). This will provide easy access to your kitchen essentials while serving as an aesthetic accent to your space.

Keep the beams exposed. It’s not only the shelves that are often exposed in country kitchens. If you look at the ceiling, you’ll notice that big wooden beams are also a staple in a country kitchen. They lend a rustic charm to your kitchen and can make your space even more welcoming.

Dress up an accent wall. If you don’t want your kitchen to look boring, having an accent wall is what some professional kitchen designers like to recommend. And if you’re eyeing a country-style kitchen, you have two main options: Install bricks on that wall or dress it up with reclaimed wood.

Add a few vintage elements. You don’t always have to go big when making a country-inspired kitchen. As in any place of your home, even the smallest details matter. Got a few stoneware canisters or glass mason jars? Store it on one of your open shelves. Do you own a collection of vintage country collectables? It’s high time to put them on display.

Set the mood with pendant lights. To further add visual warmth, quality overhead lighting is a must. Pendant lights are common in many country kitchens because they’re aesthetically appealing, they also act as task lighting, helping you perform kitchen activities safely and more conveniently.

Don’t be afraid to add pops of color. While the white-and-wood scheme is a popular choice in any country kitchen design center, it doesn’t mean that you can’t add bold and bright hues to your kitchen design. Especially if it resonates with your personality, don’t be afraid to paint those cabinets blue, yellow, or even a few red callouts. But if you want a tamer choice, you can add some more character to your space and spruce things up by bringing in indoor plants.

Kitchen Cabinets & ADA Compliant Kitchens

Passed in 1990, the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) is a landmark piece of legislation designed to protect people with disabilities (PWDs) from discrimination. This comprehensive law also covers how the kitchen — the very heart of a home — should have barrier-free layouts among other accommodations so that even PWDs can freely and safely access and use it. Homeowners and kitchen designers that want to have an ADA kitchen design, you must pay special attention to cabinets, thresholds, counter heights, roll under appliances and the like which are essential to making any kitchen space functional. 

This article discusses the cabinets that make it easier for a PWD — especially for someone in a wheelchair — to utilize a kitchen. 

Kitchen cabinet dimension. When designing and constructing kitchen cabinets that are ADA-compliant, dimensions are critical. The overall cabinet height should be 32.5 inches. On the other hand, at minimum, the toe kick (or the space beneath the bottom cabinet where the cabinet hangs over) should be 9 inches. If the area where the cabinet is installed also has a sink, make sure that the sink should be installed 28 inches to 34 inches from the floor. 

Placement above the flooring. The kitchen flooring starts from the edge of the toe kick in a regular kitchen. But if you want your kitchen to be wheelchair user-friendly, the cabinets should be placed above the flooring itself. If you resort to a more conventional way, a minimum 9-inch height is required beneath the toe kick will be reduced. Your contractor should install the flooring first before the cabinets. 

Shelf space and organization. An ADA kitchen design requires 50% of a cabinet’s shelving space to be accessible. To maximize the interior space of a cabinet, experts recommend having pull-out drawers that PWDs can easily access. There are also slide-out cabinet organizers that make it easier for PWDs to access kitchen supplies and cookware — they don’t have to reach into the back part of the cabinet because this type of organizer will move toward the PWD themselves. In other ADA-compliant kitchens, cabinets come with a solid draw covering that can double as a cutting board for a person using a wheelchair. We installed a copper farmhouse sink once that included cutting boards are part of the unit.

Hardware. It’s not only the height and shelving that matter when fitting your kitchen with PWD-friendly cabinets. You also have to focus on the cabinet hardware. Make sure that you only attach handles and knobs that a person with a disability can quickly grab. You can also incorporate a railing in your cabinets to facilitate better mobility. Apart from the cabinets themselves, you also have to make doors, drawers, pantries, and even storage bins easy to open. 

Overall kitchen space. Kitchen cabinet makers in Princeton NJ are at the core of a functional and ergonomic kitchen in New Jersey, especially for PWDs — including those who use wheelchairs. However, it’s important to know that, first and foremost, your kitchen mobility lanes should be at least 40 inches wide before it can be considered ADA-compliant. You also have to maximize your overall kitchen space by creating specified functional zones. This means that you have to zone your kitchen per activity (e.g., storage zone, washing up zone, food preparation zone, meal consumption zone) to make it easier for PWDs to navigate the kitchen.

Kitchen Layouts for Homeowners in Wheelchairs

In the US, more than 30 million people use a wheelchair whether it’s a manual or electric one. Accessibility design and construction professionals strategically create spaces that combine form and functionality while aiding the mobility challenged. As kitchens remain one of the most vital parts of a home, many homeowners who have or are living with someone who has mobility impairments can tap a wheelchair access kitchen designer to help them create a safe and convenient-to-navigate kitchen. 

In this guide, we’re providing you seven helpful tips on how to design a kitchen accessible to people in wheelchairs. 

Make sure there’s ample space for the wheelchair to navigate around corners. Even if you have a small kitchen, you can still make it work for wheelchair users. One popular way is to choose a peninsula kitchen layout that is free from cabinetry under the extended dining corner and the sink. In this design, a peninsula is affixed to a wall or an adjacent countertop. A peninsula island kitchen design allows for access on three sides. It also helps create an area where many activities can be done from a single position. 

Be mindful of countertop heights. Typically, countertops have a height of 36 inches. For a wheelchair accessible kitchen, the height should be two inches lower. This is the proven comfortable height for people using wheelchairs or walkers. 

Leave an open space beneath your kitchen sink. Whether you’re opting for a peninsula kitchen layout or double island kitchen, this is one thing you shouldn’t forget. Having an open space underneath the sink allows wheelchair users to easily access the sink area. To do this, you have to position the drain in the rear of the sink so that the pipework is located at the back (instead of the typical middle). For sinks to be wheelchair-friendly, it’s also better to equip them with single-lever or touch-control faucets. 

Leverage the functionality and convenience of pull-out shelves. For wheelchair users’ convenience, you should also incorporate pull-out shelves as your overall storage solution. If you want to maximize vertical space while keeping your kitchen accessible, consider investing in adjustable kitchen cabinets. 

Install kitchen appliances at a height that they can easily access. Experts recommend installing kitchen appliances at a lower height — specifically, they should be located about 31 inches from the floor. In relation to this, you should also place your electrical outlets in a more accessible position (no lower than 15 inches from the floor). Switches and thermostats, on the other hand, must be placed no higher than 48 inches from the floor. 

Secure adequate lighting and ventilation. When designing kitchens for people in wheelchairs, you can further guarantee their convenience and safety by making sure that the space is well-lit and ventilated. There should be enough windows or light and air sources so that they can easily navigate through the kitchen and perform activities with ease. 

Widen your doorway and hallway. In a traditional kitchen, a doorway is 36-inch wide. If you are getting a kitchen design in Bergan County NJ, ask for an expert wheelchair accessible kitchen designer that truly has some experience. In many modern spaces, homeowners are resorting to an open floor plan to minimize mobility limitations.

Kitchen Designs for Todays Professional

As the kitchen is the heart of the home, careful planning should be done to make it efficient, functional, and aesthetically pleasing to its owner’s preferences. For the in-home chef, a kitchen should be a comfortable space where no inch is wasted — and a space that can cater to their specific needs. This is also why many of them turn to a custom kitchen design company that brings their kitchen ideas into fruition. 

If you're not yet quite sure about how you want your kitchen to be designed, this read is for you. Here are kitchen design tips and ideas suitable for today's busy homeowner. 

A multi-functional kitchen space. Today, luxury kitchen design in NJ doesn't just mean having top-quality kitchen elements. Now, it also involves cleverly transforming the traditional space for cooking and preparing food into a multi-functional one. It's become a place where you can dine, enjoy a good cup of coffee with loved ones, and even work remotely. 

Quality cabinetry is a key. For a kitchen to be functional, cabinetry should be meticulously planned and installed. Having sleek kitchen cabinet styles should also be part of your checklist. But apart from that, there is a preference for more drawers that glide. You should also work on beautifying both the interior and exterior of your cabinetry. 

Professional-level smart appliances. You can further promote efficiency in your kitchen by having luxury kitchen appliances that are high end brands. And speaking of appliances, don’t neglect the kitchen sink. A hot trend for years has been extra deep kitchen sinks with motion sensing faucets. Incorporating smart technology is also advised to help you conveniently sustain your kitchen lifestyle. 

Clever storage solutions and concealed appliances. To keep the decluttered look of your kitchen, it pays to have clever storage solutions. And these include permanent storage for bulky appliances such as ovens and microwaves. Not only does concealing appliances help you save space, it also helps protect them from several air borne elements — ultimately allowing you to maximize their lifespan. 

Resorting to easy-to-clean surfaces. Non-porous materials such as glass and metal are also a staple in the kitchens of today’s professionals. As we're living at the time of a pandemic, having easy-to-clean and non-pathogen-harboring surfaces in your kitchen should be a consideration. 

Little details mean a lot. As mentioned above, the kitchen has now become a space where many other non-kitchen activities can be done. This is why incorporating even the tiniest details to make your kitchen more "you" are now part of the kitchen design process. From installing an elaborate coffee bar to adding plants to equipping the kitchen USB ports and internet connected flat screen devices, these things matter a lot to a busy professional’s effort to personalize this portion of his or her home. 

Consult with a custom kitchen design company in NJ that understands the needs of younger professionals. Professionals like you know how advantageous it is to work with field experts. If you want your kitchen construction or renovation project to be as smooth and resource-saving as it can be, it's a must to hire a kitchen design center in NJ. They will help you achieve the look and functionality you want for your kitchen, and even provide you access to industry suppliers and vendors to make your project more cost-effective.

Your New Kitchen Colors: 7 Things to Consider

There is no doubt how functionality is a top priority when designing your home’s kitchen. But imagine having a cleverly assembled kitchen whose color scheme doesn’t seem to work out. If you’re working on your kitchen’s aesthetics, you will find yourself thinking a lot about color. Such as, which color should your gourmet kitchen appliances be? What countertop color suits white cabinets best? 

In this article, we’re discussing seven tips for selecting the right color palette for your kitchen. 

Decide on a theme. The theme you want for your kitchen primarily affects the way you select your color scheme. If you’re going for a farmhouse-style kitchen, you’d mostly have whites and natural browns. If you want it to have a retro appeal, there’s a need to have pastel hues of yellow and turquise colors. Contemporary and industrial themes, on the other hand, feature dark hues and metallic accents. 

Pick a color for your cabinet first. Cabinets take up much of a person’s visual field when entering any kitchen. This is why it makes sense to start with cabinets when selecting colors for your kitchen. Many homeowners opt for white cabinets because of their versatility. However, if your kitchen is a busy one, choosing darker ones (like black, gray, or dark brown) can minimize dirt, fingerprints and other blemishes. 

Keep countertops neutral. Apart from cabinets, countertops also have a substantial visual impact. If you are looking for kitchen countertop ideas with white cabinets, you’d mostly find designs whose countertop colors are neutral tones. This provides flexibility both in the short run and in the long run. If you want to repaint sometime in the future, neutral-colored countertops can be easily paired with different color choices for other surfaces. 

Select appliance colors that blend well with your cabinets. The color of your essential and gourmet kitchen appliances should complement the look of your cabinets and countertops. For example, soft white cabinets typically work with white, gray, or black appliances. If your kitchen has dark cabinets with light wood floors, stainless steel appliances may work better. 

Add character through your backsplash. As mentioned, countertops are typically neutral in color. The backsplash is your opportunity to add character to your kitchen. Depending on the theme you have for your kitchen, you can keep it neutral but with richer textures or you can opt for patterned or bright-colored tiles. 

Look at the bigger picture. Apart from the abovementioned, you have to consider the colors of your walls and flooring system. If your kitchen is small in size, choose a color palette that will make the space airier and larger. If your kitchen is spacious, consider adding an accent wall that may serve as a divider between a dining area. If your kitchen will be used extensively, you may wish to choose dark- wood flooring to disguise scuff marks. You should also take lighting into account as it can affect the way colors are perceived. Dark palettes need to be well-lit, for instance, not to affect the functionality of your kitchen space. 

Inject your personality into your kitchen. When consulting a professional, you should make sure this kitchen designer is using a virtual kitchen design program that allows for color visualizations. For example, if you add personalized decors, the color of the decorations you should choose should work well with the overall look of your space. If not, you can alter colors long before you lift a paint brush. Take advantage of the most popular kitchen design photo galleries and these websites tend to feature trendier color combinations.