Modern kitchens are more practical than traditional designs because designers shape them based on modern people’s needs. Considering we all live stressful lives, having a clean and sleek kitchen helps us save time in prepping, cooking, and cleaning.
For example, the kitchen work triangle prioritizes a seamless experience, where the proximity of the most important areas (the cooktop, the sink, and the refrigerator) matters. When experts design these spots, they help homeowners be more efficient and faster.
Modern designs bring more to kitchen ergonomics. With innovative storage solutions and technology integrations, a modern kitchen will optimize your time spent in it and make the cooking and cleaning experience enjoyable.
So, how can you achieve this level of functionality in the kitchen?
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Find the perfect layout
Kitchen layouts are perfect for adapting the size of the room to your needs. Modern kitchens approach open-plan designs, where the entire family can interact. However, not all spaces allow installing kitchen islands, which is why we’ve got the blueprint for single-row gallery kitchens, where all fixtures align on a single wall.
Here are some practical kitchen layer examples:
- The L-shaped island square offers considerable workspace, multiple seating options, and table surfaces around the island counter. Using two adjacent layers, designers maximise spaces for traffic flow and adjust benchtops and cabinets according to one’s needs;
- The U-shaped kitchen extends on three adjacent walls and is the best plan for when you need flexibility. It provides plenty of storage regardless of the size of the room, and it makes it efficient for two cooks to roam around at once;
- The G-shaped peninsula kitchen is a popular option for spaces accommodating multiple guests. The fixtures spread across three adjacent walls, and the design ends with a bar counter extension, so the dimensions of the layout require a larger room for proper installation;
Plan according to height
An ergonomic kitchen should fit your lifestyle like a glove, but it demands a lot of measuring. For example, the cabinetry should be limited to your maximum reaching height, as that space will hold less-needed objects.
The shoulder height and the working height should be aligned depending on the storage level, where the often-needed things are. Finally, the less-needed fixtures, which are often heavy, will be placed at the bottom of the cabinet.
The oven and the sink are also important, so their installation will depend on your height. Generally, the stove should be lower than the worktop so cooking is easier, while a slightly raised sink ensures more comfortable dishwashing. Hence, you won’t have to bend over unnecessarily or raise your hands until exhaustion.
Optimise storage capacity
Having enough storage for all the appliances, cutlery, and groceries will help you keep the kitchen spotless. Clutter, along with poor lighting and shallow sinks, is one of the biggest stressors in the kitchen, so installing appropriate storage can avoid the overwhelming feeling.
For example, a pantry cabinet with drawers and shelving saves a lot of space and visual clutter. Consider looking for kitchen doors with dampers to avoid slamming them, snap-on hinges for additional space, and adjustable shelves.
Another notable storage idea is an appliance garage, where you can hide appliances in pairs according to their usage. For example, a coffee lover might want an efficient station at home where all the machines, mugs, and grounds are in the same place.
Finally, opting for closed shelving instead of open cabinets is an effortless tip for making the kitchen seem more organised. Although open shelving can be aesthetically pleasing, it can also get messy quite often, so hiding appliances and tableware is best sometimes.
Integrate technology
Besides investing in smart cooking appliances, automated kitchens surely make your life easier. For example, more kitchen appliances come with connectivity features for mobile applications, so owners can start, stop, or change settings from anywhere in the house.
Imagine how fast cooking could be if you could set the oven to preheat before you get home so that dinner will be ready in a matter of minutes. Or, you could use your mobile phone to schedule your coffee brewing while you’re still in bed.
These appliances are energy-efficient, helping you save money in the long run and contributing to a healthier environment. By monitoring their energy consumption, smart appliances facilitate better decisions for optimising your bills.
Finally, look into voice-controlled lighting for under the cabinets, lamps, or pendants, where you can activate them with your voice or through an app. Smart faucets are also a great addition to your kitchen, as you can adjust them to pour a specific amount of water into a container or adapt the temperature before turning them on.
Introduce more natural elements
Natural elements are the epitome of modern kitchens due to their beautiful contrast with technology. Indoor plants are always welcomed in the kitchen for their moisture-wicking features and wholesome aesthetics. Some of the best kitchen plants include the Boston fern, which requires minimal pruning, and the Peace lily, known for its stress-reduction properties.
Natural lighting also counts in this case, so designing larger windows that light up the room throughout the day is ideal. A window over the kitchen sink, fixed glazing in pinched roofs, and clerestory windows are great ideas for making the kitchen brighter.
Natural elements for your kitchen can materialise in the form of furniture. Indeed, some of these products might not be budget-friendly for anyone, but they’re long-lasting and never out of fashion. Natural stone, for example, is great for backsplash, flooring, and an accent wall. In combination with rustic wood elements, your kitchen will never be dull again.
Final considerations
There’s no fixed blueprint for modern kitchens that also offer aesthetics and comfort, but there are endless aspects to consider when designing such a kitchen. Usually, this includes correct layouts, technology, and measuring so the space fits your lifestyle. At the same time, proper space organization and several natural elements contribute to a good-looking and clutter-free kitchen.
