Designing a kitchen

I have a knack for picking projects that are more complicated than usual.  Take my kitchen remodel, for instance.  I worked closely with local craftsmen on the custom design and installation of materials, and all of them confirmed that I chose challenging design elements.  Maybe this is why my husband runs the other way whenever I mention starting a new home project.

Having remodeled two kitchens now, I've learned a few things to help the design process go smoother.  Here are a few of my tips:

1. The key to custom work is to communicate your ideas well and to work with people that are experts at what they do.  Even if your drawing skills are not strong, try to sketch your ideas down.  It's amazing how a simple line drawing can help articulate a design idea to others.

2. Keep your sketches, along with magazine cutouts and swatches, in an organized notebook. I actually dedicated a console drawer to the books and samples of materials I had collected over the course of a couple of months. 

3. Know your color palette well.  The color red, for example, could be interpreted as a tomato red to one person and a raspberry red to another.  Most of the interior of our main floor is painted with Yolo paints, and I love how you can see all their color choices on one page.  They actually make choosing colors fun!

4.  Stick to your budget!  Even though I wanted to incorporate Lumicor panels in my cabinetry and have cement countertops, we just couldn't make it work with our budget.  We ended up using glass for sliding doors on one cabinet unit and particleboard for the countertop.  Having a smaller budget, though, doesn't mean you have to sacrifice the "green" factor. 

To read more about my green kitchen remodel, go here.

Below are snapshots of my favorite parts of the remodeled kitchen- the hanging pantry and the tile backsplash.  I am thrilled that they turned out like how I envisioned!