One of the newest Chicago kitchen design ideas to take off is the idea of adding a desk or a message center to the kitchen area. There are several reasons why this idea makes so much sense; open floor plans have traded "dens" or small office spaces for large open areas, kitchens are often the catch-all and drop-off station in the home (leading to cluttered countertops) and the kitchen space is typically one of the most-well lit and cheerful rooms in the house, making it a pleasant workspace.

Thinking of Adding a Desk to Your Kitchen Remodel? Consider These Chicago Kitchen Design Ideas

If you like the idea of incorporating a desk or some type of work space in your kitchen remodel, the following ideas can serve as a little inspiration.

Choose the right spot. Layout will be one of the most important considerations. Think about how your household uses your kitchen as it is now. We'll want to keep the desk or message center a bit removed from traffic-heavy areas. Is there a corner or nook space that is less used, or a specific spot where you or the kids tend to set up the laptop to work as it is now? One of those spots will make the ideal place for your "kitchen office".

Be creative with the cabinetry. Your kitchen desk may provide the opportunity to switch things up a bit. If you place it on the outskirts of the kitchen, towards an open family, living or dining room, you can choose cabinetry or paint colors that form a transition between the kitchen and the other living space. In this kitchen, the owners built the desk on the backside of the perimeter cabinets. Interior kitchen cabinets have a dark stain, exterior perimeter cabinets and the built-in desk space have a lighter stain. You may even want to choose a complementary cabinet style that goes well with the rest of the kitchen but also complements your entertainment center or custom cabinetry in your living or family room areas.

Add plenty of outlets (charging stations). Attractive cabinets can be designed such that extra electrical outlets, phone jacks, cable and internet connections, etc., can all be hidden inside. There are cabinet drawers designed specifically for this purpose. We can design a kitchen desk area with enough storage so that files, folders, basic office supplies, cords and everything else can be neatly tucked out of the way when the office is unoccupied.

Additional storage. Your desk space can be designed to enhance the function of both your kitchen and your "office." In this kitchen, a corner-slash-nook desk is built to work as a small home office but also has a mini-home bar built at the end, complete with glass cabinet doors to display glassware, a beautiful wine rack and extra drawers for hard liquor, mixes and other cocktail and happy hour accessories.

Contact Kitchens & Baths Unlimited and start brainstorming Chicago kitchen design ideas to incorporate a desk space in your kitchen.