Having a difficult time choosing a color palette for upcoming Chicago kitchen and bath remodeling projects? Why not give yourself a break and choose white. It continues to trend as one of the most popular foundation colors for interior design, and Benjamin Moore even named Simply White its color of the year 2016.
One of the greatest benefits of remodeling a kitchen is taking advantage of contemporary improvements. Not to be confused with "modern," contemporary kitchen designs can be minimal or traditional. In either case, the kitchen will boast contemporary conveniences that make the room as efficient as it is attractive.
Many popular design trends work to create illusions. They allow us to take a space that exists one way, and make it appear as something else. Low ceilings are an example of this. Even a relatively large room can have a small, cramped feel if ceilings are low, so you can imagine what happens in a room that has both low ceilings and a minimal footprint.
Closets get all the focus when it comes to organizing and de-cluttering, but what about the kitchen? As one of the most-used and well-loved rooms in the home, the kitchen can easily become the household "catch-all." Combine that with inadequate storage and poorly-designed cabinets and the problem is compounded.
Contemporary kitchen designs are all about convenience and functionality. Yes, of course, looks play an important role, but one of the most important focuses for homeowners is choosing a layout, materials and finishes that will work well with their lifestyle, require minimal maintenance and that will continue to hold-up to a busy household's wear-and-tear.
Cabinet finishes are important. They are a literal "finishing touch," protecting cabinets from wear-and-tear and simplifying cabinet maintenance. Finishes are also important for adding a final punctuation mark to the overall kitchen design. Distressed cabinets - also called antiqued cabinets - are a means of adding extra energy, depth and texture.
The kitchen is a busy space, an active space and a much-loved space. It's also hot, sharp, hard and slippery, which can make the kitchen a dangerous space if occupants aren't careful. With a continuing focus on accessible and livable designs, manufacturers and kitchen designers are placing a greater emphasis on kitchen safety as well.
In the beginning, was the galley. And the kitchen was the galley...
In the world of interior design - there are multiple phrases we notice are used interchangeably when they shouldn't be. One example of this are the terms "cooktop" and "rangetop." The term "stovetop" could be thrown in there as well.
One of the buzz words you'll notice in articles about kitchen design is gourmet. In fact, we've even written about the steps required to implement your own gourmet kitchen design. While it's true that a gourmet kitchen is built using innovative - and often high-end - fixtures and finishes, they aren't the only prerequisites.
