If you have lived in your home for any time at all, I’m sure you’ve found a few things you would like to “correct” in your kitchen. Kitchens are almost as personal as your wardrobe of clothes. Personal style matters. We all use our kitchens in specific ways for a myriad of purposes. It’s like your favorite pair of jeans. Sometimes you throw them on with athletic shoes and schlep to the store for groceries. While other times, you put on the very same pair with a carefully selected pair of strappy heels and go on that coveted date with your spouse.

Versatility is key in kitchens. Finding that combo to allow your space to suit you during the daily grind and the holiday parties is where a design consultation can help you “correct” and update your current kitchen.

Do you have stuff everywhere in your kitchen? This is an indicator that lack of storage is a main issue. With imaginative planning, a customized kitchen for your personal needs can dramatically cut the clutter and help you achieve the frustration free space you crave.

So many clever storage options are available. By studying your space with a designer, a few changes can give you the kitchen you need for your purposes.

Do your cabinets extend all the way to the ceiling? Are your pots and pans tumbling out from doors and drawers? By taking your cabinets to the full ceiling height, utilizing deeper drawers for cookware and finding areas for hidden spice racks or concealed counter organizers, your kitchen can gain that extra storage to clear up the clutter madness.

You may be familiar with the traditional kitchen triangle. This school of thought is a theory that states a kitchen’s three main work areas should form a close (only steps apart) triangle; specifically, the sink, refrigerator and stove. This approach to design does create a fluid working environment, but your space should look good too!

After speaking with your designer, you may find that the kitchen triangle doesn’t suit your needs. If your family has multiple cooks, you may want more space to accommodate you and your cooking partner. The prep area may need to be divided up and include one or two sinks. Do the kids do their homework while you prepare dinner? A counter area facing the work zone may be the most functional. Do you have a large family or often host large gatherings? It would only make sense to have wider traffic areas and ensure that when cabinetry and drawers are open they don’t impede the flow.

It is often said that ‘the kitchen is the heart of the home’. But if your kitchen isn’t working for you, is it keeping you from enjoying your home to its fullest? It’s like having a party invitation and never knowing what you should wear.

Let’s take your worn out ripped jeans, add a pair of heels and a strand of pearls, and get to the party! Your kitchen can shine! It just may need a new pair of shoes!

Stylishly yours,

The Chelsee Sowder Design Team

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