We like to introduce ourselves with a lot of questions. Not just what you like, dislike, and need in your new space; as important if not more important is your lifestyle in the space. And what is your motivation for renovating? What inspires you when thinking about your new space? And especially, what is the focus of your kitchen?
Each room has a purpose. We’ve discussed at length the importance of purpose in the design of the kitchen at a small scale (a specific purpose for a niche, cabinet, island, etc.). But it’s important to start on the big scale and think first and foremost about the purpose of the entire room. What is the focus of your kitchen space? This may sound like a simple question, but we hear a variety of answers!
Popular Purpose 1: FAMILY
Eating may be a common activity in your kitchen; cooking may take place there a few times a day; but is the real purpose of your kitchen to challenge the Guinness Book of World Records for squeezing in the most people per square foot in a space?? We see lots of people who need space for lots of people in their kitchen! Big families and groups of guests could very well be credited with the open concept trend of today’s kitchen design. Knowing that your household size frequently doubles, or triples, to accommodate guests will help us determine the right primary and secondary work triangles for your kitchen, to allow for the best flow and egress through your new space.
Popular Purpose 2: FOOD
We’ve seen a growing trend in today’s culture towards the “foodie” movement: people who are 100% purely passionate about delicious food. If creating scrumptious delicacies is a daily joy of yours, focusing on the food preparation and cooking aspects of your lifestyle will be a great benefit to your design process. If your kitchen revolves around food, so should the design. Let us incorporate your art of cooking – or science of baking! – into a functional space that has all of the features and fittings most applicable to your focus.
Popular Purpose 3: FUNCTION
For some, the kitchen is nothing more or less than the fulfillment of a need: a place to make the meals for the day. It doesn’t need fancy hardware or a jaw-dropping backsplash, it is just a necessary space in the house dedicated to food preparation for the week. We do plenty of “low key” pull-and-replace kitchen remodels to serve this very purpose. It is beautifully updated but simple and unfussy with improved storage and better ergonomics to get you in and out. Function rules over form with this purpose (though we will be sure the ‘form’ is looking great, too!).