How to Make an Unusually Shaped Kitchen Work
by Heather Howell
Years ago, the kitchen used to be a purely functional area — where meals were prepared and little else. That is not the case today, however. The kitchen is definitely 'ground zero' when it comes to hospitality. It's where family and friends will gather both before and after a meal. As this room is now the most important in the entire house, it's important to make the most of what you have. If you have an unusual space, as is the case in many older homes, what can you do to make it stand out?
Sometimes the ceiling in an older kitchen will vary in height. It could be that it is sloped from one point to another or there could be different levels. This can certainly make it difficult when it comes to fitting conventional objects in place, but you do have to make the best use of what you have.
Usually the cupboards with the taller shelves are reserved for larger utensils and pots and pans. These can be placed in the area with the most headroom, with storage space for those smaller objects 'stepped' down accordingly. You don't have to ensure that your cupboard space goes all the way up to the top of the ceiling, as you can nominate some additional 'colour' pieces for these areas. The higher you get, the simpler the item that you want to place on top. You don't want to be trying to water any plants in those hot summer months that are really out of the way!
Before you plan to change any cupboards or appliances, make sure that you, or the tallest person in your family group, does a trial run. Pretend that you are working back and forth between appliances, workstations and cupboards, given the space that you have. This will give you a much better idea of where you should logically fit everything.
Don't think that you have to sacrifice functionality just because your kitchen presents a lot of corners or nooks and crannies. Remember, you're making the most of the character of the room and the design of custom kitchens can create storage spaces and other work areas that take into account this unique nature. When properly designed and installed, every single square centimetre of the room can be utilised. It will just take a little forward planning and an enjoyable afternoon for you and your family with a clean sheet of paper, before you call a designer.
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About Me
We have a bathroom with a really nice layout and structure, but the colour scheme is so dated. I can't believe anyone thought that peach tiles with a floral border was a good idea! I don't have a lot of money, but I want to replace some of the most dated items with more modern bathroom fixtures to create a modern and light-filled bathroom. This blog has tips on remodelling a dated bathroom on a budget and should be useful for anyone who is tired of their peach (or pastel) bathrooms but hasn't been able to afford a full bathroom remodel yet. We've done bathroom remodels a couple times now and hopefully our experiences can help you!