The kitchen is the heart of the home.  Everyone knows that family and friends love to gather in the kitchen, no matter how many other rooms are available. So why not create the best possible design so that you can do your cooking while others are talking and visiting?

 

The ideal kitchen design has two main areas - prep and clean-up.  The prep area is where you set out your ingredients, chop, dice, and create your meals.  This is best done on an island or peninsula that has plenty of counter space.  And ideally this area contains a prep sink, or vegetable sink, used just for prep work.  Your refrigerator and cooktop are an integral part of the prep area and should be in close proximity.  A microwave oven should be located near the refrigerator.  The pantry should also be located near the prep area for quick access to your ingredients.  The oven can be located farther away, but it is often under the cooktop.  Lots of drawers should be in the prep area for measuring cups, wraps and foil, knives, mixing bowls, strainers, and plastic storage containers.  Pots and pans should be located near the cooktop.  Everything you need to prepare your meals should be at your fingertips. 

 

The clean-up area has a large two basin sink, ideally with a faucet that has a pull-out spray.  The dishwasher is normally located to the left of this sink, and a trash compactor or trash/recyling bins are located to the right.  Dishes and silverware should be stored close to the dishwasher for easy unloading.

 

I've talked to so many people who have remodeled their kitchens to add new cabinetry and countertops without even thinking about changing the configuration of the design.  Just a few tweaks can make a huge difference in the functionality of the kitchen without costing any more.

These are just a few tips to keep in mind if you're going to be remodeling your kitchen.  A kitchen is the room that will add the most in resale value to your home, so be sure to put some thought into the design, or better yet, hire a professional to help you.  It will be money well spent.  You don't want to have to do it again or live with a mistake!

 

I've helped my clients create many beautiful and functional kitchens, and I know how much they enjoy them.  Here are some 'after' photos of a kitchen I designed for one of my clients.  You can see more 'after' photos as well as 'before' photos of this kitchen on my website.  What a transformation!  

If you'd like to schedule a complimentary design analysis of your kitchen or any other area of your home, just click here.

Every interior needs accent furniture.  These are the pieces that fill in and tie the design together.  Accent furniture pieces include end tables, nesting tables, sofa tables, console tables, small ottomans, pedestals, and smaller accent chairs.  I love adding unique accent pieces to a room to inject some personality and style. 

Here are some of my favorite pieces that you can find on our  Designer Home Accessories & Accent Furniture Online Boutique. 
   

 

This beautiful Alison console table has graceful, curved iron and a lovely marble top.  It will make a statement in an entry, or use it behind a sofa with an exposed back.

 

The Nevaeh ottoman above is a whimsical piece that adds personality with its animal print top.  This versatile piece can be used as an ottoman or as extra seating.

Remember that you can save 25% on your purchases now by entering SPRING RENEWAL in the coupon code area.

I love sharing "before and after" photos. It's so much fun to see the changes in a room. I love seeing the reaction of my clients when we complete a project, but seeing the actual before and after photos is incredible. You can see a slideshow of "before & after's" on my website under Portfolio, but I'd like to showcase one in this newsletter each month where I'll comment on the project. 

'Before'	'After'

This living room had only two walls, one with a very large window and the other with a cut-out to the media room.  There was only one place for the piano.  The rest of the furniture needed to be floated, which happens often in large rooms or rooms with few walls.  The clients wanted a comfortable, intimate conversation area, which I created with four comfortable chairs placed around an ottoman.  She had lived for some time in Africa and wanted to bring an African touch into the design.  With accent tables and ethnic looking fabrics I was able to do just that.

 

Note the table in front of the window.  It's actually a drum with an iron base.  The other accent table has a unique top with an ethnic design and a unique iron base.  Both tables add to the African feeling.  I also placed the client's elephant sculpture on a wooden tray in the middle of the ottoman.  New lamps, plants, and area rug add to the overall comfortable feeling of this room. The natural colors also contribute to the harmonious mood of this space. 

You can see more photos of this home and other 'before & afters' in the portfolio section of my website.