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Making A Home Your Family Will Love

When it comes to creating a gorgeous interior space, your home will only be as beautiful as your family allows it to be. If your children don't respect the space, your home will quickly fall back into disrepair, which is why I started focusing more and more on home and garden a few years ago. I was committed to creating a great space that was just as clean and gorgeous as it was functional, and I was really surprised to see how much of a difference my efforts made. Within a few short years, my place really seemed a lot more open, airy, and inviting. Check out this blog for great ideas on making a family-oriented home.

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Making A Home Your Family Will Love

Four Tips for Designing a Functional Kitchen

by Alice Howard

If you are redoing your kitchen, you have the opportunity to create a kitchen layout that works for your specific needs. Planning the layout of a kitchen can be both a lot of fun and a little overwhelming. Below are four tips to keep your goals in focus and create the ideal kitchen for yourself.

Inventory Your Kitchen Items

Over the years, it's easy to accumulate a lot of kitchen gadgets you don't use. Similarly, items that don't belong in the kitchen may drift into a kitchen junk drawer or onto your counters. Start by completing a deep-clean of your kitchen, going through items and getting rid of those you don't use or moving ones that don't belong in the kitchen. Make a list of anything you keep, including things you don't use often. This list will help you understand exactly how much cabinet and counter space you need. 

Keep a Kitchen Diary

Once you've gone through your kitchen, try keeping a kitchen diary for a couple of weeks. Write down how and when you use the kitchen. Make note of things that frustrate you, but also keep track of things you like about your current setup. For example, is the coffee machine too far from the coffee cups? Is it easy to put away clean dishes? Do you have your cooking supplies near your working countertop? Keep these questions in mind and write down your answers in your telephone or on a notepad. 

Play With Design Software

Once you have an idea of the things you need to store and the flow you would like to have, it's time to play with some design software. There are plenty of free 3D software systems available that allow you to put in various measurements for your cabinets and play with styles and colors. This can give you a general idea of what cabinets you should look for when you begin searching for actual cabinets. However, be aware you may not be able to get the exact style you design if you are purchasing ready-made cabinets. 

Plan for the Future

When planning your kitchen, keep in mind the ways you may want to expand your kitchen in the future. This is especially important if you plan to get new kitchen electronics or cookware. While planning too much extra storage can be a waste of space, you should give yourself some room to grow. 

If you need help selecting new kitchen cabinets, talk to a contractor in your area.

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