5 lesser-known kitchen design tips

Johannes van Graan Johannes van Graan
Renovation of a Parkview home , CS DESIGN CS DESIGN Cocinas modernas
Loading admin actions …

Sandton-based CS Design is a professional interior design firm providing first-rate solutions to various South African (and some overseas) clients. The company has completed quite the number of residential- and commercial projects and has even been awarded an SA Decorex Excellence Award for its valued design services. 

Carin Shardelow, the founder of CS Design, started her design career in 1985 in London with an interior design course. This resulted in a stint in New York City to gain more knowledge and experience, which is also where CS Design was started. 

Today, we take a look at some of the most eye-catching and functional kitchens created from the creative minds of CS Design, and also share with you a handful of lesser-known design tips to keep in mind when it comes to kitchen designs.   

Tip 1: Light floors

Light-tinted kitchen flooring is never going to be deemed out of date! That’s because it adds to the airy, modern ambience of a cooking space, won’t visually swallow up your cabinets’ designs, plus you can immediately see any spills and hazards underfoot.

In terms of safety, consider non-slip surfaces to make your culinary zone as safe as possible. After all, you don’t want to slip and fall when holding something sharp and/or boiling hot, do you? 

Tip 2: Hide your dishwasher

It’s completely up to you whether or not you want to hide your refrigerator with panelling (sometimes those shiny, stainless steel surfaces can actually complement the rest of your kitchen’s design), but flaunting a dishwasher is something else. It just ensures a cleaner, more harmonious look, especially if your fridge is already a bright and shiny appliance. 

Tip 3: Ventilation is key

Sometimes smell is quite appropriate for a kitchen (like coffee, cake, freshly baked bread… ), but there are definitely occasions when you don’t want to pick up any scent when walking into a cooking space (last night’s curry, anyone?). Proper ventilation can help to diminish this problem, more importantly it is also a safety measure.

Consider your family’s health and safety by checking that your kitchen has proper ventilation: invest in a top-quality range hood with a powerful extractor. Plus, it never hurts to add a window (or two) to further drive away any unwanted smells (plus invite in some cheery sunshine and exterior views). 

Tip 4: Don’t crowd your hood

Speaking of that new range hood you’re going to get, ensure that there will be at least 5 – 7 cm of clean space between the hood and the adjoining walls / cabinets on either side. Visually, your hood will not look cramped, plus the extra legroom on both sides will ensure your walls / cabinets stay cleaner for longer!

Tip 5: Provide task lighting

You want those countertops to be conveniently illuminated (as the kitchen is, first and foremost, a working zone), and that’s where under-cabinet lighting is going to make all the difference. These fixtures will make food preparation and cleaning so much easier on the eyes – that’s why it’s known as task lighting. 

Be sure to always install task lighting near the front of the cabinet, otherwise the light will primarily highlight the wall / backsplash and not the counter.

From one properly designed space to the next, you might want to take a look at these 10 crucial items for your modern bathroom design

¿Necesitas ayuda con tu proyecto?
¡Contáctanos!

Destacados de nuestra revista