Renew • Colorado's Remodeling Magazine

Find yourself in ‘the zone’ during your next high-end kitchen remodel

The first concern of today’s homeowner who is looking for a high-end kitchen, whether it’s new construction or a remodel, is to find a designer consultant who is knowledgeable and experienced, has a hand on the pulse of the industry and is a good fit for them and their project. What the homeowner wants is someone who can create an individualized space featuring one-of-a-kind luxury items and the newest and hottest products. The room must reflect their lifestyle and life preference. The “wow” factor is being replaced with the “me” expression in this highly used room as homeowners’ needs evolve.

Spatial planning
Kitchen design is now based on activity zones rather than the working triangle or work centers of the past. Activities include a consumable zone that contains both dry and refrigerated food items; a non-consumable zone that is used to store items accessed daily, such as dishes, glasses, plastic containers and silverware; a cleaning zone where the sink, dishwasher and recycling center are located, as well as trash bins. Cleaning supplies are also kept in this zone. The preparation zone is the main work area of the kitchen. Utensils, mixing bowls, small electrical items, plus all items needed for food preparation are found here. Finally, the cooking zone includes the cooktop, ovens, microwave, pots and pans, cooking utensils, baking items, spices and all items commonly used while cooking.

Bigger vs. smaller
A smaller kitchen within the full kitchen works well for today’s lifestyle. During the week, we use a smaller portion of the room to prepare meals and snacks.

Gathering areas
During the weekend we spend more time there with our family members and friends. Having enough space for this social interaction is a must, and should include plenty of seating. Seating can be at table height, countertop height or even higher.

Storage and organization
These options are big factors when it comes to individualizing a kitchen for the homeowner. It could include a silvercloth-lined drawer for the silverware, customized storage for several sets of dishes, special serving pieces, specialty appliances and refrigeration for handy storage of wines.

Appliances
The appearance of appliances is emerging as an important design element in the kitchen. Having the same style handle on every appliance is important to some homeowners. The brands of the appliances need to fit into the design based on the “me” factor.

Personal mementos
Well-traveled people like to incorporate styles they’ve discovered in foreign countries in their new kitchens. They also bring home goods to use in the kitchen or to simply enjoy as a reminder of their trip. The inclusion of these mementos is tantamount to creating that “me” expression in their kitchen. Foreign travel is also influencing color. Many cultures of the world use a more saturated color pallet, which is needed to help create the feeling of the design expression.

Penny Morrow, CKD, is based in Arvada.
pennym.ckd@gmail.com
303-795-6060, office
303-931-7070, cell