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Kitchen Layout & Decor Ideas

Kitchen is one of the most important rooms in the home. Top-class modular kitchens, architectural elements that add lavishness to the kitchens such as crown moldings, latest appliances and stylish hardware and fixtures become the highlights of today's kitchen. Kitchen Decor has many aspects such as kitchen shapes and layout, storage space and color schemes that have to be paid attention to. Here are some practical tips for kitchen Decor that you must follow:

    Classical kitchen Decor uses oak wood.
    Fine-grained woods such as cherry and maple are used for contemporary kitchen Decor.
    Mix and match wood finishes and different textures in counter tops look interesting and add depth to the room.
    Kitchens can be made traditionally as utilitarian workspace or as open spaces that are a part of dining rooms or living room.
    While most preferred, shape for a kitchen is U-shape to allow the person to make best use of the 'work-triangle' of the space; other popular shapes are L-shaped kitchens, Galley-shaped kitchens and island kitchens.
    Stainless steel appliances with pewter finish are most commonly used in kitchens while silver or gold dinnerware is undoubtedly for grand and lavish dining.
    Glass cabinets to show off your best china and wooden panels to hide the rest are quite popular.
    Space should be reserved to accommodate cooking range, ovens, dishwashers and sinks.
    Make sure that kitchen counters are durable, look beautiful and are easy to clean. Most common are granite, slate and marble slabs and tile mosaics are fast catching up to lend a unique look to the kitchen.
    Kitchen needs the most storage space with lots of hidden storage areas too and you can mix and match roll out shelves, vertical tray dividers and pullouts and drawer inserts. You will also need recycling bins and appliance garages.
    Floors
    It's important to choose flooring material consistent with the rest of the home. Tile is distinctive, but it can be cold if not heated underneath and its hard surface may require an area rug in work areas where prolonged standing occurs.
    Kitchen flooring in bold colors are vibrant and energetic but expensive too. Neutral colors are the traditional choices and more budget-friendly too.
    Recessed adjustable lighting and decorative lighting fixtures spotlighting your kitchen island or dining area can add a dramatic effect to your kitchen decor.

Kitchen Design Furniture

Small Kitchen Design Ideas 2013

Kitchen Cabinet Counter tops Ideas

When it comes to designing the kitchen, it becomes of prime importance to lay emphasis on the cabinet counter tops. While making the choice for kitchen cabinet counter tops, the first and foremost thing to be considered is the material used in its making. If you can have a high budget, go for stone counter tops, which not only look classy, but are also extremely durable. On the other hand, if you want something stylish, yet economical, laminate counter tops will suit your needs perfectly. In between, there are a number of other options as well.

After having decided about the type of material you would like to go in for, the next thing in priority is the color and styling of the kitchen cabinet counter top. Keeping an eye on the overall setting of the kitchen and the kind of furnishings you have therein, decide on the shade as well as the design of the counter top. For instance, if you have adorned your kitchen in the traditional style, then you should go in for a butcher block cabinet counter top. For a contemporary kitchen, marble or granite counter tops will be a good choice.

Kitchen Cabinet Counter tops Ideas

Laminate Counter tops
One of the most common counter tops used on kitchen cabinets, laminate is extremely durable and lasts for a long time. Another advantage of going for laminate counter tops is that they are resistant to scratching scuffing and even burning. The wide variety of colors, textures, patterns and finishes available in this type of counter tops make it all the more popular.

Solid Counter tops
Solid core or solid surface counter tops are known to score on their durability. They are also preferred by those who would not want their kitchen cabinet counter tops to have seams. Though a bit on the expensive side, this type of counter tops can have sinks and drop levels incorporated into them, mainly owing to the counter top's color and pattern that goes all the way through the surface.

Stone Counter tops
Stone counter tops, considered to be the most durable amongst all the cabinet counter tops, fetch a high price in the market. Apart from their durability, these counter tops are also in demand because of the style and elegance they impart to the overall kitchen Decor. However, installing stone counter tops is not easy and would require the services of a professional.

Butcher Block Counter tops
If you are looking for a cabinet counter top that will add the much-needed warmth to your overall kitchen Decor, then butcher block counter tops will be the perfect choice. Though they do not score high on durability, such counter tops surely start looking better with time i.e. as they get older. The scratches and wear that comes with time make butcher block counter tops all the more interesting.

One of the biggest advantages of butcher block counter tops is that they can be re-finished at any point of time, lasting more with each finishing. Perfect for a kitchen that has country or rustic look, these counter tops surely need a lot of care and upkeep on your part. So, make sure that you follow all the manufacturer's recommendations to the core.