How to choose a quality kitchen

Choosing a quality kitchen is not easy, especially if you have a budget to respect, limited space, or specific needs. This is even more true if you are creating your kitchen from scratch or have decided to renovate and change the one you already have. That's why paying close attention to details can make a difference.

When choosing a kitchen, it's important to consider various aspects: from material selection to design. Every decision you make will help improve the experience and the aesthetic aspect of your kitchen. The kitchen, in fact, is much more than a place where you eat: it's the center of the home. It’s the room where conviviality and culinary skills coexist, much like water and fire.

It’s in the kitchen where your family gathers, where you host dinners with friends, or enjoy a moment of relaxation. Therefore, it is essential to choose a quality kitchen that reflects your lifestyle.

At first, designing a quality kitchen might seem like a challenge, but it’s actually about finding answers to the questions you should ask yourself, such as:

How can I make the best choice considering my budget?

What materials and features should my kitchen have to meet my needs?

And finally, how can I have a modern and cutting-edge kitchen?

In a quality kitchen, the layout of elements (furniture, appliances, etc.) is an aspect that cannot be underestimated. Visual appeal is important, but it’s equally crucial to create a space where you can move without obstacles and have everything within reach.

A proper organization of space not only enhances the efficiency and functionality of your kitchen but also ensures an optimized workflow. It should facilitate your daily activities.

An example?

Placing the oven at the right height or having the sink close to the countertop for chopping vegetables will help you avoid dripping all over the kitchen.

Technical aspects also come into play, such as the placement of drains, water, and electrical connections, and the positioning of appliances. The goal is to have a quality kitchen that is also safe, where you can easily intervene if something breaks. Additionally, remember that having frequently used drawers or ovens placed too low can cause back pain.

If you can, prevent it!

In short, a good layout is essential to ensure that your quality kitchen is an inviting and welcoming environment, where preparing meals becomes a pleasure and not a challenge. You need to find a constant balance between efficiency, comfort, and practicality.

Before diving into choosing a quality kitchen that is also perfect, we recommend paying proper attention to the available space and the room’s measurements.

Remember to measure the length, width, and height. Pay just as much attention to furnishing the spaces intended for large appliances such as the refrigerator, oven, dishwasher, and cooking area.

If in doubt, take measurements multiple times to ensure accuracy and avoid distracting errors that could compromise the final result. Finally, make sure to choose appliances of the right size and place them optimally to ensure functionality and practicality.

When designing a quality kitchen, the materials you use influence not only the aesthetics but also the style, durability, and functionality of the environment. That’s why choosing the right materials is another aspect to consider to obtain a kitchen that meets your practical and aesthetic needs. Here are two material ideas you could consider for your kitchen with their key characteristics:

1. Solid wood, known for its natural beauty, elegance, and flexibility. It is the most used wood when looking for a quality kitchen that is also prestigious. From doors to frames and paneling, this material offers a wide range of design possibilities, enriched by the many available finishes. Among the most common types of wood, you can find oak, cherry, and ash. Remember, each wood has its characteristics that will give personality and authenticity to your kitchen, making it a unique and welcoming environment.

2. Plywood or blockboard panels are a novelty in the world of high-quality kitchen design. These innovative and robust materials are composed of layers of wood carefully glued together. If you choose wood panels, your kitchen will have greater resistance to daily stresses compared to others.

Their lightness makes them ideal for various uses. You can choose to use them in doors, shelves, and countertops. Thanks to their simple processing and physical properties, they are a common choice, especially for those looking for beautiful yet efficient and long-lasting quality kitchens.

Their versatility allows designers to create custom solutions to meet all your requests, guaranteeing you an unparalleled culinary experience.

Appliances are the beating heart of a quality kitchen, and to ensure optimal performance, it’s important they are up to the task.

Now, you might wonder how to choose the right appliance.

Amidst the variety of models and brands on the market, focus on keywords like energy efficiency and sustainability. Two words that can make a difference in a quality kitchen.

Prefer appliances with low energy consumption and superior performance, such as those classified as “Class A”. They are a smart choice to save money and reduce environmental impact.

An example? The induction cooktop. It stands out for its rapid and uniform heat distribution, while its modern and stylish design adds a touch of elegance to your kitchen.

Previously, you read about how appliances are essential for the comfort of your kitchen and require careful selection to ensure optimal performance and longevity. Now we want to explain why technology is a fundamental ally in a quality kitchen.

Technology is increasingly present in next-generation kitchens. This is because it offers additional tools such as Wi-Fi connectivity, touch screen controls, and home automation systems. These features can enhance efficiency and convenience, allowing you to control appliances remotely or schedule cooking in advance.

When designing your quality kitchen, lighting is also very important. 

A well-planned combination of ambient, task, and decorative lights can radically transform the appearance of your room, improving visibility and creating a welcoming atmosphere. The secret lies in understanding the different types of lighting and their impact. For example:

• Ambient Lighting: These lights are designed to uniformly illuminate the entire kitchen space. You can place them on the ceiling or walls to diffuse soft and widespread light, creating a cozy and pleasant atmosphere. Ambient lights are ideal if you want to create a luminous base throughout the room, ensuring comfortable visibility during daily activities in the kitchen.
• Task Lighting: These should be specifically designed to illuminate the working areas of your kitchen, such as countertops and stoves. You can choose between recessed spotlights or LED strips mounted under cabinets. They will provide direct and focused light on the working surfaces, facilitating food preparation and improving visibility during culinary activities. Task lights are essential, especially if you use the kitchen in the evening.
• Decorative Lighting: This type of light adds a touch of style and personality to your kitchen. Chandeliers, wall lights, and more can be used in your kitchen to create focal points or to draw attention to a particular detail of the room. You can choose decorative lights according to your style and the design of your kitchen, adding an aesthetic and distinctive element to the room.

In the first part of this article, you read about the essential elements when it comes to a quality kitchen. From the importance of space to the layout of furniture, from lighting to design. Each aspect contributes to creating a functional and aesthetically appealing environment in your home.

However, we also want to help you understand that a quality kitchen is much more than just something beautiful or the arrangement of furniture and appliances.

The true secret to success in kitchen design lies in having clear needs and desires.

Only you know what you want, what you expect, and what you need from that room. This is your starting point, and it’s important to prioritize things to create a quality kitchen that fully meets your needs.

The first thing to consider is the space you have available. 

If you have a narrow and elongated room, think of a linear layout, also known as a galley kitchen. This allows you to make the most of the parallel walls, optimizing the space to organize furniture and appliances efficiently, which is perfect if you have a limited environment.

If your walls are perpendicular, the best choice is a corner or L-shaped kitchen. This design uses the corners effectively, allowing an easy arrangement of stoves, sinks, and work areas. It maximizes accessibility and functionality, creating a comfortable and well-organized environment.

If you have three available walls, a U-shaped or C-shaped kitchen is a more recommended solution. This layout evenly distributes elements and appliances along the walls, optimizing space without compromising functionality. A U-shaped kitchen creates a welcoming and well-organized environment, ideal for preparation and cooking activities.

For larger spaces, such as open spaces, consider an island kitchen. It’s an elegant and functional option, with a large central countertop that you can use as a work table or dining table. The result? The kitchen will become the center of the room, drawing the attention of anyone who enters.

Make sure to pay the right attention to the type of room you have available to create a quality kitchen. This will especially help if you want to give the impression that the kitchen is custom-made.

Before you embark on renovating or designing a quality kitchen, it's important that you have an idea of the decor you like. Or, more generally, the style and what you want to see when you enter your kitchen.

This initial phase is crucial because it will influence the arrangement of tiles, flooring, and electrical and plumbing systems, as well as the final outcome. Knowing the dimensions of the furniture and the placement of appliances in advance will allow you to plan accurately, avoiding costly mistakes during the assembly phase.

In summary, having a clear idea of the decor before starting the work is a fundamental step to ensure a trouble-free and satisfying kitchen design.

When it comes to designing the layout of a quality kitchen, you must keep in mind that movement and the sense of space play a fundamental role. Especially when you're cooking or in a hurry.

The solution to this problem is called the "kitchen triangle."

This concept is supported by ergonomic studies, which demonstrate the importance of well-balanced dimensions, distances, and functionality to create an efficient and practical kitchen environment.

In practice, it refers to the strategic positioning of the stove, refrigerator, and sink. Imagine an imaginary triangle with these three points as vertices.

The goal is to position them at an optimal distance from each other, ensuring they are neither too close nor too far apart. This balance helps make your presence in the kitchen more comfortable and efficient.

How? By maintaining an ideal distance between the points of the triangle, usually between 1.2 and 2.7 meters each, and ensuring that the sum of the three sides does not exceed 6.5 meters. Moreover, it is useful to have ample workspace between these points, allowing greater convenience during kitchen activities.

If you want to create a quality kitchen that is efficient and functional, dedicate the right amount of time and attention to it, especially to the details. Every aspect, from the layout to the lighting, contributes to the success of your kitchen. The concept of the "kitchen triangle" provides a guide to improve movement within the room. Optimizing space, choosing the right lighting, and caring for details will transform your kitchen into a welcoming and practical place at any time. The secret is to take the necessary time to ponder each choice, ensuring you create a kitchen space that is not only functional but also enjoyable to live in.