Thursday, October 6, 2011

Kitchen Design Space Savers

No matter the size of your kitchen it is often the case that you just do not feel like you have enough room! But there is a huge array of innovative space savers that you could incorporate into your next kitchen design to make even the smallest kitchen seem reasonably large.

One quick tip - before you go buying a kitchen with any of the space saving (or should I say maximising?) devices discussed below, spend some time on kitchen design software or kitchen planner software to lay out your kitchen, place your units, sink and other necessities. You will save yourself money and heartache that way!

So how about those space maximising ideas then? Well, there are, of course, various corner cupboard styles that give you more storage space, such as carousels. But storage is one thing, it is actual working areas and surfaces that people find they don't have enough of, especially when they are cluttered up with the kettle, microwave, toaster and other essential but fairly large items.You have got to make the most of what you have. The sink also takes away a sizeable chunk of workspace. But what if you could turn that into more work surface? Kohler UK have introduced an innovative sink that does just that.

The sink itself is pretty standard, but you can fit a sliding chopping board and sliding condiment holders onto the rim which gives you more space but leaves access to a portion of the sink for washing and disposal. As the board fits snugly into the work surface and rests on the rim, it is not an ugly addition either, it looks just like part of the rest of your work surface. And the condiment holders can be pushed to the sides to look like they nestle right into the work surface. It is not only a clever way to increase space, but it looks good too. And the fact it sits over the sink means that you are in the perfect place to wash them once you are done! Genius!

Built in appliances are another great space saver. Along with built in ovens, fridges, freezers, dishwashers, washing machines and dryers, it is possible to have those appliances that sit on top of your work surfaces built in too. One great example is your microwave. A carefully designed kitchen can have the microwave built into the units above or below your main oven, which also means that preparing meals becomes easier as appliances are closer together.

Again, using 3D CAD kitchen design software to play around with the placement of appliances, including built in options, before you choose your final design will save you time and expense.Finally, there are many options when it comes to types of cupboards and drawers you can choose that maximise the amount of space available. In addition to the previously mentioned corner carousel cupboards, there are full height 'folding' cupboards that expand when opened, multi level drawers for utensils and the like and, of course, the old standard overhead cupboard, shelf and hanging rack options.

Ian Grainger is writing on behalf of Nexus Design Software, developers of [http://www.nexusdesignsoftware.com]interior design software, including [http://www.nexusdesignsoftware.com/kitchen-design-software.asp]kitchen design software.

Article Source: [http://EzineArticles.com/?Kitchen-Design-Space-Savers&id=6591164] Kitchen Design Space Savers