A Guide to Kitchen Remodeling Designs

The kitchen is one of the most frequently remodeled rooms in the American home. Not only does an efficient, beautiful kitchen improve your standard of living, it can increase the value of your home. If you're thinking about improving your kitchen but don't know where to start, you may want to take a look at various kitchen remodeling designs.

There are three traditional designs that kitchens have been built around for many years: Galley, L-shaped and U-shaped. While each one of these designs feature a triangular positioning of the stove, sink and refrigerator, they are each a bit different. Galley kitchens have two counter areas with space in between. On one side is the stove and refrigerator, with the sink centered on the other side of the kitchen. If you were to trace a line from stove and refrigerator to the sink, you would form a triangle. The L-shaped kitchen still utilizes the triangle design, except the counter design forms an L shape along which the appliances are positioned. The counter design of the U-shaped kitchen, as its name suggests, is shaped like a U, with the stove in the center and the sink and refrigerator on either side.

These three kitchen formations were thought to be the most efficient for the average American family in decades past. After all, in the 1950's, most women stayed at home and cooked from scratch. Also, they usually worked alone in the kitchen. These days, however, things are a bit different. Many women work outside the home and make use of pre-packaged or convenience foods. More and more families are sharing kitchen duties as well, meaning there may be two or more people in the kitchen at one time. Because of these modern changes, kitchen designs are changing.

Many people are utilizing the concept of work stations in the kitchen. One way to do this is with a kitchen island. A kitchen island can be equipped with cabinets, drawers, a sink and a cooking range. Not only does this provide more work and storage space, it allows more than one person to comfortably work in the kitchen. With the wide variety of modern appliances out there, many people are designing their work stations to accommodate the appliances they use most often.

If you need ideas regarding kitchen remodeling designs, check out some books and magazines on the subject. Many of them feature glossy, full-color photos of modern kitchens to help spark your creativity. Hiring a designer is another way to ensure you get the gorgeous, efficient kitchen you desire. Whether you design it yourself or retain a professional to do so, a new and improved kitchen can add beauty, value and convenience to your home.

Copyright 2006 Jim Sterling - All Rights Reserved

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