6 Functional Design Ideas For Modern Kitchens

There’s nothing worse than a cluttered kitchen. In the heat of the moment, you can find yourself chasing after a kitchen utensil and tripping over misplaced furniture, only to end up burning your next meal—and then spending longer than necessary cleaning up the mess! The answer to this avoidable chaos is utilizing your kitchen space with the usage of certain materials designed for efficiency.

In this article, we’ll look at six functional design ideas for modern kitchens that homeowners and kitchen remodelers/designers can use to maximize the space.

1. Vertical Storage

Instead of sprawling your kitchenware and supplies around your kitchen countertops, why not take after cities and build upward? Vertical storage is a way to make the kitchen space bigger and more organized, especially if you have high ceilings but low square footage. One way to accomplish this is by using more cabinet space, particularly resilient prefinished plywood for cabinets, which not only gives you more space but can withstand high temperatures while maintaining an eye-catching look.

2. Efficient Lighting

As you’ll notice from many commercial kitchens, they’re very well-lit. Your home kitchen should be no different, though you can forgo the usual fluorescent lighting that’s popular in your favorite restaurants. With proper lighting, you’ll be able to see what you’re doing and avoid potential hazards, like spilled oil on a floor or crumbs left over for vermin.

There are a number of areas where you’ll want to have the most efficient lighting, especially if your kitchen doubles as an eating area. First, you’ll want to have ambient overhead lighting for eating meals—a dimmer switch can be effective in setting the mood for meals vs. cleaning up afterward. Similarly, you’ll want to install task lighting in key areas, such as by the sink for prep cooking and dicing food. If your kitchen has an island, you’ll want an overhead light there for the same reasons. Lighting underneath cabinets is also effective in finding where utensils and appliances are.

Also, pay attention to the mobility through a kitchen, such as the floor, where track lighting can illuminate walkways and drop food. There are also a number of lighting designs that are not only functional, but appealing such as recessed lighting, over cabinet lighting to add a dramatic touch, and rope lights/LED tape that can illuminate other areas.

3. Larger Windows

Just as we covered artificial lighting sources, larger windows can open up more opportunities for functional design. First, natural light is more inviting. Second, opening a window can help vent your kitchen naturally. Third, large windows can offer natural solar heat to regulate temperature—particularly useful on winter days. Fourth, larger windows can make your kitchen appear larger, which is useful for resale value and reduces the normally claustrophobic atmosphere of tiny kitchens. Last, another overlooked benefit of larger windows is that UV rays from natural sunlight can eradicate bacteria. Having made-to-order windows can adequately suit your kitchen so your kitchen doesn’t fall prey to a one-size-fits-all that, well, doesn’t fit all.

4. Maximizing the space 

One of the keys to maximizing your kitchen space is choosing the best layout beforehand, as well as using kitchen furniture that adapts to your space. If possible, use furniture that fits snugly under islands and tables, or foldable furniture that can be put aside when you need to clean or optimize space.

5. Top of The Line Fire Protection

Purchasing quality fire protection is part of having a functional kitchen. It’s important to have an up-to-date fire extinguisher ready at a moment’s notice and within easy reach, but also don’t neglect to have a smoke curtain installed to block areas where fires may spread and smoke can inhabit other areas of your home. A fire curtain is just as pretty as regular curtains in a kitchen area, but much more effective if the need arises.

6. Choosing The Right Kitchen Accessories

Everyone has dealt with too many accessories and appliances floating around the kitchen or stuffed into drawers, but many kitchens miss out on details like knobs, handles, and other hardware. Not choosing high-quality faucets can lead to leaks or bacteria growth (FYI, stainless steel helps prevent bacteria growth). You’ll want to inspect your kitchen and replace low-quality products with better components. Remember, part of a functional design is ensuring that you take care of these details, no matter how seemingly small they may be.