Design tips and lots of before and after photos for designing your own kitchen.

1. Presented by
Wendy Albee & The Master Builders Association
Master Builders Association, NKBA

2. The WayYou
Want to Live
 The kitchen is the new family room – the true heart
of the home

3. Making the Kitchen
Work
 Who uses it?
 How do you use it?
 When do you use it?
 Kids? Pets?
 Entertain?
 Do you need two dining tables?

4. Create zones: food prep, baking, canning, beverage service, etc.

5. Before: Kitchen had a small island with a cooktop, minimal
counter space, and no room for the family to gather

6. My Office
After: Large island with counter space for the entire family to
eat, socialize, make pizza, or play games

7. Before:Another example of small island and
virtually no countertop space. Instead there was a
large window seat and desk.

8. After: In the same exact footprint, we were able to give clients
everything they wanted including a 12 ft. island.

9. Before:A pantry
After: A bar with
prep sink and
beverage fridge for
entertaining

10. Client wanted an island for baking and also sitting while facing
each other.

11. Island includes main sink, prep sink, and cooktop

12. And ample room for multiple people to work

13. Plan storage so you can empty the dishwasher without taking any
steps, even without wall cabinets.

14. Ample Storage

15. Make it easy to put away groceries

16. Before: Kitchen didn’t accommodate two cooks … or the fact
that they like to entertain

17. After: Multiple work stations easily accommodate two people

18. The entire space is utilized to enhance their lifestyle

19. … maybe include a bar
area for entertaining

20. What will you use the island for?

21. • Ample counter space for baking and prep work
• Room for family to eat or for kids to do homework

22. • Room for food
items, baking
supplies, and
kids’ crafts
• Less time
shopping and
more time
with the kids

23. It doesn’t need to be a walk-in pantry to store a lot
Before:The walk-in pantry cramped the work space

24. After: Room to work, and still plenty of storage

25. Sometimes we keep the walk-in pantry – especially when it’s
pink!

26. Start with a Blank Slate
 Make a priority list
 Forget what’s in the kitchen now
 Sketch out the measurements on a blank sheet of
paper
 Remember that walls can be moved or opened up

27. Before:Clients had small island with not much counter space
for cooking and a corner sink that wasted space as well.
Entry
Hallway
Dining Room
Laundry
Room
Family
Room

28. Before:Clients had small island with not much counter space
for cooking and a corner sink that wasted space as well.
Entry
Hallway
Dining Room
Laundry
Room
Family
Room

29. After: Large island and ample work space.
Dining Room
Family
Room
T
Entry

30. After: A 12 ft. island with prep sink, microwave drawer and
ample space to sit five people comfortably.

31. After: Room for a 48” wide cooktop

32. Take a Test Ride

33. Tape off an area to show the new floor plan

34.  Use boxes for a new island or cabinets so you have to
actually walk around them
 Do normal activities to see how the new floor plan will
work
 Think about where you’ll set your grocery bags or
other items when you walk into the kitchen
 Consider all activities and go through the actual
motions to ensure the new kitchen will function the
way you expect it to

35. Focus on One
 One focal point keeps the room balanced
 Select what you want to be the biggest focus of the
room
 Make sure it’s the only one

36. • The range with dramatic hood is the focal point
• Ornate stucco hood, side spice pullouts and onyx mosaic
backsplash all help balance the scale of the 30” range

37. It needs to relate to the scale of the room

38. Before: No real focal point

39. After:The range is the focal point

40. Before:The peninsula was the focal point

41. After:The range is the focal point

42. Before:The window was the focal point … and it looked
directly into the neighbor’s house

43. After:The window has
been removed, and the
French-style range is the
focal point

44. Before:The refrigerator was the focal point

45. After:The island is the focal point

46. Before:The posts were the focal point

47. After:The pendant lights are the focal point

48. Think about …
Above & Below
 Don’t forget about the floor and ceiling

49. Before: Low ceiling
After: Raised cathedral
ceiling

50. Before:
Interesting ceiling
beams weren’t
emphasized
After: Added
detailing draws the
eye upward

52. Before
After: Inset tile so
we didn’t have to
fill in the wood
where the
peninsula was
removed

54. Maximize Your Work
Surface

55. Before
After: Island was
lowered to be all
counter height,
with curves
instead of sharp
angles

56. Work surfaces don’t have to all be at the same height.

57. Decide where you want the sink(s).

59. Microwave drawers, convection/microwave, and “speed ovens”

60. Store items off of your countertops

61. Light it Up!
 The importance of lighting cannot be emphasized
enough
 Natural light
 General lighting
 Task lighting
 Ambient lighting

62. New windows and rain-sensing skylights open up the nook

63. After: New window offers more
light on the dark side of the house
Before:Taped off the new
window

64. After: A sunny new
expansion lightens up the
whole kitchen
Before:The kitchen was
small and dark

65. After: A large window, a glass door, and a skylight all bring in
natural light

66. Don’t skimp on overhead lighting

67. Add task lighting as needed

68. Consider multiple lighting options, and put everything on dimmers

69. Natural light, overhead light, task light, and ambient light all
work together or separately

70. Light fixtures can be architectural and make a statement.

71. Outdoor kitchens can use the same lighting techniques

72. Make It Personal
 You should walk into your kitchen and know it’s
yours

73. Slate and glass mosaic, sconce made from metal and glass
Slate, glass, and
metal mosaic

74. Glass subway tile and
mosaic

75. Custom tile mural
Custom stainless steel art

76. Custom marble tile mural
Blue barn door to pantry

79. Go bold with color.

81. From this …

82. … to this!

83. Many more finishes

84. Porcelain countertops

85. Induction and gas cooktops imbedded in countertop

86. Dream About the Way you
Want To Live
 Who uses it?
 How do you use it?
 When do you use it?
 Kids? Pets?
 Entertain?
 Do you need two dining tables?

87. • Start with a Blank Slate
•Take aTest Ride
• Focus on One
•Above & Below
• MaximizeWork Surface
• Light It Up!
• Make It Personal

88. Thank you!