Designing a kitchen might prove to be impossible, complex, or even unnecessary. There were times when the kitchen used to be seen as private, a place only accessible to the household members. Today, kitchens may not be as private, and Paula, your neighbor three houses away, may walk in on you preparing a bowl of soup. These days, families and friends gather in the kitchen to socialize and catch up on lost times when they visit. A good kitchen design or décor isn’t an unnecessary affair; it is needed.

Food, clothing, and shelter are the three essential life factors— and they ensure good living, and the kitchen provides one—food. The importance of food cannot be overemphasized, and while you think you spend most of your free days in the bedroom or sitting room, you may spend more time—more than you realize or hope to admit, in the kitchen. Beyond your culinary needs, the kitchen sits as a part of the home where you—and family members—and friends can catch up. Modern kitchen designs are extravagant, accommodating the dining table—and some entertainment.

When planning your kitchen decoration, the aesthetics, albeit important, are nothing without proper functionality. Because of the hazardous nature of the kitchen, space functionality must revolve around an architect or a builder’s mind while the aesthetics are determined by the interior decorator. Let’s take a look at a few kitchen space ideas.

Modern kitchen:

It is the 21st century, so it is ‘Go big or go home.’ kitchens today have more space than they used to in previous centuries. They also have more equipment and elements, like the dining table, large and spread out cookers, large walls, and even a few wooden seaters for the cook to rest, mid and post food preparation. Kitchen design ideas can include utilizing beautiful wall arts and other aesthetic elements to enhance the beauty of the space.

U, L, and Parallel shaped kitchen:

These types of kitchens are based on the arrangement of the equipment and cabinets. A U-shaped kitchen has the cabinets and equipment (machines, gas cookers, etc.) all arranged in a way where they form a U-shape. There is then a workspace in-between the arrangement. In the L-shaped kitchen, the workspace begins from one end of the kitchen and ends on another end, forming an L shape. The parallel-shaped kitchen holds a workspace in between the equipment and other elements. These arrangements beautify the kitchen space and help the kitchen workers to move freely as they cook.

Vintage kitchen:

We can agree that some people would instead go for the traditional trend than the modern one. Vintage kitchen styles are stylistic—and can even flow with modern design approaches available today. With some fantastic vintage kitchen inspiration and wall arts, you can turn your kitchen space into a classy affair.

Planning a kitchen design can not—and should not be rushed. Understanding the place of the different elements, including equipment, color, wall art, tiles, lighting, and the functionality of the space, will determine if your kitchen project will be botched or surreal.