Countless decisions go into designing a beautiful and functional kitchen — so many that it’s hard to know what to focus on. Give these areas adequate attention when planning a kitchen and you’re almost guaranteed to end up with a space that makes you happy.

1. The right storage

Your kitchen cabinets make up the bulk of what you see in your kitchen, so your choice of cabinet colour and style is a major, consequential decision. But the components inside your cabinets are equally important, if not more.

Your storage solutions determine how functional your kitchen is. When you’re at the peak of cooking a large meal, you care less about the look of your cabinets and more about the ease of grabbing the right tools, spices, pots and other supplies.

Pullouts, rollouts and swing-outs will efficiently organize your stuff and make things easier to find and grab. When budget allows, always, always have drawers or pullout shelves on the lower cabinet level.

There is nothing worse than having to get on your hands and knees to see what is shoved to the back on your bottom shelves. Drawers make it so much easier to access and a more efficient use of space.

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2. Hardworking sink

In a kitchen, that can be a lot of things, but the kitchen sink is one area that always sees a lot of action. So, it makes sense to put a little more effort into designing the sink area and choosing components.

These days, many sink manufacturers offer designs called workstations, which feature add-ons such as cutting boards, strainers and prep bowls.

3. Layered lighting

Different tasks in a kitchen call for different kinds of lighting. Cooking at the stove, chopping vegetables, washing dishes, chatting with friends, doing homework, displaying collectibles — these all require a specific light source.

This might include recessed ceiling lights for ambient light, spotlights to illuminate important work areas like the sink and range, pendant lights to light an island or peninsula, and windows to let in natural light during the day.

Of course, you shouldn’t forget to factor in natural lighting whenever possible. Homeowners should consider reducing the amount of upper cabinets if needed to allow room for more windows to bring in natural light. The kitchen is a place where people can spend hours, so maximizing natural light is key.

4. Island

Perhaps no design feature in recent memory has changed kitchen design more than the island. Indeed, it’s hard to deny the benefit of a kitchen island. A large kitchen island is a fantastic gathering place in any open-plan kitchen and gives the homeowner a flexible space to use for dining, entertaining or cooking.

It adds extra countertop surface and storage and creates a spot for conversation, homework and meals. It can be a location for a cooktop, a dishwasher or a prep sink, and it often provides that crucial touch point that completes an efficient work triangle.

5. Quality cooking appliances

A kitchen is meant for cooking. And your range — or cooktop and oven — will be the most important component for cooking meals. Think about how often you interact with a range and how its function affects the quality of your meals and the ease with which you create them.

When buying appliances for your kitchen, buy the best your budget will allow and enjoy using them for years to come.

6. Custom vent hood

A ventilation hood removes cooking odours, steam and grease from the air in your kitchen. But because the appliance sits at or just above eye level, it’s also an important visual element in the space.

It is one of the most important features of an elevated kitchen design.

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This article via Houzz does not constitute advice; readers should seek independent and personalised counsel from a trusted adviser that specialises in property, a tax accountant and property design specialist.