Shreya Shrestha, specializes in interior and exterior development for retail and commercial spaces.

Have you ever stopped and wondered why family and friends all tend to congregate in the kitchen? What is it about kitchens that evoke a mysterious magnetic attraction?
The household kitchen is by definition designed for preparing and cooking meals. However, over the past few decades, kitchen has slowly morphed into the epicenter of the home.

In fact, in most homes the kitchen wears many hats –it’s the center of the family team huddle, the place for bantering with friends, the room for working on assignments or paying bills, an entertainment center, and a children’s art room. But let’s not forget its actual purpose – a place to enjoy good food with good company.

Every home has a kitchen. It’s required. No other room other than the bathroom serves such a distinct purpose. Having a functional and modern kitchen is truly a blessing. It helps turn meal preparation into a pleasurable activity amidst the hustle and bustle of life.

People invest a lot into kitchen upgrades/renovations because it is the most important room when it comes to the resale value of the home. Kitchen sets the tone for the entire house. It has the ability to not only provide a meal but a complete experience. An inspiring space can mean the difference between a mediocre day and a fantastic day. For those not looking to renovate the entire kitchen, small upgrades too can go a long way something as simple as changing cabinets or countertops can significantly transform the mood in the kitchen.


The essentials of kitchen décor
Create a general layout of the kitchen before you decorate your apartment or house. After that, make a list of kitchen furniture, décor items, and other inspirational kitchen accessories you need.

A functional kitchen layout
The kitchen layout is the floor plan that shows smart placements of the kitchen island, cabinets, countertops, table, fridge, sink, kitchen sets, cupboards, shelves, etc. When you start to create your kitchen layout, choose the right position for every décor element.  It  should be easy for you to move from the cooking to storage area for supplies, and from the refrigerator to the sink. 

What only you will know about your kitchen renovation plans?
The great thing about a kitchen remodel is it gives you the opportunity to start completely fresh. With a minor remodel or a major one, you’re starting from scratch and it’s a great opportunity to draw on all of the ideas you’ve seen on HGTV, home design magazines, etc and see if you can implement them into your own design.

Questions to ask yourself before you start a kitchen renovation
If you’ve compiled a mental list of must haves, but failed to write them down, we’ve got a list of things to consider that may jog your memory a bit, and help you start with a must-have list when planning your big re-do.

How important is technology in your life?
These days, everyone seems to be touting the advantages of artificial intelligence in the home. Different applications such as Amazon echo, Google Home show all sorts of benefits, like being able to turn off all the switches and lights or play background music with a simple command. If you’re into technology and want to explore incorporating it into pre-tech home construction, talk with your contractor about how to add the components into your design plan that will make smart assistants work best for you.

What style of kitchen do you prefer?
Knowing in advance at least a basic idea of your preferences will help you decide what type of kitchen style is right for you. Make sure you’re on the absolute same page as your contractor or designer so you don’t end up with an expensive kitchen renovation that you hate.