This is often the dilemma for home owners. Being in the business for over 40 years, Craftbuilt has a few tips on how we can maximise kitchen space and make it appear larger and spacious.

When it comes to kitchen designs for small areas, here are a few options to consider:

1. Make your room appear more spacious by painting your walls white. 

2. Use smart storage spaces. We have user-friendly corner unit storage solutions such as the LeMans corner unit. With this accessory, you can access awkward spaces with ease. The LeMans is complete with trays that move independently. The shelves are height adjustable and have a self-close SoftStop mechanism. With its swinging curves, it provides a fluid and harmonious action which requires minimal force on opening and enables each shelf to fully extend outside of the cabinet. The perfect solution for those hard to reach places.

3. Utilise the work triangle. This is the distance between three critical work stations in the kitchen. The first is the dry storage and refrigeration area, second is the cooking area, and the third is the sink, which sits between these two locations.

4. Using an island benchtop is a great alternative, too. By making the bench top wider on one side, you can place seats underneath. 

These small kitchen design alternatives are quite popular in small units. Visit our Stones Corner kitchen studio today and get started in planning your dream kitchen. Sit down with our kitchen designers and avail of our interest free kitchen renovation finance.

Dark and moody isn’t always gloomy. Such colours can be quite dramatic and can show the home owner’s personality. According to Houzz and colour experts, deeper moodier colors like navy, black and forest green are expected to be more favorable for 2019. Experts suspect it may be a reaction to all the whites and bright colors people have been leaning toward for years.

Emerald and deep teal are making a comeback as well. It’s catching on especially in kitchen islands or benchtops.

Are you planning to renovate your kitchen with dark or deep colours but are not sure which shade to choose from? Aside from black, here are a few suggestions from our kitchen renovation experts that can feature high-fashion and sleek profiles, plus it showcases your personality and mood.

Here are a few Moody Colours to choose from:

1. Navy – This classic colour never fails. It complements very well with white and balances masculine and feminine appeal. Compared to black, it doesn’t feel as “too dark” or depressing as some may think. Navy shows your sophisticated side.
2. Charcoal to Warm Grey Shades – These shades can make the kitchen feel cosy and can help make your modern space inviting to guests. It can help lift colours such as yellow.
3. Cool Grey Shades – Working with slightly blue and green undertones can offer a sense of cleanness. It makes the space feel more open.
4. Chocolate – Because who doesn’t love chocolate? The colour is perfect for both modern and traditional spaces and it carries a sense of warmth throughout the area. It also helps tone down shades like orange.
5. Burgundy – This colour has red undertones and can be easily paired with white, brown, wood and even golden metallics. It offers a lavish vibe.

You definitely can go dramatic with the different shades and colours. Depending on the colour you choose, it can evoke calm, lush, clean and rich feelings. There are more deep, dark and moody colours to choose from and our Craftbuilt experts can help you design your dream kitchen.

Craftbuilt Kitchens has fully qualified and experienced designers who will tailor the design to your specific needs and wants. Call us at (07) 3341 9166 and ask our consultant to book you a design appointment  at our Stones Corner studio.

This top kitchen trend for 2019 has always been an elegant and modern choice. Now, it’s making a come back – black is definitely back!

White kitchens have been popular for a while. According to Houzz, black is returning and it is slowly creeping into homeowners’ kitchen cabinets, range hoods and island accents.

White kitchen owners have also fancied black benchtops and kitchen appliances. Some may choose to go modern and bold this year by renovating their entire kitchen. Get that timeless look with black textures, black fixtures and more.

If you want to go neutral, black and white is a classic. Tuxedo kitchens that contrast black with white walls, backsplashes and countertops look especially dynamic and sophisticated.

Here’s a great sample of a sleek and modern kitchen design using white and black colours. With modern, clean lines imperative, the handle-less finish allowed us to disguise an integrated fridge, a tandem “touch-to-open” pantry and a tower to hide the microwave, coffee machine and huge double bin set up.

When it came to storage, layered overhead cabinets not only created an immense amount of storage. The choice in finish for the doors of these units, by using one of the stunning Laminex Innovations products, helped move away from that “standard” kitchen look.  The design and construction of a perfectly finished boxed two-pack display cabinet also utilising the Laminex innovation feature as a backing, ties the areas completely together.

The essential large cooking appliances were fitted discreetly but comfortably into the corner, which allowed the adjacent bench to be free-flowing.  Added to the design, white mother of pearl slumped glass splash backs behind the cooking area for pure subtlety, together with highly reflective mirror glass splashbacks along the adjacent wall.

Finish it all off with high gloss black quartz benchtops, with a matching black sink & tap.

Looking for a similar modern kitchen design plan? Craftbuilt Kitchens has fully qualified and experienced designers who will tailor the design to your specific needs and wants. Call us at (07) 3341 9166 and ask our consultant to book you a design appointment.

Other trends to watch out for, according to Houzz:

• Tile Backsplash Feature Walls – Well-designed kitchens typically have backsplash tiles.

• Glass and Steel Room Dividers

• Dark and Moody Colors – Deeper, moodier colours like navy, black and forest green are expected to be more favourable for 2019.

• Benches in the Dining Area – A chic way to upgrade the dining is to trade typical chairs for bench furniture, giving it a comfortable, lounge-like feel.

• Board and Batten Exterior

• Kitchens That Open to the Outdoors – This helps to expand the living space and blur the line between inside and out.

• Wood Vanities – An emphasis on reclaimed and light wood that celebrate the natural grain pattern and knots.

• Four Wall Accent Color

We have more suggestings coming from our kitchen designers. Do you wish to have a modern, functional and trendy kitchen? Consult with our Craftbuilt specialists today. Visit our New Modern Kitchen Showroom at Stones Corner today and avail of amazing kitchen appliance discounts!

 

“My kitchen is too small, how can I make it look larger?” This is the question some of our clients ask. It is sometimes difficult to imagine the design layout necessary to create a functional open feel in a small area. Walls and pipes that limit the area can be assessed for removal or relocation to maximise the open feel.  Don’t forget small well-designed kitchens can be more efficient if you like to work in a space where you can reach anything within arm’s length.

These days, most of our clients would opt for a spacious area to entertain guests. With modern kitchens, that’s the aim since the kitchen has become a social hotspot for dining, entertaining and a hub for great conversation. These can still be achieved even with a small kitchen layout.

 

So how can you make your small kitchen look larger? When it comes to kitchen designs for small areas, here are a few options to consider.

 

1.       Make your room appear more spacious. Use white paint on the walls rather than darker colours. Dark colours can make the room appear enclosed. This is a simple kitchen renovation idea that certainly does wonders even for the whole home.

 

2.       Get smart with storage space. Small spaces mean tight spaces. If removing walls aren’t an option, hanging brackets will utilise valuable wall space in the cooking area. Hang everyday use items here for easy access  like ladles, spatulas, flippers, etc. This also saves on limited drawer space! Make a theme of displaying your kitchen accessories adding to the aesthetic feel. Pots and pans hanging above, or knives on display on a magnetic rack can act as a feature – however you will want to ensure it doesn’t look too cluttered.  Balance needs to be considered with just a few items hanging in the space.

 

3.      Be minimalistic. Minimalism is popular even for kitchens. This theme is perfect if you have limited space. Kitchen appliances can be hidden in cabinets and shelves. Your storage units should only stock what you frequently use, be ruthless and get rid of items you no longer use.  The main idea is to make sure your kitchen is functional.

4.       Make use of space above the cabinets. You can also place shelves at the top or remove the bulkhead above the cabinets. Then you can use baskets to store different items on top.

 

5.       An island bench is a great alternative, too. By making the bench top wider on one side, this will enable a stool or two to go underneath. The benchtop can be a source of storage by using cabinets and shelves underneath. This small kitchen design layout is quite popular in small units.

6.       The island bench as a dining table. An island bench can be used for cooking and preparing. A lot of families now serve food straight from the pan and the island bench can be the best place for mealtimes. You can even consider getting an island bench on wheels, giving more flexibility on how it is used depending on the task.

When it comes to renovation designs for small kitchens, the main idea is to use every single inch of the area. Planning a kitchen renovation for a small kitchen can be a daunting task and requires proper planning. The good news is, our Craftbuilt Kitchens professional designers, showroom staff and installers can help you achieve your dream kitchen.

No kitchen is too small. Contact us at Craftbuilt Kitchens today or visit our New Kitchen Design Studio at 76 Old Cleveland Road, Stones Corner QLD. 4120.