What are the things you like about your current kitchen layout (if any?). Can you include those in the new kitchen?

Are you a one-cook household, or do several people cook at the same time? If there are several cooks, you may want to make sure there are several work areas, and room for people to work independently without getting in each others’ way. A big possible bottleneck area is the sink, so this is a situation where an extra prep sink can make things much easier.

How many people eat in your kitchen – and for how long will they do so? If your six hulking teenagers are likely to leave home in the next few years, spending a lot of money on an addition to create a larger eating area may not be worth it. Can you squeeze multi-purpose eating spots into your design that can be used for other purposes later?

Consider your traffic patterns. If there’s any way to keep through traffic out of the main kitchen work area, use it! Some methods to redirect traffic include strategically positioning islands, peninsulas,or tables to redirect traffic around the work core:  locating doors so that traffic flow goes where you want it: and positioning kitchen components which are regularly used by non-cooks, especially the fridge, where they can be accessed without going through or into the work area.

Do you want a pantry? If so, will it be a separate walk-in, or a pull-out cabinet style? What do you want to store there – food, equipment, small appliances? Do you actually want to be able to use appliances in there, and perhaps have a sink? At this point it’s starting to sound like a second kitchen!

Try to create at least one decent-sized, clear counter area for each regular cook. By decent-sized I mean at least 3 feet of clear run, preferably not including a corner. Cutting up your countertop space into little chunks between appliances makes it much less useful. Storing small appliances on it permanently also gets in the way.

There’s a lot of fuss made about whether kitchen countertops will stand up to knives, and being cut on. You are much better off doing your cutting on a cutting board than any type of countertop: a separate board (and you’ll need several) can be placed where you want it, sanitized, re-surfaced, replaced, cut on without damaging your knives, used as a trivet for hot pots or a board for serving bread or cheese, or taken outside to the BBQ – none of which is true of a countertop. So choose your counter material without worrying about its suitability as a cutting surface.

How’s your bendability? Physically, bending down to reach stuff in lower cabinets – especially tucked away at the back of the bottom shelf – gets harder and harder as we get older and less bendable. Do you need to design your new kitchen to have more storage at waist-to-shoulder level?

Appliances come in many more forms nowadays than the standard range, fridge-freezer and dishwasher. Everything can be broken up into separate parts and located in the very best position. This includes separate cooktop and oven(s); separate fridges and freezers of different sizes and styles (drawers, under-counter, full-size, super-insulated etc); dishwashers of different sizes or styled as drawers; and sinks that come in a million combinations of size, shape and number of bowls. Make sure you consider all the modern options, not just the old standbys.

Is your electrical wiring up to the job of powering your new kitchen? You may have to add circuits to bring existing wiring up to code or to add appliances, and the domino effect may mean you have to upsize your service and breaker box too. Better to find out at the design stage than when the electrician arrives on the doorstep.

Plumbing too: if you’re moving or adding sinks, adding an icemaker in the fridge, and especially if you plan on having plumbing in an island, get professional advice one what it wil take to do what you want. A plumbing expert may also have good suggestions on how to get what you want without doing as much work.

These are only a few of the factors which can give you great kitchen layout ideas – or save you from following through on not-so-great ones!

1. Store your equipment and ingredients where they are used first. This sounds obvious, but it’s a little more tricky than it might at first appear. Pots and pans, for instance – the obvious place to keep them is by the cooktop or range. But quite often, a saucepan or large pot gets used first at the sink, to add water! Frypans and woks, by contrast, usually go straight onto a burner. You may need to store some by the sink and some by the range instead of all in the same place. So think carefully about where you really do use things for the first time. Any time you find yourself repeatedly carrying something across the room before you can start using it, that’s a great clue that it’s not stored in the most efficient place.
2. If there’s something yo use repeatedly in several different places, it might make sense to store two sets, one in each location. Measuring cups and spoons are a good example of this, being cheap to buy multiples of and small and easy to store. Taken to extremes, this results in kitchens with multiple dishwashers and sinks – but for some situations, they make sense and are worth the extra money and space.
3. Store things together which you use together. Measuring cups, spoons, and jugs go with mixing bowls, cookie sheets, and the mixer, if you’re a baker: flour, sugar, and other common baking ingredients go in the same area. Before you know it, you’ve got a baking center! You can use the same principle to fit the way you use your kitchen, even if you’re not a baker.
4. Take the doors off your upper cabinets and use them as open shelves. Not everyone can tolerate the very “busy” look that this creates, but if you don’t mind it, you’ll save a lot of time not opening and shutting doors to look for stuff or to get it out or put it away. Glass cabinet doors are a halfway house towards this, making it easier to find things but you still have to open and shut the doors for access.
5. Use wall space for storing frequently-used equipment and ingredients. From a spice rack to cup hooks to utensil racks to a full-fledged pegboard wall, this is a great way to store things you just want to grab and use instantly. Rarely used items, which will just collect dust,  or things which need to be stored in the dark, obviously aren’t good candidates for this kind of storage.
6. Keep a running shopping list with a pen right by it so that you can add things as soon as you realize you’re running low. Buy the next package before you completely finish the current one!
7. Cook double quantities of any freezable dish, and freeze the extra for next time you need a quick meal right now. You might be surprised by what is freezable: not just stews and soups but pre-baked potatoes (stuffed or not), quiche, bread and cakes, sauces of many kinds, pesto, hummus and much more. If you’re not sure, try freezing a small quantity and test later to see how it worked out.
8. Do certain kinds of prep in bulk. For example,wash, cull and drain salad leaves, then store in a slightly ventilated container: don’t tear or cut them up till you need them. Generally, pre-cutting or peeling vegetables saves time but reduces their nutritional value. Pre-cutting or dividing large buys of meat into portion or meal sizes saves much time when you come to use it.
9. Make your own baking mixes for cookies, biscuits, pancakes etc. This saves money over store-bought mixes and gives you complete control over ingredients and quality, but gives you the same time-saving convenience when it comes time to use the mixes. A great reference for this is Make-A-Mix Cooking by Karine Eliason - my 1980’s edition of this book is covered in splotches and falling apart, but still doing sterling service in the kitchen.
10. Plan for leftovers. Either cook just enough for your family so there aren’t any leftovers, or plan to use the leftovers for lunch the next day, in a meal later in the week, or to freeze. Leftovers, well managed, are a wonderful thing!
11. If you’re a plan-ahead person, plan out your menus for the week or month ahead, and shop accordingly so you never have to run out to pick up just a few ingredients to make dinner.
12. Keep a full pantry – including all the basics, plus foods you use frequently, and those little extras that make it easy to quickly pull together a meal.
13. Invest in time-saving equipment that you will actually use, not just clutter up your counters and cupboards. Knives, graters, chopping boards, and plenty of containers are basic for almost everyone: some people love and use their food processor, blender, breadmaker, or stand mixer. If you use it, take a moment to pick the best place for it: if you don’t use it, get rid of it and use teh space for something else.
14. Make space to work before you start, and clean up as you go. I know, your mother always told you that, but it’s true: who wants to end up with the entire kitchen to clean up when you’ve finished cooking? There’s often a lull when you’ve finished one stage or one dish and don’t need to start the next just yet – do some cleanup in between and you’ll be happy you did later on! Having a sink full of hot soapy water all ready for dirty dishes helps too, as long as you’re not wasting loads of hot water doing multiple sinkfulls.
15. Another thing mothers (and cooking teachers) tell us is to get all the ingredients out at the beginning of the recipe. This makes sure you have everything before you start, and means you’re not stopping at some time-critical stage to run to the pantry for the next ingredient. Hey, mothers know a thing or two!
16. Does your family like boiled eggs? Especially in the summer, when you’re using them for salads, pre-cooking a pile of eggs and storing in the fridge is a good time-saver. I pencil a “B” on the shells of the boiled ones so I can tell which are cooked and which are raw. Don’t use a marker to do this – the ink can go right through the porous eggshell and stain the white inside!
17. Thaw dishes from the freezer in the fridge before you need them. This saves time when you come to cook, energy for the fridge (because the frozen foods help to keep the fridge cool) and energy to thaw things by other methods such as the microwave.
18. Use the microwave for things it does well, in quantities it does well. Depending on the power and size of your microwave, there will be a crossover point where it becomes quicker to reheat a larger quantity of food on the stovetop than in the microwave.
19. Learn how to use your tools and utensils really well. Knife skills are basic but most of us never learn them. Your small appliances may be able to do all kinds of things but if you don’t read the manual, you probably aren’t aware of all of them. Cast iron is great if you know how to take care of it, a pain if you don’t. Knowledge is power in the kitchen too!
20. Use “lazy susan” turntables in more places than corner base cabinets. Any time you have a group of items to store together where you want quick access to any one of them, a lazy susan is a great way to keep them all together while making access easy. You can use a small lazy susan on the countertop, the dining table, on a shelf, or in a wall cabinet.
21. Use the backs of cabinet doors for storage. There are many racks available which can be attached to door backs to store light objects where you can reach them super-easily.

When you are embarking on a kitchen design layout for easy cooking there are a few important things to consider. The first being appliance placement. Most designers will tell you that you want to achieve a cooking triangle. With the stove, sink and refrigerator being placed to form a triangle in your kitchen. In fact they will go as far to say that if you achieve that you will cut down on your cooking time drastically. By placing your appliances in strategic locations it will reduce the amount of time you spend walking back and forth between major appliances and allow you to have the most important things at your finger tips at all times. Placing your appliances in a triangle pattern can be done in even small kitchen layouts.

The second thing to consider when redesigning your kitchen for the ease of cooking is who will will be in the kitchen with you. If you are one that often cooks with children, friends or family close by then you will want to ensure that you design your kitchen in a manner that allows them to be around as you cook. Kitchen island designs can be very good for this – have an island with your stove or sink built into it. If you like to entertain as you cook it may be better suited to have your stove on the island as you will be able to talk and visit as you cook. In addition to considering placing the stove and or sink on the island you will want to have an area opposite you that is suitable for friends and family sitting at bar stools. Consider a large enough island to accommodate at least three people to sit at. This would allow your children to have breakfast at the island and to visit when company is present.

Third in your kitchen design layout would be to consider your cabinet placement and size. Many homes are going toward taller cabinets with pull out shelves and even deep drawers to hold pots and pans instead of placing them in cabinets. Remember when you are designing your cabinets to consider how you will be using them and to for example take into consideration that if you use a lot of spices you will need a spice drawer or cabinet designed especially for spices.

Not only can your new kitchen be a functional kitchen, one in which that you are allowed to cook, entertain and do so with ease, it can also be a work of art. With the new finishes provided to select from there is no reason that you should not be allowed to express yourself with your selections. Today’s most popular counter top is granite, granite is a hard surface that is designed to last a lifetime. It also comes in so many different color choices and grades that you should be able to find something to suit your needs with ease.

When you are thinking about how to get the most out of your kitchen cabinet layout, consider your family and living arrangements. Also consider what is in the short term future for yourself, as you will not be undertaking such a major renovation in the near term. Some things to consider are do you have or plan to have children. If you do have children are they younger and you will help them access the cupboards most often, or are they older and self sufficient? Do you need to keep breakable items away from small children? Are you getting older and it is becoming more difficult to reach high places or bend over to reach lower storage? Do children not factor in to your life and instead you are looking for a kitchen cabinet layout that fits your lifestyle? All of these are important in determining functionality.

Additionally, how is the kitchen used in your house. Are you interested in cooking or do you mostly prepare quick meals? Is it the center for family gatherings and discussions or only used at meal times? Do you entertain frequently and have many guests in the kitchen? The type of use you are designing for will also determine the functionality you require.

Once you have thought about your family situation and how you use the kitchen, you are ready to begin the your design. Try several different kitchen floor plans as you look at different possibilities. Share this information with the company you are purchasing your cabinets from. They have many design suggestions to get you started, but will provide you with the ability to change the layout.

When you are locating the cabinets, think about their placement as it relates to major work areas. What items would you like to store closest to the sink, stove, microwave or refrigerator? Kitchen island designs contain a lot of storage room under the island, so take advantage of it. You should also determine if you are going to build a pantry for staples or instead store them in the cabinets.

Another consideration is what other storage exists for kitchen related items. Do you have a formal dining room set that offers a curio for china, silver and glassware? If not you can design some glamor spaces in your  kitchen to highlight these items. But you will want to put them off to the side away from key work areas as they will not be accessed as often.

One of the biggest challenge is finding the right storage space for large pots and pans. These require a lot of storage space and may not be used that frequently. Once again the under island space may be perfect for these items. Another option is to take them out of the cabinets entirely and hang them over the island.

Proper planning of your kitchen cabinet layout will provide a highly functional and enjoyable kitchen for many years.

Whether it is new construction or a remodeling project, when considering kitchen layout ideas there are some key concepts that you should consider.  Many people will start with details like cabinets or countertops, but you need to start looking at the key functions of the kitchen which are cooking and food preparation.

You want to consider a kitchen design these functions first and foremost.  In most kitchens, the traffic pattern or workflow usually works in a triangle with the focus being on the cooking area, the preparation area (including the sink), and the refrigerator.  You’ll want to design your kitchen to reduce distances between these keys areas without making your space seemed cramped.

Space will be your biggest consideration when pondering kitchen plans.  If you have an expansive area, you will have more options, but even with small space, you have options along with challenges.  With the small spaces, you have to examine kitchen plans that work well with small layouts and find ways to maximize the space you have to work with.

With kitchen planning, you’ll want to answer some basic questions like:

• How large a food preparation area do I need?
• What is the longest distance I want to move hot items from the stove to the table or the sink?
• Will I have enough space to store common cooking items like pots, pans, and cooking ingredients?
• How important is it to have eat-in space in the kitchen?
• How much counter space do I need?
• How many people might be in the kitchen at one time?

After looking at the key functions of your kitchen plans and answering a few primer questions about the new kitchen layout, then you can start looking at specifics such as electric, cabinets and countertops.  With a remodeling project, you need to take into account how many out outlets you have and how much power you will need in your new space?  With a new space, you will want to make sure that outlets are placed in convenient and easy to access places.

When factoring cabinets into your kitchen planning, you should pick a design that is both functional and consistent with your aesthetic sense and style.  Functionally, cabinets should be placed at a height somewhere between 15″ and 48″ for access by people of different heights.  To make the cabinets easy to open, you should limit the cabinet doors size to 18 inches and also consider touch latch cabinets.  Having an ample assortment of drawers is also a good idea.

When it comes to the counter top, you will want to make sure that you not only get something that compliments that cabinets and fits your sense of style, but also get something that is easy to clean and maintain along with being easily repaired.  Some of the most attractive surfaces are difficult to clean and maintain and can be very expensive to repair.  Take the long view when it comes to countertops.

Successful kitchen plans start with balancing out many factors including space, function, practicality, and, of course, budget.  Finding the right balance takes some planning, but a well planned kitchen helps the heart of the home function smoothly and also provides an attractive place for your family to gather and enjoy for years to come.

A 3D kitchen design makes it easier for you to conceptualize what your kitchen will be like when it’s finished.  After all, a kitchen is a 3 dimensional space, so it makes perfect sense to have kitchen designed using computer software!  Kitchen design tools give you the convenience of “trying on” different cabinets or tiles and seeing the overall effect on the computer screen.

There are a lot of different kitchen design software programs to choose from.  A Google search will provide a start, and you can find the program that’s right for you!

SmartDraw is a great beginners program which allows you to begin with a template and fill in kitchen features with simple commands.  You can download a basic version of it from the Internet.  Also, you can access online tutorials to learn how to use the features.

3D Kitchen provides software for cabinet makers.  Their program is available for purchase, or a free trial download is available at their website.  For homeowners getting their feet wet with 3D kitchen design, a free trial of one of these programs is a good starting point.

Plan 3D is subscription software (you pay only for the time you need to use it, as low as $2.95 a month) which gives you easy layout of single rooms like kitchens, or entire houses, a huge library of furniture and textures (including kitchen cabinets and appliances), and many ways to view your 3D model.

Professional cabinetmakers can purchase professional 3D kitchen software programs such as Pro100 can do “photo realistic” renderings of 3D kitchen designs.  This program is an investment.  It can be purchased for $2000!  AutoCAD is another professional software that allows professionals to manipulate the 3D space of a kitchen or other room.  If you are a homeowner working with a contractor, ask them if they have access to professional software programs such as these.  It takes a lot of the guess work out of the process, and also gives you a realistic picture of what your finished kitchen will look like.

Another benefit of 3D kitchen design software is that it makes it very easy to get measurements.  The program will give very accurate dimensions, which can be used to get accurate measurements of materials.

If you’re a homeowner who is not technically inclined, there are other options for achieving a 3D kitchen model.  The first place to start is in the kitchen itself.  If you’re standing in the kitchen, what overall impression do you want to achieve?  For example, if you want a kitchen that feels open, you may want to avoid cabinets hung from the ceiling.  Color is an extremely important part of remodeling.  You could try different paint swatches from hardware stores on a small section of wall to see the effect a certain color of paint will have.  By constructing small-scale cardboard models, you can try rearranging kitchen components.  Keep in mind that water supply lines make sinks fairly stationary.  If space is limited in your kitchen, consider options like a rolling island counter top which can be moved to different parts of the kitchen.

By using 3D software, homeowners can get an idea of what their kitchen remodeling project will look like.  They can also use small models to see how different kitchen components can be arranged.  A 3Dmodel provides the benefit of a finished picture before any counter tops are changed.

A small kitchen remodel can often be handled by the homeowner, so it’s important to plan carefully.  Things like standard size (or smaller) appliances and sinks instead of oversized “professional style” can increase cabinet room (and therefore storage areas), and additions like pullout shelving or a lazy susan can:

• maximize space that’s often wasted in deep corners or on high shelves
• increase efficiency by letting you store similar items together, solving the hunt for misplaced items when you’re ready to use them.

If you’re considering a major remodel (where you essentially start with a bare room), kitchen layout is an essential consideration for efficiency.  Where you place appliances and sinks will vary in a single walled kitchen versus a U-shaped or L-shaped space.  As one-wall kitchens are so small, there isn’t much play in layout; placement of appliances won’t matter much since everything is close together anyway.  However, in other layouts, efficiency will be affected.

In U-shaped kitchens, the “classic kitchen triangle” matters; the three points include the stove, refrigerator, and sink.  If you’re a big cook, these small kitchen designs allow you to move easily between points.  The closed end of the U allows you to put one point there, providing extra cabinet or storage space elsewhere.

In L-shaped kitchens you should also follow the triangle, and you’ll also enjoy more open space as you’re not crowded between two sides, although the distance between points may be further.  Here’s where pullout shelving may help in the deep corner cabinets.  For efficiency sake when you furnish the kitchen, use this space for items you don’t frequently use like the fondue pot or the ice cream makers.

L-shaped kitchens can also provide a place for small table, especially if a dining room isn’t available.  If possible, increase the size of the open area by stealing a bit from an adjoining room when remodeling.  Kitchens typically recover their remodeling costs when sold, so it won’t be a wasted effort.

For other shaped kitchens (like the galley or corridor) and in remodels where changing the room’s shape isn’t part of the budget, consider additional space-saving, storage-providing options.

Where possible, install taller kitchen cabinets.  Often, older kitchens have cabinets that are hung lower, whether left open above or with walls that further impede storage space.  Consider replacing old cabinets with extra tall cabinets which provide extra shelf space and take advantage of otherwise wasted space (other than a few decorations).

Where possible, build-in smaller appliances instead of setting them on the countertop.  Many microwaves today mount above the range and act as a range hood with fans and lighting, and providing extra efficiency when cooking.  When used frequently, you can also mount toaster ovens, can openers, televisions and coffee makers under the cabinets, keeping counters free.

Other small kitchen ideas for improving efficiency are:

• Adjust cabinet shelving.  Look in your cabinets; how much space is wasted where shelving is too far apart and additional shelves could be added or your arrangements could better utilize space?
• Add items like hooks or drying racks to under sink cabinet doors for storing wet towels, dish rags, and cleaning brushes or sponges.
• Racks for wine glasses and other stemware can often be hung below upper shelves, allowing usage on both side of the shelf.
• Place the dishwasher near the sink for easy loading of dirty dishes after meals.
• Consider placing dishes in cabinets and silverware in drawers near the dishwasher for easy unloading.  You’ll save time and steps not walking to other cabinets, even in smaller kitchens.

With some simple planning, both small and large undertakings will make your small kitchen remodel a success.  Remember storage spaces as you plan cabinet types and choose large appliances, and efficiency as place them both and later stock them with your kitchen belongings.

Here’s a selection of pictures with some commentary to get you started…

A variety of lighting in this picture: tradition ceiling-mounted light for looks, recessed can lighting for good general coverage (though personally I don’t like these), natural light from the window over the sink, counter lighting under the upper cabinets. The tiled counter and backsplash are a great color but I would never have a tiled counter because I hate keeping grout clean, and I don’t like the uneven surface. The center island is very narrow because of the size limitation of the kitchen itself. Not such a bad thing, as it’s still big enough to eat at or to use as prep surface. However, it looks quite long and it might turn out to be a “barrier island”, blocking movement from one side of the kitchen to the other. The main range and sink are protected by the island from through traffic to and from that far door, but it looks like the microwave door may stick out into the traffic flow, which may be a problem.

Here’s a floor plan for a fairly small L-shaped kitchen with an island. The fridge and range are on the two legs of the L, with a double-bowl sink and a dishwasher on the island. The island also has room for some seating.

Good things about this kitchen floor plan:

The triangle formed by the fridge, range and sink is compact (to save steps) but not too cramped, and there’s nothing blocking the paths between the three points.

There are two good-sized stretches of counter, neither of which are likely to be encumbered by piles of dirty dishes.

The range is in a protected area where passing family won’t bother the cook, and its oven door can open without interference

Not so good things:

Sink has work space on only one side, making washing up by hand and other cleanup work more difficult

Having the island eating area by the sink is not pleasant if the sink area has dirty dishes

Dishwasher and fridge doors will block the aisle if they are both open at once

Aisle at the end of the island near the stove is quite narrow

Countertop left of the fridge is isolated and so not as useful as it could be

I’m sure you can think of more pros and cons – how could they be applied to your own current or projected kitchen layout?

This tiny kitchen is less than 8ft square, with the sink and two counter sections on one side (shown here) with the range and fridge on the other side, with a small section of counter between them. Given the small space available, the counters here are relatively uncluttered. Knives live on a magnetic rack on the wall, away from small fingers; sink necessities have their own wire basket shelf so they can air-dry; spices are at the far end (rather a long way from their most-frequent-use point at the range, but in a kitchen this small nothing is ever really far away); and at the right hand end, on the very edge of the picture, tall glass canisters hold pasta and other dry ingredients. The bright red doors with fruit and veggie handles make for a cheerful space, though they might be rather overwhelming when the space is so small. The downside of this kitchen is across the aisle, where the range is butted up to the wall on one side, making for banged elbows when stirring pots, and there’s very little counter between it and the fridge. I had a previous kitchen this size where the fridge and sink shared one side and the range was on the middle of the other side, with counters on left and right. I found that worked better, with more space for actual cooking.

Here are some more kitchen design pictures for you to compare with your own needs and wants…

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In a small space the most important thing that you can possibly consider is storage.  There are a certain number of things a kitchen needs and that number doesn’t change when you’ve got a small kitchen.  As you embark on your small kitchen remodel ask yourself if you’re including enough cabinetry.  Don’t even consider skimping here.  Well designed cabinets can multiply your storage space by several times.  Slide out drawers and cupboards can store all your stuff very densely while still letting you get to all of it easily.

That brings us to the next most important thing, efficiency.  If you design your kitchen and later find that you always have to walk all the way across it  every time you need to do something you’ll quickly find that you never cook in there again.  Plan out where to put the major appliances to minimize walking. Also make sure that you organize the cabinets to make sure that things you use together are stored together.  There’s nothing more annoying then having to open every cabinet in your kitchen to do a simple task.

So if you’ve throught through your design and planned to have enough storage and planned to use your kitchen efficiently then you’re most of the way there.  The finishing things that most people spend inordinate amounts of time and money on are really very secondary.   As you use your kitchen you’re unlikely to think, “Man, that granite counter top really makes it easy and quick to cook my dinner and clean up afterwards.”.  A super premium fridge may look nice, but if you blew your budget on that and had to get poorly laid out cabinetry then you will curse that fridge every time you can’t find that pot you needed.

The other thing to remember is that fashions change.  There was a time that a tile counter top and avocado appliances were all the rage.  Be careful about following the latest trends, what hip’s this year might be declasse in a few years.  Nothing looks as dated as those orange refrigerators and it seems likely that some of the stranger trends we see today will turn out to be the shag carpets of this generation.  It’s best to design things as well as you can, make sure your choices are simple and as much as possible timeless and leave the trend chasing to the people with unlimited budgets and people to impress.

Finally I’d say that the most important thing about small kitchen design is that you love it.  This is a room that you’re going to live in, probably for years.  Ask yourself what you like about other small kitchen designs.  For your small kitchen design pick out all the pieces that made you happy about every other kitchen you’ve been in, then make sure it’s laid out as efficiently as possible and that you’ve got room for all the tools you might need.   If you get it right you’ll have a little gem that will bring you happiness for years, not to mention something that will support the value of your home.  If you get it wrong you’ll be itching to try again right away and crying about all the money you spent chasing that latest trend in kitchens.

First, a short series of videos discussing what the owner wants to do to the kitchen and how he goes about planning it. First the wishlist:

www.youtube.com/watch?v=vjkouWS6zo0

Then, how to get from the wishlist to a design, including how to find design help:

www.youtube.com/watch?v=Shd3jHalUIw

Now, Sarah Susanka on planning a kitchen that works for you. The first few minutes is from the real estate person who posted the video, so don’t get confused!

www.youtube.com/watch?v=ixsHVO0VApA