How to Design a Kitchen That Really Works for You in 5 Simple Steps 

Though watching home renovation shows depicting near-instant transformations is certainly satisfying to a degree, figuring out how to actually design a kitchen yourself is another story. Renovation shows regularly feature homeowners bemoaning their shadowy lighting, lack of kitchen storage, dated cabinets, and inadequate work surfaces. The urge to redesign is infectious. By the time you pull the trigger on your own remodel, you’ve cataloged all your “before” kitchen’s sins, down to the last inch of dead space, and are itching for the “after.”

As much as we might like for a kitchen renovation to complete itself with a snap of the fingers, remodels are bound to take some time even if you’re working with the best of contractors and are totally in tune with your own wants and needs for the space. With all the time and money that goes into a kitchen remodel process, it’s important that you do your best to consider every last detail before you decommission that old oven and kick that white fridge to the curb. 

To help you create your dream kitchen, we’ve consulted five consummate pros for only the tip-top advice: Los Angeles–based designer Melanie Burstin, Boston area AD PRO Directory designer Cecilia Casagrande of Casagrande Studio, AD PRO Directory designer Jenn Feldman of the LA–based Jenn Feldman Designs, Velinda Hellen of global design group Velinda Hellen Design, and DIY renovation obsessive Daniel Kanter of Kingston, NY, all offer their expertise to AD. 

Rule #1: Decide on your kitchen must-haves

In a space that’s so utility-driven, it can be difficult to open your mind and figure out how to put your own spin on the interior design while still accounting for everything you truly need. Whether you want a modern kitchen, a more traditional space, or you’re not even sure on the type of kitchen you want, deciding on your must-haves first will help you approach your layout, budget, and wide world of aesthetic choices.  

Whether you browse on Pinterest and Instagram or flip through the pages of magazines and coffee-table books, finding images of kitchens that you’re attracted to is the easiest way of figuring out how you should style your own space. Visuals can be a useful for making more informed stylistic choices like cupboard colors and countertop materials, too, but you’re also likely to discover more technical nuts and bolts inspiration. 

Ultimately, the perfect kitchen is personal. A room that functions as a family hub for meals and homework, for example, will look very different from that of a young single city dweller who barely cooks. For that reason, Daniel starts all his projects by listening and learning about clients’ needs and belongings. “I take inventory of everything they own to make sure there’s a place for everything, which also reveals cooking habits. If someone feels strongly about having an extra-large prep space for rolling out dough or tons of cabinetry for serveware and you don’t give it to them, then it’s not a successful design.”

Just because plenty of other people have lengthy kitchen islands and wine fridges, a second sink or an extra-large butcher block cutting board, doesn’t mean you have to devote space to those accoutrements in your own kitchen. “Sometimes clients will just assume that they need a microwave and I’d suggest not even bothering with a microwave anymore,” Cecilia explains. “If I really dig deep with clients and ask them what they’re using their microwave for, [they typically barely use it.] I had one client tell me they’re only using their microwave to warm up their coffee. We don’t need a giant machine taking up a [lot] of space either on the counter or with a microwave drawer when all you’re doing is heating up coffee.” Getting real about what you really need early on in the kitchen design process is only going to help in the long run. 

Once you’ve completed this process of interior design soul-searching, sit down and write out a list of all your must-haves. Whether you’ve been saving forever and have a mega-budget to play with or are pinching pennies, this exercise will help with getting your priorities in order. Care most about the sturdiness of your kitchen cabinets? Note that on your list. Prefer to have the best of the best kitchen appliances? Mark that down and use the list as your North Star throughout the journey—you’ll thank yourself later when you get tempted by all those fun backsplashes that easily drive up costs. 

Rule #2: Figure out your layout

It’s tempting to jump right into paint colors and fun finishes, but start with the nitty-gritty instead: a good kitchen layout. Professional designers and contractors will do this heavy lifting for you, all while keeping design rules, scale/proportion, and building codes in mind. They delineate work zones, strategically place appliances, plan for adequate storage, and ensure there’s enough room to comfortably move around. No plans to hire a designer? Get ready to measure, sketch out floor plans, and tweak your own design. Find a good space-planning app or online kitchen planner to make your life easier, or work with a cabinet company that provides detailed renderings.

Melanie usually starts with the solid work triangle long held as the gold standard of kitchen design. It comprises the room’s heaviest hitters—the sink, refrigerator, and stove—ideally spaced to allow the cook to move efficiently through food prep, cooking, and cleaning. Melanie cuts and pastes various room elements into kitchen design software, then shifts everything around until she gets it right. “It’s important to visualize how you are going to really use the space, and seeing the kitchen from an overhead view is the easiest way to map it all out.”

U- and L-shaped kitchens are arguably the most common layouts these days, although single-wall and galley kitchens pop up frequently in smaller spaces. Plenty of kitchen layout ideas incorporate a distinct dining area, though smaller spaces tend to need all the square footage they can squeeze for food prep. Each configuration has its own pros and cons. If you can fit one in, a kitchen island opens up a whole new world of storage, seating, and counter space.

Of course, wish lists are just that, and the course of true kitchen love rarely runs so smooth. Unless you are building from scratch, expect your space to throw up lots of roadblocks and hurdles. Size restrictions and quirky structural features—not to mention budget—will all influence a kitchen’s final form. The trick is finding clever solutions to address pain points and make the most of what you’ve got.

Rule #3: Think Storage

In a grand kitchen, the question of storage may be more about how exactly to organize your belongings than about squeezing everything in, as is the case in a small kitchen design. Regardless, there are a number of elements to think about at this stage in the kitchen planning process that can make things easier when you’re figuring out where exactly to put that waffle iron. 

Both Velinda and Melanie credit cabinetmakers as the unsung heroes of kitchen design. Melanie says, “Cabinet teams have years of experience in all of the work-arounds. I like to present my idea and see if they can make it work”—like figuring out how to fill six useless inches of space on a short wall next to a range. After brainstorming during a recent remodel, a narrow pullout spice rack became the answer.

These “make it work” moments might defy standard kitchen practices or current trends, but it’s your space. Daniel chose to hide his enormous fridge in an adjacent butlers pantry rather than the kitchen itself (take that, work triangle!)—a setup some people might balk at, but one that suits him. Although he has to walk a little farther to retrieve items, the appliance—which Daniel says “is nothing special to look at”—is tucked out of sight, which works better for the old house’s vibe. Daniel is happy with his choice.

Velinda recently carved a full kitchen out of just 49 square feet in her Los Angeles bungalow’s basement apartment with extremely low ceilings. Her challenge was finding a way to fit everything into that tiny footprint. She landed on a mini L-shaped design that’s jam-packed with space-saving solutions, including a small-scale 5-in-1 oven. In another particularly crafty move, she rotated a rectangular full-size kitchen sink 90 degrees to take full advantage of the counter’s depth, freeing up additional workspace on either side.

“If you know you really need more counter space, you’ve got to think about what decisions and investments to make. Like making a cutting board that goes over the stove in a small apartment really gives value to somebody who likes preparation more than they need to put soup on a burner,” Jenn advises. “I think the rules are meant to be owner specific and you should not be guided by what a normal layout would denote or what somebody thinks should be based on how a kitchen is built if it’s something you’re renting.”

Rule #4: Decide on surfaces 

Different countertop materials provide different levels of utility, durability, and cost effectiveness. You could choose marble for its beauty and resistance to heat, though it is porous. You could go for butcher block for its utility, but it does require regular oiling. Stainless steel is a choice many professional chefs go for, but it does create a rather industrial-leaning vibe in the space. There are plenty of options, so be sure to take maintenance, durability, and appearance into account before settling on one material.

“As I’ve gotten more seasoned [I’ve realized] nothing replaces good, beautiful stone,” Jenn says in an email. “Nobody ever calls 10 years later and says that they’re just so sad they invested in the beauty of stone. With good maintenance, taking care of things, it’s never a problem.”

Your kitchen floor can do a lot to determine your kitchen style, but it needs to be practical too. While hardwood flooring and tiles are both wonderful options, it should be noted that tile floors are undeniably easier to maintain in a kitchen. No matter what you choose for your flooring, be sure to choose a color or shade that suits the cabinet and countertop finishes.  

While some fear putting rugs in the kitchen, Cecilia implores homeowners to give them a shot. “Don’t be afraid to put a rug in the kitchen. Especially with something vintage, it’s already old. It’s okay if it gets a stain, it’s old already.” There’s no doubt they’ll make all that meal prep more comfortable on your feet. 

Tiled floors, marble countertops, stainless steel appliances—the kitchen is defined by hard surfaces. Anything you can do to soften it up (like a carpet, as we mentioned above) will go a long way to make your kitchen feel more comfortable and welcoming. Throw pillows on a banquet, deep cushions on counter stools, and thoughtfully chosen window treatments can help create an environment that feels less industrial. 

Rule #5: Don’t forget the details

A lot goes into a kitchen remodel beyond appliances, cabinetry, and countertops. The small details make a major difference in the look and feel of a kitchen—be sure to consider these aspects just as carefully. 

If you’re lucky enough to have windows in your kitchen, put them to work in your kitchen layout! More than a few celebrities have gushed about how much they love having a window above their kitchen sink—Big Sean even went so far as to remove one of the structural beams of his Beverly Hills home in order to place a window above his sink. “[It] was one of the structural beams of the house that you can’t mess with and I ended up messing with it.” He explains in the Open Door tour of his home. “We ended up figuring it out, the window’s here, and it’s worth it. You know, it’s a big, big picture window.” Though we don’t know that we’d encourage all kitchen renovators to proceed down the same path, prioritizing natural light is a must if you can manage it. 

“Lighting is everything in the kitchen and you want it at all levels, pendants hanging down, wall sconces, and of course under-cabinet lighting,” Cecilia states. “A pendant light over the island, one big statement light, is heavenly, beautiful. It really draws you into the room and and also does what I love doing, which is making the kitchen more like a living space and not just a workspace.”

Depending on the size and layout of your kitchen, the backsplash can play a variety of roles. Regardless, though, the backsplash provides an opportunity to bring additional personality into your kitchen. If you have a U-shaped kitchen, a galley kitchen, or a plain old small kitchen, it’s probably best to go with something somewhat bright, but you could bring darker color in with a patterned backsplash that balances bright and dark tones. If you’re blessed with an abundance of natural light or a wide open space, you can go wild with busy patterns without ending up with a space that feels super cramped. 

There are so many opportunities to consider small elements that might not be 100% necessary but can add a lot to projects with big or small budgets when kitchen planning. The particularly whimsical sconce that AD100 designer Billy Cotton recommended Lily Allen and David Harbour add to their Brooklyn townhouse comes to mind. “This is part of the genius of Billy Cotton. When we came in, when we were building [the kitchen] and we saw this, I freaked out and I was like, ‘What is this doing here? It’s so stupid we do not want this thing here, we have lights in the house.’ He was like, ‘No, no, don’t mess with that, that’s my moment,’” David Harbour explains in the Open Door tour of their home. “We let him go, and I will say there’s a genius to it because at night, when you turn all the other lights off, there’s something quite magical and beautiful about it.”

Small indulgences might seem unnecessary during the design process, but you could find yourself thankful once the new kitchen is all done and indulgences come in many forms beyond the unusual sconce that Harbour sung the praises of. An over-the-stove pot filler, a hot water tap, a second sink, or a second dishwasher—just a few more potential pick-me-ups. 

In the midst of the many, many decisions one has to make when it comes to planning a kitchen renovation, it can be difficult to remember that home design is an evolving process. One of the best things you can remind yourself of during the planning stage is how much you’ll be able to tweak once the actual renovation process is actually completed. Artwork can be hung, throw pillows can be added to banquets, counter stools can be switched out—nothing has to be decided upon as if it is completely set in stone. The best designed spaces come from excitement for how things can change, not fear of the possibility that they might. 

“Everyone really has the tool belt today to start figuring out how to make their homes better at any stage of life,” Jenn says. “Everyone’s lives are centered around the kitchen. Whether it’s large or small, the kitchen is where we make our meals but it’s [also] where everyone wants to be if they’re home entertaining. It’s the central part of our lives and it’s not really going away.”