While reading my latest edition of Atlanta Homes & Lifestyles magazine (January 2012), I came across an article that grabbed my attention and sparked some thought. Matthew Quinn of Design Galleria Is and Atlanta Kitchen designer and he contributed his top 25 Kitchen Tips. I thought it was a great list and I’ve included my favorite five below. If you’re interested in seeing the list, you can read the article in it’s entirety here.

 Design Galleria

My top 5 picks from Matthew’s list are as follows:

1. If you select a polished (glossy) countertop then select a back splash with a matte (not glossy) finish or in other words if you choose a honed countertop (not shiny) then choose a backsplash that is polished or glazed with a shiny finish. I have seen many exceptions to this rule that have worked beautifully but this is great guideline when selecting materials.

Betty Lou Phillips

2. When installing a garbage disposal,  always use an air switch. This will help avoid one more switch in the backsplash or the need to open a cabinet with wet hands to flip the switch. I love this tip…it is both functional and aesthetically pleasing.

Susan Dossetter

3. We’ve often seen mirror used in the back of a bookcase (Candice Olsen does this beautifully) but have you ever thought to use mirror in an upper cabinet door front in lieu of glass. He suggests using mirror in ‘”dormer” cabinets to create the illusion of a higher ceiling. Dormer cabinets are the second row of upper cabinets (see the first photo above for detail). This photo shows dormer cabinets with clear glass.

Tobi Fairley

4. I found this tip most interesting….about 90% of the time he he panels all of the appliances in a Kitchen. Strong architecture in the space dictates his decision. If the room has strong architectural bones, it doesn’t need a huge stainless appliance standing upright in the room. But if the architecture is not that interesting, a stainless element can be a grounding component to balance a large range…..not sure?

Atlanta Homes & Lifestyles

5. When selecting finishes for a new Kitchen design, he starts with the floor, then selects the countertops, backsplash, and finally the cabinets. This was the part of the article that got me thinking. Was this the order in which I typically select Kitchen finishes during a renovation…kind of,…but no, not really. And let me explain why.

Architectural Digest

In selecting finishes for a recent Kitchen renovation project, we approached our finish selection order just a little different. And because it was a renovation of a 1950’s bungalow, we first paid close attention to the existing fixed finishes…the things that were not changing in the adjacent rooms. Those two things were the hardwood floors stained a warm medium brown and the trim color throughout the entire house painted a creamy white. To see our latest Kitchen renovation in progress and how we started the entire process of selecting finishes, check it out here.

If a Kitchen renovation is on your to-do list for 2012 and you need some guidance on where to start, contact me here or feel free to give me a call at (678) 316-0113 today and I’ll show you the way to your beautiful dream Kitchen!