The kitchen is probably the most important space in your home. You want to make sure you get it right! The importance is what this space represents - love of food, family, friends, and togetherness. At least that is what it represents for us!

When designing a kitchen many different elements need to be considered. Today we want to focus on the materials.

Let’s start with the first step, which all of you know is – choosing your colour palette! We cannot emphasize enough how important this is, in design. It is the foundation of any design project, it is from here that you build on. Got it?!

Great.

If this is going to be your kitchen for at least 5 plus years, we suggest designing the space for you, choosing materials that you love, be it that they are a mass-market trend or not. 

Now, the next most important step is choosing your countertop material. The aesthetic and functional considerations are critical. A marble countertop for example in Carrara or Calacatta marble are aesthetically pleasing, however, maintaining them needs regular sealing and special care.

If you want something less high-maintenance natural granite can be your winner. You need to seal it once a year and have fewer worries about it getting stained. If you really don’t want to worry but still want something of quality your option is going with quartz.

Another newer option in recent years is concrete, although a very high maintenance choice, it definitely can be an option. We believe it is more of an aesthetic decision especially if you are trying to achieve a certain design, rather than a functional one – concrete has different looks, shades, and textures, so no matter what you can always find the right fit for your colour palette. Yes, concrete can be in more colours than the traditional grey : )

Let’s face it who doesn’t love a kitchen with this design:

On to the kitchen backsplash, which originated to protect the kitchen’s surfaces from grease and water. This functional material has been transformed into a focal point of a well-designed kitchen. The materials used for the backsplash are similar to the materials used for the countertops, the reason why they are used are different. Here is why every kitchen should have a backsplash in its design:

1. It prevents stains – over time stains can build up to big stains and eventually the walls look dirty. Even religious cleaning will not be a solution in the long run.

2. It keeps insects away – a good backsplash forms a protective barrier between the counter and wall which keeps the pests away!

3. Low maintenance – you can clean most materials with a damp cloth and call it a day.

4. It personalizes your space – most of us spend a lot of time in our kitchen, it should feel and look as good as possible. I am sure you agree!

As we have mentioned, whether for aesthetics or function, a backsplash is a must. The number one question we are asked is if it should match the countertop or be a contrast. The answer varies every-time, it really depends on the design. Here are some things that may help with your decision:

1. Sticking to one colour palette for the backsplash and countertop provides a peaceful, uniform look throughout your kitchen.

2. Typically, you can accomplish a cohesive look if you choose simple, neutral colors.

3. Using a different backsplash highlights the countertop or can become its own visual showpiece and vice versa.

4. If you are going to follow a contrast train of thought it is best to have either the backsplash or countertop a neutral tone, this allows showcasing the other gorgeous counterpart with-out competition.

In our kitchen design, when possible we integrate as many appliances as possible. The reason we do this is that it allows your joinery to be the feature rather than the fixtures, which is a more enduring approach to the design. You can see a flawless example of that by Taylor Knights below.

Moving on to the kitchen floor. Not only does the option need to be durable and practical it is a major design statement as well. Stone or tile are excellent choices, especially for cleaning purposes and safety reasons.

Believe it or not, wood is also a great option. It brings warmth to the space and feels good under your feet. Luckily, today there are hardwood options that withstand high traffic and water stains.

Getting to the end of our blog we realized that actually the MOST important decision you will be making, regardless, of what materials you choose, is the professional(s) who will be doing the installing. If you are making this decision on your own without other professionals from the industry make sure you do your research. You want your beautiful pieces in your kitchen to come together flawlessly, making your kitchen the center piece of your home. 

If you have recently done your kitchen or have questions for an upcoming kitchen project email us at info@dmdesigno.com we would love to hear from you.