Everybody has an image of their dream home kitchen. And despite the frequent challenges of limited space, construction layout and limited natural light, one can design their perfect kitchen with some smart tricks. Oshin Deshmukh, Studio Designer at Godrej U&Us Design Studio. You’d want to consider these simple hacks while designing or revamping your home kitchen space to make your dream kitchen more efficient and elegant.

Notch up your kitchen’s appearance

• Appliances have become a crucial part of baking, roasting and broiling. Smart appliances with smart planning make your kitchen look organized. Have individual storage cabinets for various appliances such as the microwave, blender, food processor, etc. instead of setting them on the kitchen surfaces. They make your kitchen look tidier and also provide you more space on the kitchen platform and flat surfaces.
• Various materials can be used for kitchen platforms and backsplash. Each material used in the platform has its advantages and drawbacks. For instance, granite is high resistance and lasts a lifetime; quartz is an artificial stone, comes in various colors and textures and easy to maintain. Meanwhile, wood although popular can be damaged and stain over time. Other materials include steel, concrete, marble and rustic kadappa. The backsplash, on the other hand, serves as a décor focal point and defines the style of your work area. Materials of backsplash worth considering are ceramic tiles, glass finish, concrete and marble. Therefore, assess your requirements and usage to decide which material best suits your kitchen. There are some awesome external facades that you may consider while doing your kitchen. These should be scratchproof, low maintenance and waterproof. Materials include laminates, which come in various finishes like glossy or matte, PU polish, acrylic that comes in various shades and back painted glass adding grandeur to the kitchen.
• Storage differs as per the user. Every cook has unique requirements. The most important element in the kitchen is the hob. Below the hob, consider placing the dish kit that includes the cutlery, cup and saucer kit, bottle and spice pull out to hold your daily regular bottles and containers, utensil kit that includes the masala dabba and roti chakla and belan.
• A cabinet for water purifier is a good way to avoid the accumulation of dust on it while keeping the appearance of your kitchen neat and tidy.
• Adding task lights and accent lights is always a good way to improve the appearance of the kitchen

Also Read: 7 Indian Kitchen Design Trends that are in Vogue

Make it more convenient

• A dish drainer can be set up directly above the kitchen sink to facilitate washing and drying of plates, spoons and bowls.
• Labeled jars and canisters make cooking more convenient for a person who is unfamiliar with your kitchen.
• The ingredients and objects that are used regularly must be easily accessible. For example, the drawer nearest to the cooktop should be designed to contain spoons, bowls and spice caddy.
• If you have enough space, a kitchen pantry is a great way to keep your groceries and ingredients well-organized and handy.

Some useful storage suggestions

• The corners in the kitchen can be tactfully used with Lazy Susan (rotating tray), foldable doors, curved cabinets and other innovative storage methods.
• The space under the kitchen sink is often under-utilized. With some organization skills, it can be a good place for storing the spare kitchen towels, soaps, rolls of trash bags and other kitchen cleaning equipment.
• Make good use of the vertical space for wall storages, especially in cities like Mumbai where the kitchen area is often quite limited. Get creative and play around with the use of hind shutters and lift ups for wall storage.

Also Read: Have a tiny kitchen? Use these 5 smart storage hacks

Do you have any other storage ideas? Let us know in the comments section below.