Luxury Kitchen Design

Luxury Kitchen Design In Washington DC

A luxury kitchen design (or any kitchen design for that matter) is composed of two primary elements:  1) the layout (floor plan) and 2) the visual design.  In terms of layout, there are less than half a dozen basic kitchen designs that are used again and again because they always work.  The entire functionality and flow of the space is determined by this key element.  On the other hand, there is absolutely no limit to the number of kitchen ideas that can be applied to a given design plan in terms of visual style and accessories.

Our modern homes cry out for (as do modern homeowners) a standard of efficiency, beauty and comfort that was unattainable just ten years ago.  Home interiors, most particularly kitchens and baths, have become very sophisticated.  To that end, the kitchen designer has emerged as a key player in the field of residential renovation—which almost always calls for the design and construction of custom kitchens and baths.  The beautiful kitchen, the functional kitchen is all in the details.

The Kitchen Designer

Kitchen designers have a skills set that is much like that of an architect.  They have the ability to visualize and precisely render kitchen design ideas using AutoCAD and 3D kitchen design to help you visualize the possibilities.   They have expert understanding and knowledge of available products, materials and finishes.  Most importantly, they have the expertise to combine these elements and use them to create kitchens that meet the high expectations of our very savvy DC homeowners.

Custom kitchens (a.k.a. designer kitchens) are not a commodity you can purchase at your local big box home supply store.  Or even at a boutique interior design salon.  Custom designed and built luxury kitchens require an interior designer to plan them and bring the many parts together into wholly beautiful modern kitchens.  Kitchen design in the 21st century is both an art and craft.

New kitchen design incorporates amenities and accessories that require a detailed understanding of the clients’ needs as well as a thorough knowledge of what will work best in the given application.  In modern kitchens, functionality is the life force of the design program.   A smart, talented interior designer understands that.

Designing the Luxurious Kitchen

I talk to a lot of people about kitchens, baths, room additions and every imaginable type of residential renovation project.  And guess what?  I don’t think I’ve ever heard a homeowner ask us to design a luxury kitchen for them.  The fact is luxury means different things to different people.  However, when we arrive at the end result, the way clients describe it is almost exactly the same:  “I love it”.  So the luxury in a luxury kitchen is what makes every day tasks a pleasure to perform.  The luxury kitchen design embodies super functionality.

You might think that luxury kitchens are expensive kitchens.  Not necessarily.  The word luxury isn’t a synonym for “extravagant”  “gratuitous” or “over the top“—although it could be.  Luxury kitchen designs, the way we approach them at Gilday Renovations, evolve organically out of a studied creative process where the client and interior designer work very closely together through many iterations to get the plan just right.  To produce kitchens by design takes thought and care.

Dream Kitchens Happen—But Not By Accident

As I said, designer kitchens aren’t a commodity to be ordered from a shipping center.  They are the result of thoughtfulness, care, creativity, and expert knowledge of the craft.  Dream kitchens don’t just happen.  You have to take your time and indulge in some good old-fashioned day dreaming.  One of the best ways to prepare is to tear out pictures of kitchens from shelter magazines.  Save everything that catches your attention, everything that evokes a strong reaction.  It could be a particular detail in one of your kitchen design photos that  appeals.  Or it could be the entire scene.  Save them.  These images will help your designer understand what’s in your mind and better match your expectations.  Publications like Veranda, Elle Decor, Traditional Home and House Beautiful are a trove for luxury kitchen design photos that highlight kitchen interiors.  These lifestyle magazines are the best place to start your collection of luxury kitchen design ideas.

Speaking of visual style, we probably design as many contemporary kitchens as we do traditional kitchens.  And within these two main categories there is a tremendous amount of range for individual expression.  It is the kitchen designer’s job to guide the client through the entire process.  This results in beautiful kitchens, social spaces that are a pleasure to be in.

Classic Kitchen Design for Washingtonians

In the Washington DC area we are heavily influenced by tradition.  More directly, we tend to be rather conservative here.  Because of that, Gilday Renovations designs a lot of classic kitchens.  The classic kitchen style avoids trendiness with the intent of achieving a timeless look.  They are obviously modern kitchens with all of the conveniences and good ergonomic functions that our clients demand.  But in terms of visual style, they tend to resonate quietly with the pre-modern era in which most of our homes were built.

What is the best kitchen design?  The best kitchens are the kitchens that work.  Yes, the modern kitchen is a social space and a family gathering space, but most of all it is a work place.  The main purpose of any kitchen design is to make that day to day activity of preparing and serving meals easy and pleasurable for the homeowner.

The Art of the Designer Kitchen

As I said earlier, there are a handful of tried and true floor plans that appear over and over again in the best kitchen designs because they work.  What’s really new about any new kitchen design is the way that the kitchen designers accessorize and customize drawer and cabinet interiors, and the way cabinets and appliances are grouped in specific function areas of the kitchen.  It’s a puzzle that requires a good deal of expertise as well as creative flair.

The other huge part of the art of designing kitchens has to do with visualizing kitchen interiors.  As always, function is number one.  And.  The designer of truly luxurious kitchens needs sharp creative instincts to develop the visual design and styling of the kitchen interior as a whole.

Custom Kitchen Design = Luxury = Functionality = Fun

This design intensive approach to residential renovation is precisely what Gilday Renovations is set up to do.  We are here to create luxury living as you, the client define it.  With the guidance, creativity and expertise of our modern kitchen design staff, we work your original idea and make it even better than you imagined.  It’s fun for us.  More importantly, it’s fun for you.