The kitchen is the heart of the home. Hectic lifestyles and two-career families are now the norm. Eating remains one of life’s necessities and pleasures, and cooking meals still brings people together. Children do homework while dinner is being prepared and guests join their hosts chopping vegetables or pouring wine. The modern kitchen provides nourishment for both body and soul. Today’s kitchen has evolved from a hot smoky shed set away from the house to a stylish heaven whose colour, finish and building materials are limited only by the imagination.

The variety of styles and colours available for your kitchen can make it difficult to make choices. Today, the movement towards ‘green’ products, recycled materials, renewable resources and energy conversation is strongly influencing colour trends. ‘Earth’ colours are showing up everywhere, from neutrals like lily colours, cool grays and warm muted browns, to yellows, deep greens with black undertones and rich reddish purples.
Regardless of what you choose, remember, there are no wrong colours, only wrong colour combinations. Colour choices based on personal tastes rather than on trends will always survive the test of time.

Colour plays a major role in how you feel about your environment. Begin to design your kitchen by listing objectives that define the kitchen you want to call your own.

If you select “Cheerful, airy, simple” you could match them with the colours yellow, white, and red. If you select “restful and open”, you might use the colours blue and green. This simple process can help you establish your colour direction.

A kitchen inventory checklist is important to get an overview of the colour decisions you may need to make, regarding the design of your kitchen. You should consider the colour for largest surfaces areas first; floor, cabinets, walls and counters. Then consider your choices for smaller areas. The dominant areas are cabinet, walls, floor, and ceiling.

Careful planning is a must. An attitude of inquiry will help you get started in planning the space.
Colours in adjoining rooms that are visible from the kitchen should be considered in your design choices.
If you want to increase its visibility, choose bright or contrasting colours which will draw attention to the kitchen.
If you have a traditional living room or dining room that adjoins the kitchen, the best colour scheme will be one that enhances this style.

When you understand its language, colour can help create the kind of feeling you want.

Lighting
Lighting does affect the colour you select, so pick your colour under the same kind of lighting you would be using. Natural light is cold and has a greenish cast, south light is warm and pink, east light is harsh and has a yellowish cast, while west light is radiant red orange. Fluorescent lights give a blue tint unless colour corrected tubes are used. Halogen light is very bright and gives off a blue cast.

Define your kitchen matching your lifestyle. Give a major preference to your comforts and needs. Like while designing, keep in mind the things required for your cooking near the hob area. The spice racks, dal racks, cutlery trays and daily utensils used should be placed near the hob area. The distance to travel from hob to the refrigerator should not be too far. Lighting for the cooking area should be appropriate for cooking. If there is enough place in the kitchen, try giving a small breakfast table or counter, wherein your family can be with you, while you are cooking and serving. A conveniently designed kitchen can add a spark to the experience of cooking. Make place for everything you require in the kitchen, while designing to give a crisp, neat and uncluttered look.
A few changes can transform your tired picture into a fresh and inviting space.

Keep in mind the items needed for the kitchen and shortlist the ones you require:
nAppliances: sinks, hob, oven, microwave, dishwasher, refrigerator, small appliances, food processor, coffee maker, juicer, chimney, etc.
*Cabinet: wood or painted finish, plastic laminates, glass front doors, open shelving, free standing island.
*Floor finishes: ceramic tile, stone, wood, vinyl tile, sheet vinyl, concrete, marble, granite.
*Walls and ceiling finishes:: egg shell or high gloss paint, wall covering, stencilling, textures, etc.
*Hardware and light fixtures: chrome, brass, iron, porcelain, switch plate covers, etc.
*Counter top and backsplash: tile, stone, plastic laminate, solid surfacing materials, metals/laminate, concrete, stainless steel, copper.
*Furniture: tables, chair, sideboards.
*Accessories: pot racks, linen, collections, wine rack.

Kitchen combos
*Natural, airy, open
*Happy,cheerful
*Simple, clean, restful Sleek, sophisticated.

The author is an interior designer and can be contacted at 9845070824 or email: modcconinterior@rediffmail.com