Tips for Designing a Kitchen Layout

When it comes to kitchen designs for new homes in NJ, the possibilities are endless. From cabinets, to flooring to fixtures, you can easily begin to feel overwhelmed as you consider the options. However, before you can even begin to select the colors and finishes, you first need to plan and design a layout for the kitchen. As an overlooked step, a good kitchen design is the foundation you need to efficiently and effortlessly utilize this central home space.

As you work with a professional to formally design a new kitchen space, below are a few tips and ideas to help you create your ideal kitchen layout.

Think about your routines and needs. Are you a super chef, or a take-out connoisseur? Do you have dishware for every occasion or do you just prefer the basics? Think about what you will need to store in your kitchen. Also, will you have a dining room buffet or cabinet -meaning, what will be kept there versus in the kitchen? If you have your grandmother’s china, plus other dishes and glassware, then you might want to create enough storage space. How large of a pantry area do you think you will need? Will there be expeditions to warehouse club stores where you buy in bulk? So, consider the amount of items you will need to access and store in your kitchen, and then be sure to plan for enough cabinet and pantry space.

Pro-Tip: If possible, build in an appliance center into your pantry – where you can leave things like your stand mixer and/or food processor set up, plugged in, and ready to use. This way small appliances are not cluttering up counter space and you are not having to haul them in and out of cabinets when you need to use them.

Plan room for an island and large appliances. How large of a kitchen island do you need? How much seating should be around it? Do you want to have a sink and dishwasher built into that island or just leave it as extra counter space? Picture the flow of working inside your kitchen. How easily do you want to access your refrigerator, oven and microwave? Also know the ovens and cook tops you want to purchase ahead of time so that you plan to leave enough space for all of them. Remember to leave the aisle and walkways roomy enough to accommodate more than one cook in the kitchen.

Pro-Tip: Some appliances, like refrigerators, come in counter depth and standard depth. Consider the appliance you have now and what you might purchase in the future. In your design, you will want to accommodate the correct depth of those appliances as well as room leave room to open and close the doors.

Be smart with space. As far as kitchen layouts for new homes in NJ go, there’s always room for personalization. Get creative with the elements in your kitchen. Think of… opportunities to build in paper towel dispensers, locations to add outlets for appliances, and an area where a charging station for phones and mobile devices might be handy.

Pro–Tip: Don’t let empty spaces go to waste. Some ideas include adding cabinets to the outside of the kitchen island, placing a vertical spice cabinet near the cooking or prep area, and utilizing pull out drawers and pull down shelves to hold everything from pots and pans to cereal boxes and coffee pods.

Act now by September 30^th to activate a Luxury Kitchen Coupon with Schaeffer Family Homes.

Whether you Build on your Own Lot (BOYL), or choose a beautiful homesite at either Menantico Estates in Vineland, or Kresswood in Voorhees, this Luxury Kitchen Coupon gives you granite countertops, 42” cabinets with crown molding, undermount stainless steel sink, and $250 toward any luxury kitchen faucet. Contact Schaeffer for all details and more information.

New construction homes in Vineland, NJ at Menantico Estates include ranch style, multi-level and traditional 2-story layouts, with floorplans that range from 1,880-3,100 square feet in both 3 or 4 bedrooms floorplans, starting in the $420s.

Or discover Kresswood, a small community of new homes in Voorhees, NJ, and lies just outside the city of Philadelphia. The four homesites featured in Kresswood have 3-4 bedrooms and range from 1900- 3600 square feet of living space, starting in the low-$700s.

Visit the Schaeffer Family Homes website to explore interactive floor plans and begin to personalize and design your new home online, by exploring all of the available plan options.