ON TREND Award Winning Kitchens

Creating an Award-Winning Kitchen

The right recipe to put a space on the podium

by TruKitchens

VERY FEW CLIENTS APPROACH their new kitchen design with the glint of a trophy in the back of their mind. More often, they have specific functionality ideas with an overarching look and feel they are seeking to achieve. In everyday kitchen design, the designer works to marry the clients’ lifestyle needs with a beautiful design that reflects their personal style. But what makes an award-winning kitchen truly possible is the intersection of a designforward client and an intentional, progressive thinking kitchen designer.

When the right conditions between client and designer exist, then the following tips and tricks can be employed to take a kitchen over the finish line and onto the winner’s podium.

Careful Planning

More important than the look of the space is how well it functions. An awardwinning kitchen is not just designed for the sake of pushing the ball forward down the court of trends, the space must function practically so that it can be free spirited in design. Getting to know the clients’ daily routines, entertaining needs and general must-haves is crucial. Understanding building restrictions, local codes, and space constraints are also important. The more careful planning that is done upfront, the more successful a space will be in the end.

Intentional Design Aesthetic

A design-forward client is key when it comes to creating an award-winning space. A client who is willing to take a few risks or push some design boundaries unlocks a whole creative vault within a kitchen designer. The kitchen designer is now free to thoughtfully integrate trends or even create new ones. The depth of the beautiful finishes is now fully available to them. For many, the reason they entered the design profession is fulfilled in this unbridled environment. The result is a stunning space that both the client and designer is proud of, and that many others will look to for inspiration as they seek to fulfill their kitchen design dreams.

Innovative Products, Materials and Finishes

A client with an open mind invites themselves to be exposed to the depth of products, materials and finishes available on the market. A kitchen designer makes it their job to stay informed on the latest innovations and enjoys when a client wants to explore the many possibilities to make their space unique. Kitchen designers understand a well-designed space can quickly turn into an over-designed space if selections are made simply to be trendy, however, in an award-winning kitchen distinctive materials are always present. This may include the latest door styles, special finishes, unique colors, fresh countertop materials, technologically advanced appliances, stylish lighting, bold flooring, and much more. All these resources are thoughtfully employed to push or even set design trends in an award-winning kitchen.

Integrates Other Spaces

The most exciting designs do not stand on their finish selections alone. In award-winning kitchens, clever integration of nearby spaces creates unforgettable moments in the design. In today’s world nearly every gathering ends up in the kitchen so why not accommodate that in the first place? For example, award-winning kitchens may feature a sliding wall that opens to outside entertaining areas. They may include full-service bars or multiple seating areas in the space. They may be designed in a way that eliminates many of the surrounding walls to allow the kitchen to exist seamlessly in the main living area of the space. No matter how the design creatively integrates the spaces around it, award-winning kitchens are often proven in more than just that space alone.

Excellent Partners

The kitchen designer is just one set of hands in the process. It is important to clearly communicate with the builder, interior designer, architect, and other contractors to ensure the overall vision is appreciated. They should know the plan from the beginning and be empowered to lend their expertise in achieving it. These partners are crucial in taking a design from dream to reality.

At TruKitchens, our designers have the knowledge, experience, depth of products and right partners to design award-winning kitchens. We have done it before with multiple “Best in American Living Awards” from the National Association of Home Builders, “Best Kitchen” awards from the local Home Builders Association, “Excellence in Design” awards from our partner Grabill Cabinets and many national Houzz awards, among others. We would love to unleash our creativity on your home to create a truly special design; it all starts with the initial consultation.

Brent Weesies

Senior Designer, TruKitchens 616.957.1969 hello@trukitchens.com trukitchens.com