When you are planning your kitchen design, you might be surprised at the different types of kitchens you can choose from. The way you and your family lives will mostly determine the style of kitchen that will work best for you. Do you have a large family with lots of kids at home? Do you want a gourmet kitchen? Is your house tiny or gigantic? Are you single and only need the basics? The traffic flow in and around your kitchen is one of the most important aspects of designing a kitchen and something that should be carefully thought out. Taking the time up front to visualize this is well worth it as you will have to live with the consequences for the life of your kitchen.

Lets suppose you have children still living with you at home and you entertain family and friends for parties and meals a great deal. You will want your kitchen to be large enough for several people to be in the kitchen at the same time without feeling cramped. A good kitchen design will allow people to move about in the room without having to shove anyone else out of the way. Counter space is another critical element of any kitchen design and perhaps the most difficult part is deciding what type of material you want for the counter surfaces.

Granite is a popular modern trend that lends both durability and elegance to your kitchen design but other popular materials include limestone, concrete, tile and even metal. If you your kitchen is big enough, an island is fabulous to have. Islands serve many functions. You can prepare food on it, and it is especially convenient if your stove is in the island itself. If the island is big enough, you can eat at it too.

A seating island is a great place for guests to get a chance to talk with the cook while he or she is preparing the mail and of course, an island will give you more cupboard space, something that is always at a premium in any kitchen! Storage space is another important element of your kitchen design plan. A pantry is most desirable if you have the room for it. If you are tight on space, then making use of every nook and cranny for added space will help you get more out of your cabinets. Lazy Susans and other built ins inside the cabinets and help maximize cupboard space and make things easier to reach as well. When planning a kitchen, you need to think about where you will put your major appliances. Consider the workflow when you fix a meal or do the cleanup afterwards.

You don't want to install your sink a mile away from the prep area where you will need to use it for washing vegetables and meats. You also wouldn't want to locate your refrigerator in the middle of your sink and stove or have your dishwasher too far from the sink. The best placement of sink, stove and fridge is actually in a triangular shape with each appliance only a step away from the others. When you plan your kitchen, there are many things to consider, these are just a few of the more important areas.

Lee Dobbins writes about decorating and design. Get more tips on kitchen decorating and design at www.a-kitchen-decorating-idea.com