Kitchen Design for Men
It used to be that when you thought of a kitchen, it was considered the women's domain, but these days, in modern times, this is a popular space for both men and women alike. And yet, when it comes to magazines, articles and guides featuring kitchen renovation in Atherton, they still tend to be female-oriented. In fact, out of all the available designs, pictures and blueprints online, only 1 in 5 are geared towards men. If you are a guy and you want a kitchen designed to meet your needs, wants and looks, chances are you are feeling pretty frustrated. Well, good news; this article is not about women. Instead, it’s all about what a guy wants in a kitchen. Below, you will find some of the most prominent and desired features men look for in a kitchen.
Industrial or Modern Designs
Enough with the foo-foo cabinets and frilly materials, men want something different when it comes to kitchen design. Recently a study was done on what types of styles and looks men want in a kitchen, the overall result was overwhelming; men prefer a more modern or industrial approach when it comes to style. Men want sleep and clean designs, they want a kitchen that includes technology and technologically advanced products. One of the best ways to go about this is by adding in a few of the options below, but also to add in color. It doesn’t have to be blue, white or pink. Choose from some neutral colors like brown and gray, or bolder colors like red and black to create a really modern upgrade. Even though you are going to create a theme that is for you specifically, you still want it to seem inviting so when you have friends and family over, they feel welcome in the kitchen.
More than Just Cooking
A kitchen, especially in this day and age, is about more than just cooking. It’s about socializing, living, eating, etc. Make sure that when you design your kitchen space, that you also create a living space. By that, I mean add in an open floor plan, with plenty of space to sit and relax, entertain, have good conversations, etc. You can even add a cohesive space where one part is for cooking and then another part of the room, like a dining space, is meant for conversations lasting late into the night. Add in a mini fridge to this space, a breakfast bar with various counter space, window seats, etc. This is to encourage your guests to sit down and converse while you cook and or serve the food and keeps your company close rather than having them wait in another room for you to serve them. It also gives you a chance to show your cooking skills off to your guests and get them engaged with what you are doing.
Butchers Block
Butcher blocks are multi-functional. Yes, they can be used to chop veggies and fruits on, but they can also be a conversation piece as part of your design. Butcher blocks vary when it comes to styles, but most of these are considered more traditional than modern. Nonetheless, if you shop around for the right butcher block and add it to your kitchen island in a specific way design wise, you can still make it "fit" right into a modern theme. Butcher blocks are pretty affordable too, so if you have the space and the money, you can also consider adding two - one to each side of your island. They tend to range between $40 to $50 per square feet of wood. Wood butcher blocks can be made from various materials of wood, such as maple, pine, ash and even hickory. As any man knows, each of these woods has a different look and feel to them and can help you create a really customized kitchen. By the way, if you are afraid to use these once you have installed them, don’t worry about - the dents and nicks from knives only help to add character even more to your kitchen.
Industrial Theme
If you are going for an industrial or modern look, try choosing black, silver and white to go together in your kitchen space. These colors not only go really well together, but they match the overall theme. Just remember though, even by adding in the black, silver and white as a theme, it’s still important to add a contrasting color. You can do this with a red conventional oven, utensils, cookware, perhaps a few tin lights painted a contrasting color over the kitchen island etc. Colors like red will give the kitchen a feeling of warmth and coziness and will create a sense of charm whereas not using it can cause the room to feel cold or uninviting.
Industrial or Modern Designs
Enough with the foo-foo cabinets and frilly materials, men want something different when it comes to kitchen design. Recently a study was done on what types of styles and looks men want in a kitchen, the overall result was overwhelming; men prefer a more modern or industrial approach when it comes to style. Men want sleep and clean designs, they want a kitchen that includes technology and technologically advanced products. One of the best ways to go about this is by adding in a few of the options below, but also to add in color. It doesn’t have to be blue, white or pink. Choose from some neutral colors like brown and gray, or bolder colors like red and black to create a really modern upgrade. Even though you are going to create a theme that is for you specifically, you still want it to seem inviting so when you have friends and family over, they feel welcome in the kitchen.
More than Just Cooking
A kitchen, especially in this day and age, is about more than just cooking. It’s about socializing, living, eating, etc. Make sure that when you design your kitchen space, that you also create a living space. By that, I mean add in an open floor plan, with plenty of space to sit and relax, entertain, have good conversations, etc. You can even add a cohesive space where one part is for cooking and then another part of the room, like a dining space, is meant for conversations lasting late into the night. Add in a mini fridge to this space, a breakfast bar with various counter space, window seats, etc. This is to encourage your guests to sit down and converse while you cook and or serve the food and keeps your company close rather than having them wait in another room for you to serve them. It also gives you a chance to show your cooking skills off to your guests and get them engaged with what you are doing.
Butchers Block
Butcher blocks are multi-functional. Yes, they can be used to chop veggies and fruits on, but they can also be a conversation piece as part of your design. Butcher blocks vary when it comes to styles, but most of these are considered more traditional than modern. Nonetheless, if you shop around for the right butcher block and add it to your kitchen island in a specific way design wise, you can still make it "fit" right into a modern theme. Butcher blocks are pretty affordable too, so if you have the space and the money, you can also consider adding two - one to each side of your island. They tend to range between $40 to $50 per square feet of wood. Wood butcher blocks can be made from various materials of wood, such as maple, pine, ash and even hickory. As any man knows, each of these woods has a different look and feel to them and can help you create a really customized kitchen. By the way, if you are afraid to use these once you have installed them, don’t worry about - the dents and nicks from knives only help to add character even more to your kitchen.
Industrial Theme
If you are going for an industrial or modern look, try choosing black, silver and white to go together in your kitchen space. These colors not only go really well together, but they match the overall theme. Just remember though, even by adding in the black, silver and white as a theme, it’s still important to add a contrasting color. You can do this with a red conventional oven, utensils, cookware, perhaps a few tin lights painted a contrasting color over the kitchen island etc. Colors like red will give the kitchen a feeling of warmth and coziness and will create a sense of charm whereas not using it can cause the room to feel cold or uninviting.