In Miami, the only thing we love more than the glamorous city we live in is the home we get to create within its boundaries. From impressive, waterfront mansions in Cocoplum to luxury condominiums sitting right on iconic Collins Avenue, our homes aren’t just where we sleep – they’re an expression of our taste, our style, and our love for art, architecture and design in the Magic City.
At the center of every home is a kitchen where good food, good memories and laughter are shared with loving family and friends. To make sure that kitchen fits your wildest dreams, we caught up with the design greats at bulthaup, here in the Miami Design District, to find out where to start.
- Choose your layout. Before you can start choosing those fun design details, you need to have some idea of a layout. Don’t know what you want? Don’t worry – there are many ways you can begin to narrow it down. For example, if your kitchen is part of a new construction, ask your architect, interior designer or general contractor what they recommended. If you’re remodeling, measure your kitchen completely – from wall and ceiling height, to all your appliance locations – and let a kitchen company come up with a design for you. Whatever you do, take baby steps, and don’t feel like you have to know everything at once. Remember, this is your dream kitchen, so you have control over what it actually looks like.
- Plan ahead and make an appointment. If you’re serious about your goal, make an appointment with a professional who can make it a reality. High-end design stores, like bulthaup, always have renowned designers on hand to guide you through the choices you’ll have to make. Just make an appointment to ensure they have time to give you their undivided attention.
- Look at everything. Ignore those rules your mother gave you growing up, and open every door, every drawer and every appliance you see in the design store. And not just in one store – lots of stores. Look at every detail, cabinet edge and finish, and notice their differences, as slight as they may be. This will help you narrow down your choices and avoid purchasing something you may not like later on.
- Now, it’s time to talk money. Pick from your list of designers and get down to the nitty-gritty: the cost. Design prices tend to depend on the items and finishes you choose, so to compare them accurately, present the same layout and materials to every company you’re evaluating, and finally, ask each design team what is included in their pricing, as some may have extra fees you wouldn’t initially expect.
- Find the company that speaks to your soul. That says it all. As with any design process, the details of your layout or materials may change. That said, you can use what you know now to choose the company you trust to get you through it. Follow your heart and let the design do the talking. There are two sides to every design – its look and its functionality – and when you have both, you’ve found your perfect match.
