By Kingsley Adegboye

The Kitchen is usually described as the heart of a home. The reason for this description is obvious – it is where the food that sustains the family is prepared.

Taking into consideration the all-important role which a kitchen plays in a home, more attention is now being paid to its construction and installation of kitchen fittings.

This implies that the budgets for the kitchen is usually higher than the costs of equipping other areas of homes. Today’s kitchen’ are usually customised and come in a wide variety of designs and styles to suit the taste of the owner of the property.

Mr Femi Shodunke, a Lagos-based Architect classified kitchen construction, design and style into two – modern and traditional with many subcategories to choose from.

Pointing out that these categories range from old world to modern kitchen designs and styles, he said it should be noted that many designers differ in these classifications. According to him, many other kitchen designs and installations simply defy categorization.

Looks of a modern kitchen

Explaining that home owners differ in their choice of designs and styles, he said clients often select specific elements of different styles to incorporate into their custom-made kitchens, creating an entirely new design of their own.

He however stated that the important thing to do when selecting a particular design and style is to ensure that you do not contradict the style of your home. “If you have an old home or craftsman home, do not install a modern or contemporary kitchen because it will not make an impact’’, he advised.

Pointing out that contemporary kitchen designs are what is in vogue now, he said contemporary kitchens are generally composed of minimal ornamentation and flat surfaces.

The style is intentionally non-traditional. He noted that contemporary kitchen designs date back to the 1940s.

Shodunke who said style is a priority in contemporary kitchen designs, noted that for a clean and spacious look, contemporary kitchen design should avoid excess ornamentation such as use of crown, wood carvings and raised panel door.

‘’Small spaces can be made to feel bigger if there is less visual stimulation. Therefore the relatively flat surfaces found in contemporary kitchens can be of benefit to smaller modern homes.

‘’Most materials used in contemporary kitchen designs are man-made, including metal, plastic, concrete, glass, and recycled materials. However, many designers like to incorporate natural elements such as wood veneer and natural stone to bring some warmth back into the kitchen’’, he stated.