Six Tips For Designing a Cozy, Functional Kitchen

A traditional Saskatoon kitchen gets a high-tech boost—and a lot of charm—from Atmosphere Design.

1. Dress up the kitchen with pretty sconces. It’s important to get the task lighting right—low-voltage under the cabinets to illuminate the prep area, potlights in the ceiling to light up the room—but there’s something to be said for striking a note of elegance with decorative accents. Here, two Hudson Valley lights flank the cooktop, creating a focal point for the room.2. Create a more intimate space by lowering the ceiling. New homes often push 10 feet in ceiling height, but we prefer a warm and friendly kitchen. Designers Curtis Elmy and Trevor Ciona of Atmosphere Design created a room that invites kitchen-island socializing by introducing a bulkhead and 12-inch crown moulding.3. Go stealth on the sound system. Speakers in the ceiling are connected to a central Control4 system—so the chef can either choose a private track or pipe in what’s playing in the adjoining great room. Painted-over speakers make the system practically invisible.4. Play hide-and-seek with the television. Who doesn’t love to catch up on episodes of The Good Wife while working on dinner? But the electronics don’t need to be the star attraction in the room. Have an electrician install the TV so that it moves up into the cabinet above via remote control.5. Help guests help themselves. A DIY cocktail bar below the television—complete with prep sink—means guests can fix their own Old Fashioned while the chef prepares the meal.6. Shake up a classic colour scheme. White cabinets, dark island is a tried-and-true combination, but here it gets punched up a notch: rich brown gables frame each white cabinet, and iridescent Murano tiles add sparkle to the backsplash.