SOUND design ideas FOR EVERY ROOM IN THE HOUSE

1 If you have more than one cook in your kitchen, trash the triangle theory. For decades, the kitchen triangle (which places the stove/sink/fridge on each leg) has been the gold standard of kitchen design. But this concept assumed that one person would act as chef-in-residence. With families cooking together, a better approach is “zone design,” which segments the kitchen into areas for prep, cooking, plating/serving, etc. and gives each person unobstructed space to perform his or her task.

2 If your heart is set on expensive granite or marble countertops, think about using those surfaces only on the kitchen island. Opt for a countertop with a similar look but a lower price tag for the perimeter counters.