Every homeowner has thought “wouldn’t it be nice if I had…” about their kitchen, whether it popped up as they were flipping through a magazine, getting a peek inside other homes during the annual Minnesota Parade of Homes or visiting friends as they hosted in their own enviable kitchens. If you’re someone who wants to welcome the whole neighborhood in for any reason you can find, updating your kitchen with our top 8 must-haves for Minnesota super-hosts will help you organize better, cook easier, and find joy in the heart of your house.
1. A Place for Everything
A cluttered kitchen can cause far too much unnecessary stress, especially when you need to whip up a quick dish. Make sure you’ve built in proper storage space so every tool, seasoning, and utensil has a place to call home.
A few must-haves:
- Walk-in pantry
- Pull-out spice cabinets
- Sliding deep cabinet drawers
- Drawer dividers and separators
- Custom cabinets for every appliance in your arsenal
2. Thoughtful Layout & Design
The heart of the home is often the kitchen. It’s where your family will blow out birthday candles and enjoy holiday meals and weekday catch-ups — so it must be functional and welcoming.
Because of this, custom home builders here in Minnesota will often have you start with the kitchen and then model the rest of your home’s aesthetic after it. So be sure to choose an interior design that matches the overall feeling you’ve established for your entire home.
Now’s your chance, what do you want in your kitchen? Neutral tones or a pop of color? A large pantry? Large windows to let in natural light and views of Lake Minnetonka? Explore aesthetics and options that match what you’re envisioning for your dream kitchen layout.
3. Cabinets & Drawers With Sleek Finishings
Homeowners all too often will skimp on the finishings of their home, but this is your dream home. It’s time to put some extra thought into it!
It’s the little details that will bring your kitchen together. Cabinets and furnishings can add to the aesthetic of your whole kitchen — plus, you’ll use them every day. So what are the dream kitchen must-haves you truly want?
Here are a few ideas:
- No-slam feature for cabinets & drawers
- Easy sliding pull-out drawers & shelves
- A built-in wine fridge
- Drawer dishwashers designed to match your cabinets
- Warming drawers
- Drawer & cabinet lighting
4. Your Cloud 9 Countertop Goals
When dreaming of your own luxurious kitchen, countertops play a major role. After all, they’re used the most often and are one of the first things you notice about any kitchen.
Countertops can be your pop of color or the piece you use to tie the whole room together. It all depends on your style and your dream. Match what you’re currently envisioning with a few fully designed ideas to better picture how your future kitchen may turn out.
5. Built-In XL Refrigerator
You can never have too big of a refrigerator — kids or no kids, you will always find a use for the space. A big refrigerator is necessary, but having it designed to blend in seamlessly with the other elements of your kitchen is a modern feature that is sure to draw compliments. Once you have your design in place, make sure to choose a refrigerator with the most modern features.
A few ideas:
- Sliding shelves
- Auto-fill water pitcher
- Temperature-controlled drawers
There’s a lot you can do with refrigerators in the 21st century!
6. Hidden Cooking Range
This may not be the most necessary addition but it definitely adds a touch of luxury. A hidden cooking range will give you the top-notch, chef-style equipment without the clunky look. Entertain in style and love where you cook your family meals every day.
Take a look at how this hidden cooking range completes a kitchen in one of our Lakeview Orono homes.
7. Dedicated Appliance Housing
From your Keurig to your Instant Pot and everything in between, the fun kitchen gadgets do seem to stack up. Now’s the time to invest in storage that you’ll actually use with a few modern kitchen features.
Dedicating shelving space to your “mini” kitchen appliances will be an important part of your layout and design. Consider having two storage “garages”; one for the Keurig as a coffee station and one for your less-used cooking items.
What to look for:
- Easy-slide or double-cabinet openings
- Large space with multiple shelves (that you can still easily reach)
- A spot or two in your kitchen near outlets
- Stronger shelving
8. Farmhouse Sink
Thanksgiving dishes? Bring it. Backyard barbecue? No problem. Whatever event you’ve got going on, make sure your sink can handle it. A farmhouse sink is deep enough to fit larger cooking dishes and equipment. After all, what’s worse than cleaning a crock-pot in a tiny sink?
Pro Tip:
Consider adding a pull-down handle so you can easily reach any tough spots you need with your faucet.
Ready For a Blueprint?
Don’t get stuck hosting next year — volunteer so you can show off your dream kitchen to friends and family. Creating a dream kitchen near Lake Minnetonka takes an experienced luxury home builder and plenty of kitchen ideas!
Meet our builders to see how you can make your dream a reality for the next holiday season.