WWW.MTKD.CA Check it out for my Online Kitchen Design Solution Thank you so much for watching!

The problem with smart appliances is that there are so many more things to break or become glitchy

Easy to clean is my motto. Whether it is an appliance (steam cleaning oven), cabinetry (flat slab doors) or casings/moulding(simple no detail) I want to be able to clean it quickly and efficiently.

I have had open concept kitchens, and some with walls. As the sole cook in my household, I don’t like feeling trapped in my kitchen. I am in there a lot. I want to see my other living areas, the views outside, people, family, friends, whatever. I want to breathe! Open concept is my choice.

I like how you really think about the family and how the kitchen can be used for multiple purposes. I mean lots of people wash their dog or cat in the sink, they do work in the kitchen, they run businesses from the kitchen so it's great that you addressed that.

You said "hob" and made me smile. Hi from Wales! I've been watching for some time ☺

I visited the home center with the big orange sign today, looked at a 12-inch-wide floor-to-ceiling pantry, drawers below breast height, doors with full-depth shelves above: an object lesson on the value of drawers for your pantry.

Great video. Your content is really high quality! Love all the kitchen pics! I like that dark blue kitchen! Where can I get one!! That charger drawer is really cool too!

I designed cabinets where I have 3 drawers rather than doors with fixed shelves except for the sink cabinet. But sink cabinet has a tiltdown with tray for sink tools in otherwise wasted space.

I tend to prefer L-shape kitchens. They require the least amount of spinning in circles. I dislike an island in an L-shape kitchen though. Although they add additional counter and storage space, they add to spinning in circles and they confine the walking path, acting as an object to have to walk around to get from one end of the kitchen to the other, say from fridge to stove. I'm on the fence about open concept. I think it depends on the kitchen layout and the style of house. In some houses, it looks and functions well. In others, it looks and feels awkward, like the kitchen is built in the living room. I will say I do prefer a separate kitchen room to better contain the sights, smells, and noises. I have no interest in smart appliances. As long as they do their job to heat and cool properly, that's all I want and need. I value reliability and lifespan more in my appliances. Ease of cleaning is the reason I prefer slab-style doors and larger format tile or slab backsplashes. Cleaning food drips and splashes out of cabinet door crevices and backsplash grout lines is a chore. Crossover function in a kitchen can be a blessing or a curse. It all depends on the circumstances and design. For example, my mother remodeled her moderately sized L-shape kitchen with an island and added a dedicated small bar area and a separate built-in desk area. The bar area collected dust and was only used during holiday parties. The desk was rarely used because most of the time we sat at the island to do tasks that would normally be done at the desk.

That video is just brilliant! All of what you just said resonates with me (being a User Experience Designer) to 100%! Form follows function will never get old, thank you so much for these amazing use cases.

Lots of great info Mark, thanks!

Spot on🎯

I like the barn door in the background. My space is limited, and I want to open the kitchen (to the degree practicable) into my dining room, but to keep the ability to close it off when things get smoky. I want a French door look with the divided glass, two panels meeting in the middle over a forty-eight-inch wide opening, the maximum allowed by my galley lay-out.

Love Info....but love my closed kitchen❤️❤️❤️💯💯💯💯

I only added a small island but I did remove a wall in our kitchen remodel.

Well done, my friend.

I always preferred an open kitchen ... until I became disabled and then we got two kittens. They're 3yo cats now, and nobody has ever had the energy to train them to stay off the bench while it's in use. The long-haired cat even gets so close to the stove that he singes his tail fluff routinely - it's so long and woolly he doesn't even notice, but the whole house will stink of burnt hair. He also likes sleeping on open shelves 6' off the floor, and will push off anything that gets in his way. My disability isn't going away. The next house will have a walled-out kitchen, and zero open shelves anywhere. We need it for our sanity with these and all future cats that will probably be just as badly trained.

Another super informative video thanx mark... this dedicated charging unit will be in every kitchen whether as a surprise or wether i pitch it to a client its defs getting implemented thanx a million.

I love the idea of a stove/oven that shuts off or a self powered fridge

Good!

it is interesting that a L shaped kitchen is trending. I have a galley style, but one side runs along an "outside" wall in my condo. Hubby is thinking, when we get around to kitchen renos, to "move" the fridge back to its original space (currently situated for apartment size, but we want to adjust to make it situated for full size), and put in a full size stove. This will shrink the one usable counter space I have for food prep, but will extend the countertop/cabinets along the outside wall to make a L shaped kitchen. It would add a LOT of countertop space and storage space.

Hi mark, I have just spent two weeks watching your channel to give me fresh ideas ready to design my new kitchen. I would just like to say a big thank you for all the tips, advice and pitfalls that I may have made without your advice. One question though, is it ok to put a built in oven next to a built in freezer? As I want to keep all the tall units together. Thank you again for your advice. The show is natural and informative. Paulina. UK

How is it a consumer choice when nothing else is available? That's true for anything manufactured. I've lived long enough to have times when I can't find any clothes I like. Same with cars. Same with kitchens.

Awesome

I don’t get the giant island trend. I use my island all the time for food prep, but I want it narrow enough that I can easily reach across it.

Is that your tv on the wall? If it is then it’s too high up , just saying ;) I really enjoy your channel cause you are the real expert in the kitchen . 🙏🏻

With hindsight 1 yr later, L shape is still “in”, islands do seem to be getting bigger, open floor plans are still “in” even though a home office is trending due to covid-19 and remote work, even nightstands are including charging stations, regarding storage - there is a trend to get rid of upper cabinets so I guess they need the bigger island to replace the lost storage, seems the trend is for a white stone countertop with light veins regardless of cleaning/maintenance concerns.

What do you think of boiling water tap as your sole tap - like that it eliminates kettle on countertop, water for pasta that you normally would boil on stove as well as cold water for drinking. It would save steps.

Great info BUT... Please don't use background music throughout the entire video. It is an accessibility issue for neuro-atypical people like those with TBIs, Autism, ADD etc... It causes the brain to have to fight to focus on the content you are trying to deliver. It is more common than you think!!! Please consider this. I would greatly appreciate it as would MANY others.

When you have kids - easy to clean is super important. My son will just grab a chair and climb onto the counter so that he can grab the snacks that were put out of his reach for a reason.😖

What hight for a big island do you recommend? (Let's discard the hight of user for this question for a imaginary ideal hight:)

You lost me. I feel like I'm hearing sales pitches 😅

Dont know if it is a good idea to follow trend advice from someone who still has barn doors.