Tips from Kitchen Designer Mick De Giulio

As many of you know by now, if there’s one thing we can’t get enough of, it’s kitchens. With one exception: food. That’s why we eagerly anticipate the arrival of Bon Appetit in our mailbox each month. We were thrilled to open the magazine’s March issue to find a fantastic Q&A with renowned kitchen designer Mick De Giulio–a must-read for his expert advice on creating timeless kitchens, the work-triangle dilemma and where to splurge and where to save.

Here’s an excerpt below; visit BonAppetit.com for more on DeGiulio and, of course, millions of company-worthy recipes.

“Where should you splurge?
The refrigerator, which gets opened 35-plus times a day, on average. Cabinets and appliances, which are super-important because they get used so much. Durability in craft and materials makes a difference.

What’s the biggest mistake people make when planning a new kitchen?
Not dreaming as big as they can. In the beginning, I ask clients that we start designing as if there’s no budget, so we can make the space tremendous. If we have to cut, we can do it later. In the end, if you opt not to do something based on budget, at least it was a conscious decision.

Does the “work triangle”—the space between the refrigerator, sink, and range—guarantee an efficient kitchen?
No. If you establish a work triangle but put your fridge in a main artery, it means that somebody’s always opening a door in the path of traffic. That’s not going to work.