When I decided to open up walls in our kitchen renovation, I had to consider the kitchen design carefully from every angle. What would be the first impression when you entered our home? How much kitchen could you see from the entryway? Sitting on the sofa and gazing over at the kitchen, would I be looking at a sinkful of dishes? A hulking stainless steel appliance? I wanted to avoid building the kitchen that ate the living room.
Looking at the sink elevation: Did I need wall cabinets? No, they would block the line of sight to the window. I could gain storage capacity by using all drawer bases.
It pays to consider every elevation as a vignette if you want your "after" photos to sing. These are the considerations that gave shape to my kitchen design.