So Let’s Start Designing Our Kitchen
September 30, 2014 No Comments
Designing a new kitchen appears, at first, to be an incredibly complex task.
But it doesn’t have to be that way. With the help of a great interior designer, I learned that you can break the process down into a simple 4-step action plan (listed below). Do this, and you’ll probably get to within 90% of the plan that works for you.
Step 1: Storage Plan
Write down exactly what you need to store? For example:
- Do we plan to use oversized frying pans and pots, drinking bottles and oil?
- Do we have china that you would like to show in the kitchen?
- Would we like to store cooking books as well?
Once you have a kitchen sketch, write down where you plan to put all your equipment.
If you do not have enough space this is the time to change your design or consider lose some of the redundant pots
Step 2: Main kitchen areas
Consider the main areas in the kitchen: refrigerator, sink and stove. This is the basic for the kitchen design, in that order. Think about the process of fixing dinner and you’ll realize that it is most comfortable to work when the sink is in the middle between two working surfaces. There is a concept known as the work triangle which is the ideal setup for a cook.
It is most important to have around 1 meter between the sink and the stove and if it is possible, to have a surface near the refrigerator as well.
You can place the sink under the window but if you would like to dry dishes above the sink you’ll probably need to place it somewhere else.
Step 3: Kitchen closets
In the past it was common to have up and down closets but these days trend has changed and for the right reasons. Too many upper closets make the kitchen look too loaded.
You might want to have a specific area for tall closets. This way in one part of the kitchen you will have refrigerator, stove, microwave and storing closets, while the other part will stay clean from upper closet
Closet’s height is a matter of taste, but I do recommend to set the closet height up to the ceiling to avoid dust and dirt. You can also close the gap with a gypsum cornice.
As for the kitchen corners – this areas usually are not fully used because access to these areas are quite limited. However today there are great storing solutions. You can have a fully pulled out drawers as well as new designed carousels. You can also have corner drawers.
Nevertheless my recommendation is to give up the corner space because it is usually to expensive solution and does not add a lot of storage space.
Step 4: To have or not to have an Island
How can we talk about the kitchen and not mention the island? All fantasize about large island, amazing friends around him stand with a glass of quality wine and say they have not seen such an amazing and prestigious island – only in catalogs. But unfortunately, in most cases, the island remains a fantasy, since the lower kitchen cabinets require a space of at least 100 to 120 cm in order for the drawers to be opened easily.
If the kitchen is large enough to have an island in it, it would be nice to create around it a lounge area with bar stools that can get under the surface.
Another way to create a seating area is to continue along the island, at that of 90 cm or normal table height (fit even for children) at 75 cm.
Category: Home Design