Earlier this week, we touched on some back bathroom design ideas, and now we are going to do the same with the kitchen. You will want to follow some basic principles in your kitchen design if you are building a custom home. Over and above functionality, you will also need to consider what your plans are for the kitchen, meaning whether will you be using it to entertain or only to prepare food.
Here are some ideas…
The Kitchen Triangle – This is a tried but true method of design for any kitchen. You want to make sure your three key working areas form a triangle to mark your main work areas. This would be the sink, refrigerator, and stove. You should have an easy flow between these areas with no obstructions.
The video below explains the principles behind this concept…
Avoid Waisted Steps – when you are unpacking your kitchen, keep everything related in the same area. For instance, keep your coffee pot, grounds, and sugar station right in the same area, preferably under the area where you keep your coffee cups. For instance, in my kitchen, I have my water dispenser, to the left of my fridge, with the coffee station on the counter next to the refrigerator. Everything I need to make coffee is within 5 feet of each other.
Wide Walkways – Older homes often have narrow walkways in the kitchen area, which can create a nightmare when more than one person is working back there. Ideally, the pathway in the kitchen is at least three feet wide, which gives ample space for someone to walk by you without bumping into you when you are working over any station.
Use an Island – if you have an open kitchen that allows traffic to pass through the kitchen to other parts of the home, a center island is a great way to break up the traffic path. Meaning, anywhere between the stove and the island is off-limits to walk-thru traffic. For whatever reason, most of us already have it in our heads that we walk around the island and do not go through the work station area unless actually working back there.
Watch the Corners – when you decide where to put cabinets and appliance doors, make sure you are leaving enough space to navigate tight corners. You want to make sure the appliances and cabinets all have enough space to open and are not hitting walls or corners. If you cannot avoid being too close to a wall, invest in some clear gel bumpers to protect the walls, cabinet doors, and handles.