Choosing the right design while maintaining efficiency by John Cherveny
Did you ever see those amazing and comfortable kitchens appearing on cooking or other TV shows and you wish you could have one of those right inside your home? Well, now you can!
They may be built for cooking, but nowadays, kitchens are designed to achieve so many more purposes. Depending on the available space, the prep areas you desire, and what you want regarding the combination with other areas, your kitchen design can make all your dreams come true.
Here are 3 key factors you would want to take into consideration when designing your new kitchen layout.
Choosing the Basic Layout
The most suitable designs are usually determined by the availability of size and shape, being always helpful to consider the classic “working triangle”, which reduces the distance between the sink, fridge, and cooker by placing them in a triangular shape.
Most kitchen layouts use this approach due to its increased functionality, minimized effort, and reduced walking distance. However, if you want to place all your appliances and the sink in just one wall, you may need to elongate the triangle, maintaining its three points in a line.
But nothing is definitive. If you need to install an extra element you really want, you may just ignore the triangular design and make one of your own. It is your kitchen after all.
An alternative to the classic “working triangle” is the one based on zones placed in a clockwise or anti-clockwise sense. This layout combines different chores with related utensils and appliances. For example, the prepping zone with chopping boards and the fridge nearby, or the cooking zone with the pots, pans, and other utensils near the stoves.
Controlling the Flow of People
You could have the best-designed kitchen, but if you do not control how people are going to move around, you might find yourself in the middle of a pickle. This topic needs careful thought. But you can achieve it by taking some time to think and consider these next tips:
- Place the fridge so it can be reached by people without straying into your workspace. The same goes for the entrance and the access to the garden if you have an open-plan space.
- Dangerous appliances and utensils would have to be near the cooking zone to avoid children from getting in your way and prevent possible accidents.
- Consider placing an island to protect people from the cooking zone. Adding bar stools all along can give the guests the possibility to observe your job at a safe distance.
- By changing decoration designs, you could separate the different areas of your house to create a multifunctional space. To achieve this, you could use different paint tonalities, floor types, and lighting in each one of the areas.
Do Not Forget about the Contrast
The kitchen is considered the focal point of the home, being placed as the social center and the starting point for many reunions, parties, dinners, etc. Therefore, if you want to add a nice designer touch to your kitchen, you definitely need to put the contrast on your side by combining different materials, textures, and colors.
The most simple and obvious way to create contrast is to use opposing colors. You can go from being too bold and combine the most extreme colors possible to being more conservative and subtly mixing classic tonalities with one another. Of course, the combination needs to involve the key elements of the kitchen, such as the island, shelves, and worktops.
Consider the flooring as another element capable of providing contrast to the kitchen. Make it play with the furniture and create a sense of continuity or separation between them.
Another way of using contrast in your favor is mixing old with new. The most common combination these days is the one that mixes silver or black high-tech appliances and gadgets with wooden low-tech furniture. It is a combination that cannot fail.
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