designing your kitchen

For a kitchen remodel, the biggest restriction on your creativity is your kitchen design. If you are lucky enough to tear down and rebuild then you have a lot of flexibility in this area.

In any kitchen design, the most important aspect is functionality. Even show kitchens today still retain the basic form and function of traditional kitchens. The best way to define functionality is to consider the kitchen work triangle. The kitchen work triangle is made up of three main kitchen stations: the refrigerator, the sink, and the range.

The idea of ​​the kitchen work triangle is to have a good separation between the three stations so that there is no cross traffic that could interfere with the chef. In addition, the triangle is the most efficient way, since it allows the shortest distance to be traveled between these stations.

Considering the kitchen work triangle, there are some basic layouts from which other layouts can be derived.

In a small kitchen, sometimes the kitchen work triangle has to be sacrificed due to lack of space. You see the “wall design” style in lofts and small studio apartments. This is where the three stations are lined up against the wall. This is only feasible if the kitchen is in an open area unobstructed by walls or furniture.

Another small kitchen layout is the “hallway layout,” which has stations on either side of a narrow hallway. The difference between the corridor design and the wall design is that the corridor design actually satisfies the concept of the kitchen work triangle. This design also gives you more cabinet space, since you have two cabinet walls instead of one. The downside of the hallway layout is that the traffic passing through the hallway often conflicts with the chef’s kitchen.

For larger kitchens, you can use the “L-shaped layout” or the “U-shaped layout”. The L-shaped kitchen is in a corner of the house with two adjoining walls like the letter “L”. Typically, the refrigerator would be located closer to the public space while the sink is in the back. This allows other people to easily access the refrigerator and not bump into the chef. The U-shaped kitchen is just like the L-shaped kitchen, except that it is joined by another wall that forms a “U”. The U-shaped kitchen best demonstrates the kitchen work triangle because only one station is placed on each wall, creating an ideal work space for the chef.

If space allows, you can also put an island in the middle of your kitchen. Another design concept is to create a peninsula sticking out of the kitchen in an “L” shape to provide a better work area as it then forms a U-shaped kitchen.

There are many options and designs when it comes to designing the kitchen. To build the perfect kitchen, you really need to consider the role your kitchen plays in the home.

• Are design and beauty more important, or is the ability to prepare meals for guests and ease of cleaning more important?
• How much storage space do I need (upper cabinets and under-counter cabinets)?
• Would the kitchen be used daily for cooking or only on special occasions?