Redesigning your old kitchen or starting a new one can be confusing, tedious and stressful and as writes Perveen Sagoo although practice makes perfect… often with most things … in kitchens it can be an expensive affair.
Kitchen-making hardly requires a trial and error path. It is easier and less trying on your pocket to get the right kitchen the first time around. In any case living through two kitchen renovations may just be pushing things a little too far.
So where to start? Make a list of your requirements…think and plan!
Start by asking yourself a few key questions: –
- Does your current kitchen layout suit your needs, if not what would you like to change about it?
- How many people does your kitchen serve?
- Who is going to cook in your kitchen?
- What do you like about your kitchen and what don’t you like about it?
- Aside from cooking what other requirements do you have from your kitchen?
Be a little clinical about your thinking and planning, highlight the likes and narrow them down to pinpoint your crucial necessities. Your main considerations should be; spaces that is, cabinet, appliance and worktop, the kitchen triangle, working zones and traffic considerations (yes even in your kitchen!).
Spaces – How much space do you really need?
It may be a good idea to take out everything you have in your existing kitchen and lay it out on the dining table. Identify what you really need, and of course what you do not have. Then plan the cabinetry, worktop and appliance space.
Look at your storage requirements; do you need a large pantry or storage area? Would you prefer open or closed shelving? What are your worktop requirements; do you need somewhere to roll your chapattis? Would you like to sit whilst you wash and chop your vegetables? Do you need a separate sink to wash your meat?
Other issues that you may need to address would revolve around appliances you want or have and which ones do you need at arms length. Do you need your juicer daily? Do you bake everyday? Do you use a coffee machine? Do you need an allowance for a water treatment plant or a dispenser?
Work Triangles
The working triangle has been at the centre of kitchen design for decades; the idea behind it is that your key appliances, usually your cooker, refrigerator and sink are at the ends of a triangle (the work triangle).
The diagrams show the four basic layouts of the work triangle.
Although many kitchens do use these layout concepts, there are no longer any hard and fast rules of kitchen layouts. Open plan designs and changing lifestyles have somewhat altered the work triangle.
Some people have more than one sink, even a separate washing or cutting area outside the main kitchen. Then of course there is the endless list of new appliances. Ideally your lifestyle and the way you use your kitchen should guide you on designing and planning your new kitchen. Examine your kitchen routine; think about how you would like to improve it.
Kitchen Zones
In every kitchen there must be five major zones: –
1) Consumable Zone for the storage of consumable food products
2) Non-consumable Zone for the storage of non-food products such as utensils etc.
3) Cleaning Zone for your dishwasher, sink, etc.
4) Preparation Zone for the preparation of your food such
5) Cooking Zone for the hob, oven, microwave etc.
The diagram below highlights how you can divide your kitchen into the above zones, then according to your specific needs you can decide to allocate more space to a zone or even reduce it.
Traffic Considerations
Just like in any space you must make accommodations for thru’ traffic. Consider for instance if your back door access way lies in the path of your main work triangle. This situation is likely to cause confusion between those that are cooking and perhaps those that are cleaning and washing.
The users of your kitchen will significantly benefit from well-planned access routes. The easiest way to accomplish this is to draw out your kitchen layout as a plan view and then outline your work triangle and the main exits, entries and access routes.
Finding a Good Kitchen Supplier & Installer
Now that you have the crux of your kitchen requirements, you must find a suitable kitchen designer and installer. A well-organized kitchen can cut your kitchen work-time and altogether make the cooking experience more pleasant.
It is smarter, and perhaps a little friendlier on your pocket to consult the ‘practiced!’ Knowing your own requirements is advisable but having a reliable quality end product that works for you…and lasts is necessary.
Before you decide on a supplier, find out if there is someone you know who has bought a kitchen from the supplier, how long did it really last? Make sure you check the quality of material as well as the design of the kitchen.
