Design and Layout
Every kitchen has three hubs of activity. These include your food storage centre, the cooking centre and the clean-up centre.
The food storage centre is just a designer's term for your refrigerator, freezer and pantry. If you want your new kitchen to be practical as well as beautiful, we recommend placing your food storage centre as close as possible to your kitchen's entrance. Follow this advice and you'll have a shorter distance to walk with heavy grocery bags.
On a related note, we suggest placing the components of your cooking centre near each other. For example, by having your range and cookware in the same area, you'll not only save a step but you'll save time too.
You'll also want to think about the placement of your clean-up centre. A common practice is to place your dishwasher in close proximity to your sink and disposal so dirty dishes and glasses won't have far to travel. It should also be close to the cabinet that houses your dishes, for an easier time putting clean dishes away from the dishwasher.
Another important consideration is the "traffic lanes" in your kitchen. There should be ample walking space for people young and old, strollers, movement of furniture, delivery of groceries, etc.
The Working Triangle
Years, ago someone discovered that the flow of movement in a well laid-out kitchen travels in a triangle. This working triangle is where you spend most of your time preparing meals. Your sink, range and refrigerator usually represent the three points of the triangle. The sum of these three sides should be no more than 26 feet. If the total is less, your appliances are too close. If the sum is more, they're too far away. So before you finalize your room design, make sure it gives you the right amount of room.
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U-Shaped Perfect for one or more cooks, with continuous work area. The cook has countertops on three sides and everything within reach. |
L-ShapedThe L-shape has an advantage over the U-shape in the form of more generous work space. With work centres on two adjacent walls, people can come in and out without even entering the work area. |
U-Shaped with Peninsula
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L-Shaped with Island
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Corridor or Galley
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One Wall or Single Wall
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Measuring It All Up
A successful design depends on accurate measurements.
Here are some tips for getting it right.
Start with a 25-foot tape measure, a pad, pencil, eraser and stepladder.
Record measurements in inches, so 14' 1" (14 feet, 1 inch) isn't misktaken for 141 inches.
Add wall dimensions of opposite walls – they should be equal.
Measure ceiling-to-floor dimensions in at least 3 places in the room (as many rooms are not symetrical).
Sketch each wall, and label walls, doorways and windows.
A. Measuring Doorways
Start in the left corner of any wall with a door. Meaure from the corner to the left edge of the door trim. Measure the door's width, including trim. Measure the location of other doors on the same wall in relation to the left corner of the wall.
B. Locating Windows
Start in the left corner of any wall with a window. Measure from the corner to the left edge of the window trim. Measure from the floor to the bottom edge of the trim. Measure the height and width of the window, including trim.
C. Outlets, Switches, Pipes and Vents
Start in the left corner of any wall with an outlet in it. Measure from the corner to the centre of the cover plate, then from the floor to the centre of the plate. Measure switches, pipes, vents gas lines and water lines the same way.
D. Measuring Walls
Stand facing the sink. Let's call the wall on your left Wall 1. The wall you're facing is Wall 2, Wall 3 is on your right, and Wall 4 is behind you. Measure along the floor to get exact measurements of each wall. Measure again at waist height and ceiling height. If there's a soffit (a boxed-in area between the top of the cabinets and the ceiling) measure between it and the floor, and its depth and height.