Planning a fully new fitted kitchen is the perfect time for you to think about rearranging its layout. With the freedom to create whatever style you like it can be easy to lose track of a few fundamentals and get lost in the array of cabinets, counters, floors and walls. However, there are a few basic layout essentials you must have at the front of your mind throughout the designing process to make your kitchen the most functional, and therefore most enjoyable, room in the house. Before you go looking for cutting edge ranges and fridges that order your groceries for you here is a crash course in how to lay out your kitchen.
Keep It Quiet(ish)
When choosing a kitchen layout the first thing to think about is how everyone in the house will coexist in it at any one time. While you will never prevent the kitchen from being a hub of activity – especially once school and work is over – you can direct the traffic flow away from the places you prepare your meals. Keep your oven, fridge and sink as far from any entry points as possible to keep everyone clear of the working areas.
If an outer door leads directly into the kitchen, have an area for coats, shoes and bags, so as soon as you walk in the door you can store everything neatly. Once your clutter is out of the way, create a clear path from the kitchen to the next room so that everyone is shown down that path, and away from any cooking activity. A kitchen island is a good way of breaking up the kitchen to give you a way through the room without bumping into the cook and spilling your dinner everywhere.
Remember The Triangle
The most helpful term you could possibly learn when choosing a kitchen layout is ‘working triangle’. This is the phrase that defines the three most hardworking parts of your kitchen – fridge, oven and sink – and their relationship to one another. A traditional design tip is to fit your sink first and go from there. Place your sink facing a window or built into the kitchen island for a relaxing place to wash up. It is still the most used part of the entire room.
Once your sink location is settled make sure the oven and refrigerator are not too far away. Ideally you want a smooth and simple rotation between all three, so think about the journey you normally take when cooking in your current kitchen, and try to cut down any awkward distances or positioning of appliances for your renovation. Every door in the room should open fully without interfering or blocking a path, including the oven and fridge.
Make It Flow
While the working triangle will make your life easier you shouldn’t discount the rest of the features you need. You can take the triangle plan one step further by creating a beginning to end journey for the kitchen and your routine. Having everything work together makes the room more functional and keeps frustration levels low.
Start your kitchen journey with the start of your day. Have your coffee maker and toaster fitted together with breakfast foods in a nearby cabinet for minimum effort wasted before you leave the house. Fast forward to hometime and preparing your evening meal. Have deep drawers next to the fridge for all your prep utensils and trays. Move on to the cooking with pots, pans, herbs and spices in storage close to the oven. Plate up on the island or dining table before bringing empty plates back round to the sink to be washed and put away in the wall cabinets above it.
Use Shape To Your Advantage
Some homes have much smaller kitchens than others, but the charm and potential of a tighter space shouldn’t be overlooked if you know how to get the best out of them. From the diminutive galley to U or L-shapes there are unique design options for you that an experienced designer can talk you through. Any quirks that come with owning a small kitchen should be spun into positives, like a low ceiling with utensils hung from it, or limited wall space with DIY chests or a double island.
A U-shape can grant you one wall for each of the three triangle points with plenty of counter space in between. The galley is perfect for the smallest kitchens as it offers a lot of workspace and the tighter confines mean greater functionality from A to B. L-shapes can be separated cleanly to form one defined cooking area and one space for dining and storage. For most kitchen layouts an island can be fitted to add copious amounts of storage and multiple functionality options.
Don’t Sleep On Storage
As outlined in the intro one of the crucial things you have to keep in mind when designing a kitchen is to keep your eyes on what is useful to you. Storage space is underrated by most people that are distracted by shiny worktops and that talking fridge. You’ll be glad you took the time to look into Lazy Susans and corner cupboard fittings when you can store your collection of mugs and every spatula has a home.
If you have a matching theme going for your appliances and utensils, and struggle for space in a small kitchen, utilize hooks and open shelves to show off your collection. With a common color base you will even enhance the aesthetic of the room by having these items on show. Deep drawers and built-in cutlery organisers also make tidying everything away a dream.
No matter the size or shape or your kitchen you can turn it into the hottest trend in town by using these ideas – and a designer – to build a masterclass in elegance and functionality. People tend to congregate in a kitchen as it can be the most stylish yet most homely part of a house. Draw up a floor plan now!