June 06, 2008
When designing a kitchen there are so many considerations to be made that often the choices are head spinning. There is the layout, the types of materials you wish to use for the worktops and cabinets and the appliances that you may want to use. So if you’re designing a kitchen, where is that countertop coming from; is that a new resource; does it have formaldehyde in it; what are the glues that are being used—are they nontoxic or water-based? It’s just taking each of those little decisions that you’d be making anyway as a designer and making a higher-level, better-standard decision across the board.
There needs to be adequate space for the storage of food and equipment, easy access to those spots, a good and functional sink, plenty of countertop workspace, and the whole thing should be easy to clean. One method that people use to determine the right amount of space within their kitchen area is known as the triangle of the kitchen, or the work triangle. All you need is a little space and a small amount of creativity! A popular choice to create multiple work stations and increased storage space is to add an island.
In the real world not every home is large enough to accommodate doubling or tripling of the kitchen space, nor is every customer wealthy enough to handle such a large investment. A kitchen island provides ample preparation area, and can often be fit to house a second sink, a range, built-in appliances, or the added benefit of additional seating space. If an island is out of the question, you will want to carefully plan your storage solutions. Now that you have groups laid out on the floor, decide what space makes the most sense for them to live. Cooking and baking pieces should be kept close to where you do food preparation.
