Kitchen Design – Remember the Food

by Paulette Sodemann

The many functions of the modern kitchen mean that most kitchens today are designed in zones, with each zone targeted to a specific purpose and need.  While you are busy planning the zones your new kitchen will include, don’t forget that the main purpose of your kitchen is still food!

Whether you are a passionate amateur chef or just cook the occasional meal on the run, your newly designed kitchen must be fully equipped to meet your food storage, preparation, and cooking needs before you address any other requirements.  Your kitchen’s “food zones” should be designed with a workable layout allowing you to move smoothly between food storage, preparation, cooking, and clean up, plus allow easy access to all the tools you need.

How you personalize these food zones will be dictated by several characteristics, including the members of your household and the types of meals your family eats.  For example, if you have children, you may consider including a separate zone with convenient access to healthy snacks and beverages away from the main cooking area.  If you entertain guests frequently, then a separate beverage center may be favorable to allow guests to get drinks without passing through the cooking zone.

Your main food storage areas should be easily accessible to the cooking area, though you may choose to have a separate pantry for additional food storage.  The food preparation area should allow plenty of workspace, and could even include butcher blocks built into the island or main countertop.  Access to tools such as knives will simplify your food preparation, and a pullout garbage bin makes it easier to clear away food waste.

When you are ready to get cooking, it helps to have your pots and pans close at hand and well organized.  Other utensils, spices, and oils that are used regularly in cooking should be within arm’s reach of your cooktop.  Ideally, purpose-built storage guarantees these items are well organized and reduces clutter on your countertop.

Your kitchen island is a great place to include an extra cooktop, stove, steam oven, microwave, and more importantly, to ensure you never run out of cooking space, even when preparing a special holiday meal.  A second dishwasher, like a dishwasher drawer, in the kitchen island can also make the messy dishes and cooking utensils disappear more quickly.  If you bake, don’t forget to include storage for your baking supplies, measuring cups and bowls, and even your stand mixer.  For the avid baker, a specialized worktop space for mixing and rolling out pastry would make your kitchen complete!

Finish off your design with well-placed task lighting and plenty of electrical outlets in suitable locations for small appliances.  Even better, if the outlets are angled power strips, hidden underneath your kitchen cabinets, they will not interfere with your backsplash design.

Get the basics of your kitchen zones right first, and then you can have fun planning and adding on all of those extra features you want to include, like a built-in television, custom-designed drop zone and charging station, and pet feeding station!