If you want to know how to plan a kitchen for someone who truly loves to cook, know this: it's very different from designing a show kitchen. After a while, you begin to realize the differences between how a kitchen appears and how well a kitchen cooks. The cabinet that you have to reach into to get anything from. A messy stack of baking sheets that fall every time you try to find the last one. Your spices in three different cabinets. No safe place to set a hot pan. And the garbage can - which, no matter how far you move it - always seems to be 10 feet away whenever you're chopping vegetables. These issues do not matter much while you are standing in front of a kitchen model. However, they seem to matter quite a bit while you are trying to prepare a meal after work on a Tuesday.
To plan a kitchen for someone who cooks frequently, consider how you will utilize their kitchen.
Kitchen Layout
The kitchen work triangle still provides a good starting point. Three locations in the kitchen that are always in constant use are the refrigerator, sink, and cooktop. The recommended distance between two points is 4 to 9 feet.
It is reasonable to locate these three locations relatively close to each other. Traditional kitchen triangles (the placement of the cooktop, sink, and refrigerator) have changed with modern kitchens. Many modern kitchens feature multiple work zones or large islands. However, the basic premise remains the same: you never want to have to cross the entire length of the room to obtain what you need.
Kitchen Storage
In addition to the location of equipment and fixtures within your kitchen, storage is another important aspect where a few minor decisions can greatly enhance your overall enjoyment of your kitchen.
As an example, pullout cabinet shelves provide an alternative to pulling everything out of your lower cabinets to retrieve items located in the rear of those cabinets. Pullout pantry shelves accomplish the same function for canned goods, oils, etc.
Vertical storage options such as dividers for your cutting boards, baking sheets, trays, cooling racks, etc., allow for easy access and organization. This makes it significantly simpler to remove a single baking sheet when there isn't a stack of them in front of you.
Pots and pans can also benefit by utilizing vertical storage. Using deep drawers with a lid organizer, rather than standard lower cabinets, makes it easier to find the pot or pan you need. You can easily see what you have stored, eliminating the necessity to dig through a pile of dishes to find a specific item every time.
Keep Everyday Items Close
Additionally, there are many common components that you reach for during cooking that can be located closer to the cooktop.
Spices are a perfect example. When you store your spices near the cooktop in a convenient pull-out cabinet, you eliminate the inconvenience of having to search through a cluttered cabinet for what you need. For example, even something as simple as a wood-mounted spice rack with pre-labeled jars can organize a busy kitchen area. Knives, utensils, oils, and other common ingredients should follow the same principle: they should be located as close as possible to where you will be using them.
Prep and Cooking Space
The prep area deserves equal consideration as the cooking area. Preparing meals typically involves more counter space than anticipated. While it would be ideal if you could dedicate a significant amount of space for a permanent prep area, if this is not feasible, a pull-out prep surface can provide additional counter space when needed.
Having a pull-out trash bin near your prep area is another small detail that will eventually become evident once you actually start cooking. Peeling vegetables and disposing of food packaging can now go directly into the trash can rather than be placed on the countertop or carried across the room.
If you bake regularly, you might consider extending this concept with a dedicated baking station. With a designated area for your mixer, measuring cups, flour, baking dishes, and other baking accessories, you will be able to have all of your baking needs readily available in one place rather than spread throughout your kitchen.
Features Worth Considering
A warming drawer is beneficial when preparing multiple meals at the same time. An appliance garage allows you to leave a toaster, coffee maker, or other small appliance handy without leaving it on top of your countertops. In addition to providing storage underneath your counter space, toe-kick drawers turn the dead space below lower cabinets into storage for flat items, including baking trays or serving dishes.
If there is enough space available, a walk-in pantry can also provide great benefits. Bulk ingredients, small appliances, and infrequently used cookware will have a home outside of your primary kitchen.
Easy to Maintain Materials
Quartz countertops have an advantage over granite and other natural stones as they are durable, simple to clean, and resistant to many of the common food stains you encounter daily. If properly cared for, quartz countertops may endure anywhere from 15 to 25 years or even longer.
Both tile on the floor and backsplash work well, as tile is easy to clean and can handle water and moisture. However, grout requires a lot more attention. When using epoxy grout, it provides much better stain protection. When choosing good-quality tile, it could last 20 years or more.
Easy to Maintain Floor Options
In addition to a new kitchen layout and cabinet design options, consider low-maintenance flooring options such as Luxury Vinyl Plank (LVP) flooring. LVP flooring is soft underfoot, very easy to clean, and available in styles similar to wood and natural stone. The longevity of quality LVP typically ranges from 10-20 years.
Also important is the finish on your cabinets. Cabinets finished with matte or flat-panel finishes tend to conceal dust and fingerprints better than glossier finishes. Light-colored cabinets can add brightness to a kitchen, but any spill will show more easily. Good-quality cabinets should provide up to 20-30 years of service.
Smart Appliances
Smart appliances are nice, but that doesn’t mean you have to buy them because they’re new. For instance, an induction cook top has precise temperature control and is so much easier to clean than gas or electric. If a smart oven or refrigerator provides features that you’ve been wanting in order to solve a problem with your current kitchen, then go for it.
Ready to turn your kitchen frustrations into features you love? Contact BiiLT today and let's design a space that works for you.
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