KitchensEvaluating Kitchens

The Kitchen

The hub of the home for the 21st Century!

Everyone hangs out in the kitchen

Even 30 years ago guests were not allowed to see the kitchen—now everyone gathers and helps out in the kitchen

The kitchen is not only used to prepare food, but it is used for homework, projects, computer work, crafts, socializing, entertaining

Families gather in the kitchen, therefore it is one of the most important places on a floor plan for proper design and function

Kitchens are the New Family Rooms

“More and more, kitchens are incorporating dining rooms and sitting rooms into a unified space. Consequently, kitchen cabinets are looking more like fine furniture, and counters and islands are becoming dining tables. Banquette seating can offer comfortable seating for people who congregate in the kitchen for more than food.”

Better Homes and Gardens

Planning Kitchens

Kitchen designs should reflect the needs, wants, and lifestyle of the household they serve—◦ What kind of meals will usually be

prepared?◦ How many cooks?◦ Physical or mobility limitations?◦ How many appliances to store?◦ Will it be used for food prep AND

eating?◦ What other activities will take

place? (laundry, internet access, homework, etc.)

◦ Food-centered entertaining?

Closed Kitchen

Less room for others in kitchen

No participation in nearby activities

Seem smaller

Open KitchensMore

convenient to supervise

More participation in nearby activities

Makes home & kitchen seem larger

The kitchen should be located near the service entrance.

3 Basic Work Centers

1.Clean up2. Cooking& Serving3. Food Prep & Storage

Food Prep & Storage Center

RefrigeratorCabinetsSurrounding Counter Space

Side of fridge needs 15” of counter space for setting out supplies & food prep.

At least 36” for a small mixing center in

the Food Prep & Storage Center

Clean-Up Center-sink/dishwasher/disposal

Clean-Up CenterThe sink should be 3”

away from the front edge of the cupboard

There needs to be at least 24” on one side of the sink for stacking dirty dishes

There needs to be at least 18” on the other side of the sink for stacking dishes to dry

Cooking & Serving Center-range/cooking surface

Cooking & Serving Center

At least 24” of heat- resistant counter space is required on each side of the range or cooking surface

Cabinets & Countertops

Base Cabinets standard size:

height: 34 ½”depth: 24”

Counter Tops standard size:

height: 1 ½“depth: 25”

Cabinets & Countertops

Wall Cabinets standard size:

height: 12-36”depth: 12”

72” per person of cabinet space is recommended for storage

Counter Top Materials

Metal Wood

Counter Top Materials

Glass Laminate

Ceramic Marble

Current Trends in Kitchens…

Counter Tops

Re-cycled material

Granite

Concrete

White or Painted Cabinets

Integrated Appliances

Copper Sinks

Duel Purpose Sink

Technology in the Kitchen

Non- Permanent Island

Walk-in Pantry

Flexible Faucets

Different Types of Lighting

Unique Backplashes

Work Triangle

It is the centerpiece of most kitchen layouts.

The goals of a good kitchen work triangle are to place the three most common work sites (The area from the refrigerator, sink and stove) the most efficient distance apart and to minimize traffic through the work zone.

Rules of the Work Triangle

No one side of the triangle should be greater than nine feet or less than four feet.

The triangle should not be interrupted by traffic or cabinetry.

The perimeter of the triangle should measure no more than 26 feet and no less than 12 feet.

Basic Kitchen Shapes

Corridor

One Wall L-Shaped

U-Shaped

Island

One Wall

Single LineOne Wall

L-Shaped

L-shaped

Corridor

ParallelCorridor

U Shaped

U-shaped

Island

Island (most popular)

Peninsula

Peninsula

Does this work triangle work well?

Does this work triangle work well?

Elements of a well-designed kitchen

Adequate storageGood lightingPlenty of counter

spaceNot too big or too

small work triangleA major traffic

pattern should not cross the work triangle

Design Star--Kitchens

Laundry Room

Near Kitchen -advantages -disadvantages

Near Sleeping Area -advantages -disadvantages

In Basement -advantages -disadvantages

Garage

11 by 20 feet of space is needed to park ONE car

21 by 12 feet of space is needed to park TWO cars

Service entrance is usually from garage to the kitchen

Special-Purpose Rooms

OfficeDarkroomSewing roomStudioMusic roomShopGreenhouse

Exercise roomLibrarySunroomMedia roomPool roomComputer room

Storage

10-15% of the space in a home needs to be allocated for storage.

Storage needs to be both permanent and mobile.