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In kitchen design shape is an important factor. It narrows down the possibilities considerably, which makes it easier to plan kitchens. |
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Kitchen design 1 - page 2 - Kitchen design 3 - Kitchen design 4 Try to plan your kitchen design to be as efficient as possible. This means that food preparation, sink and cooking must not be too far apart. A rule of thumb is that there must be a piece of worktop between sink and hob, where the food can be prepared. The place of your fridge is very important as well. Place your fridge between the main entrance and the main cooking area. This way the other members of the house have easy access to the fridge and you can get rid of your shopping as soon as you enter the room. There are four main shapes you can have. These are galley, two-way galley, L-shaped and U-shaped kitchens. Here, they will be explained and also the pros and cons of each shape will be discussed. Galley Kitchen Design A galley is one in which all the important areas are next to each other. One of the biggest problems in this type is storage space. There will not be a lot of below-worktop storage space, so perhaps it is an idea to have a big storage cupboard or a high refrigerator at the end of the galley. Another point in a galley is the walking distance between the main work areas. Try to minimise this distance, but keep in mind that you need worktop between the sink and the hob. Two-Way Galley A two-way galley kitchen design provides a lot more storage space below the worktop and will usually also have a better layout than a single galley. Whereas in a single galley the distances between cupboards are reasonably big, in a two-way galley they're just behind you, so you have to walk less. This will save time. The shape of a two-way galley makes that the layout becomes more compact. Very important with this type is to have enough space between the two galleys. There has to be enough space for example to look into your oven without bumping into the galley behind you. If this space between the two galleys will turn out to be too narrow, then maybe you should think about re-shaping your design. L-Shaped Kitchens L-shaped kitchens will give a lot of workspace and storage space below the worktop. The walking distance between the main zones will be minimised. Another big advantage of the L-shaped kitchen is that one of the corners will be free to use as a dining area. The problem area in an L-shape is often the space under the worktop in the corner. U-Shaped Kitchen Design A U-shaped kitchen design will give you a lot of work and storage space. It can, however, become a bit of an enclosing space if the wall cupboards run all around the room. Also the floor area will be a lot less than in any other shape. If this type is used in a bigger room, then one of the legs of the U can be used as a breakfast bar. Open Plan Another option is to design the kitchen as the main living area of the home. This tends to be more expensive because you're going to be more conscious of how the room looks. It's in plain view and often will serve as a gathering area. Suppliers like this arrangement because it means bigger kitchens. After finalising how it will fit into your home, the next step is to decide on the actual layout. Will stand-alone suit your needs? How much storage space do you require? The advantage of doing a complete renovation is that you can tailor it to meet your needs. Utility Rooms One choice larger families or those in the countryside may opt for is to add a utility room. If you have sufficient space it is an ideal place to do the laundry. If you've opted for a separate utility area, this will be the natural home for the washing machine, tumble dryer and, possibly, the freezer. Utility rooms are relatively cheap and are quite useful for taking off shoes and wet clothes or hanging laundry. |