Things to remember when designing a kitchen

The kitchen is said to be the heart of the house. It’s the social hub of the home where families interact, prepare meals and talk about their days. Because of the high degree of utility, it’s one of more complex areas of the home to build and renovate. Fortunately we specialise in designing, creating and installing attractive, functional and modern kitchens here at Adina Designed Interiors. We can create kitchens with heart and soul that you’ll fall in love with! Before you choose the kitchen of your dreams there are a few practical design considerations which we outline below.

1. Ease of Movement

It’s important to be able to move freely between the fridge, stove and bench (otherwise known as a work triangle).  Obstructions or large distances between these points, makes the space inefficient and working in the kitchen will not be as enjoyable as it should be. Galley kitchens that are open at each end are ideal for ‘traffic flow’ and should be a consideration for large families.

2. Safety is a priority

Good kitchen design always takes safety into account. This means good lighting, plenty of power points (located far away from sources of water) and no curtains next to the stove or window above it.  The heights of appliances and bench tops are also very important and should suit the person who will be using the Kitchen the most.

3. Pantry Storage

Adequate storage is important in any kitchen, and generally the more the better depending on how much space you have to work with. One option is a walk-in pantry – great for storage of small kitchen appliances and food, or a tall cabinet with the same cabinet design as the rest of the cupboards in the kitchen. Narrow shelves or pull out pantries are ideal, allowing easy access to and viewing of items in the pantry.

4. Bench Space/An Area to Eat

A longer kitchen bench can double as a Breakfast Bar and bench to sit at, and even double as a casual dining area. Sufficient bench space can provide secondary areas for food preparation and allow you to prepare multiple components of a meal simultaneously, and with ease. It’s a good idea not to clutter the space with too many items, and consider how much space appliances like the microwave, toaster and kettle will take up.  Appliance cupboards are a great way of keeping all your commonly used appliances together, plugged in and ready to use while being hidden from view with ease by closing a door in front of them.

Other things to consider: If possible, having an open plan kitchen that faces towards the living areas of the home will allow supervision of children, and interaction with family and friends while preparing meals.

Windows above the sink will provide an outlook, and wide doorways will help the kitchen flow to the rest of the home.  If possible have a food preparation area that doesn’t face the wall so you can watch TV or interact with others while you work. Make sure you allow ample fridge space which will give you more options when the time comes to buy a replacement. Kitchen flooring should be easy to clean, as durable as possible and non-slippery.

Have a browse through our existing kitchen designs and renovations here in Bundaberg and around the Wide Bay region and speak to us about our customised kitchen designs that capture both style and substance.  Phone (07) 4132 7755