Kitchen Design Basics

The key to great kitchen design is getting the fundamentals right first and then layering in the finishing elements, color, materials, equipment selection etc. If you plan your kitchen in a logical and methodical manner then the project should be successful.

You should begin your Kitchen Design by establishing the basic parameters and framework with which you have to work such as physical space, the “intent” of the kitchen and your working budget.

1. Establish the physical space the kitchen will occupy.

If your working on a remodeling an existing space this will begin with measuring, sketching out  the physical area you have available making note of the presence and position of the existing services, windows and doors etc

2. Establishing the Kitchen Floorplan to ensure that the work areas,  appliances and storage areas in the best possible locations.

3. Establish the types and position of household services that you will require for execution of the design, eg water, drains, power, lighting, gas, vents

4. Confirming the finishes that you require for the bench tops, the exterior of the cabinetry and the interior of the cabinetry, the flooring, the walls, ceiling and window treatments

The Kitchen Design Triangle

With all but the Single Wall Kitchen Design Professional Kitchen Designers use a deceptively simple approach of creating a triangular work space designed to “connect” the three principal work stations in a Kitchen.

Food Preparation Area

Cook and Servery Area

Washing and Hygiene Area

Stating the obvious each work area will needs to include the space and appliances ( including storage ) that are required for that activity.

This concept creates an imaginary  “work triangle”  that interconnects the three stations. Care should be given that the distance between the three stations is “manageable” a kitchen that has a very large work triangle is incredibly inefficient.

If you look at the diagrams below that where created using our Home Design Software you will see the imaginary triangle that is created between the three work zones.

Single Wall Kitchen Layout

Simple and relatively inexpensive the single wall kitchen layout is simplicity at its best. The single wall kitchen design is good for long and narrow kitchens and it often uses in apartment and condo kitchen designs where space is at a big premium.

Pros: While it does not utilize the classic kitchen triangle, its linear design still allows for unimpeded traffic flow

Cons: Counter space in the Single Wall Kitchen Layout will always be at a premium.

Although incredibly popular I do not believe that the one-wall kitchen design is the best design it can be dramatically improved with either the corridor or L-shape kitchen design providing of course that the square footage is available.

L-shaped Kitchen Layout

U-shaped Kitchen Layout

Kitchen Island Layout

Galley Kitchen Layout

Kitchen Design Fundamentals will be continued here.