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10 tips for successful kitchen planning
Dec
Arrangement of furniture, preferred materials, choice of lighting, you always need some advice when it comes to thinking about the layout of your new kitchen. Discover the 10 mistakes to avoid for a practical, well-thought-out kitchen.
Error # 1: do not respect the rule of the “triangle of activity”
What, you’ve never heard of this mysterious ” activity triangle ” ? For kitchen designers, it is THE basis to respect. This triangle stems from the repetitive tasks behind the stoves : storage, cooking, washing. In other words : the refrigerator, the hob and the sink. Nothing should interfere with your movement between these three essential areas.
How to do it ? To respect this ideal flow in the kitchen and facilitate your movements, be sure to install them nearby and at an equal distance. The rest of the household appliances must revolve around this famous triangle. Finally, in a similar logic which wants us to go from clean to dirty in this room : the sink must be placed near the trash can.
Mistake n ° 2: not providing enough storage
Better to see things in the big storage side . In the kitchen , you have to be able to navigate easily between food, utensils and dishes if you don’t want to spend more time looking for your things than cooking !
How to do it ? To be able to store a maximum of things in a kitchen, opt for cupboards that climb to the ceiling. Also bet on the surface offered by the splashback to fix bars with hooks and hang your utensils. Finally, think “ smart ” with corner cupboards to store in every nook and cranny, invisible drawers under the oven or glass holders to attach under your cupboards so as not to lose an inch.
Mistake # 3: underestimating the countertop area
On a work surface , you have to be able to both prepare the meal, put down your dirty dishes as well as small household appliances. In other words, it is THE place where you will spend most of your time in the kitchen, therefore its choice is not to be taken lightly …
How to do it ? Project yourself into your kitchen, your needs and your desires… then take action ! The depth of the worktop generally corresponds to the depth of the kitchen furniture, which varies between 60 and 65 cm. A 65 cm worktop offers more space for your activities but also allows you to provide an empty space behind the box, which will prevent you from cutting the bottom of it to let the pipes pass . In addition to the dimensions, you should not forget that the worktop should be resistant and easy to clean.
Mistake # 4: not providing enough light
Today in the kitchen, it is no longer just a question of cooking. Eat, share, sometimes even work : the activities in this new living room require a certain level of comfort, hence the importance of suitable lighting .
How to do it ? It all depends on the configuration of your kitchen. Open kitchen, you can bet on several suspensions carefully aligned above the worktop. Closed kitchen, a central suspension will be perfect. In both cases, the main thing will be to illuminate the key areas of the room where the main activities are concentrated (sink, cooking and storage) with light spots installed on the ceiling or under the cupboards, LED strips attached to the furniture. …
Mistake # 5: forgetting the credenza of the worktop
If you do not want your wall to show water and grease splashes, it is imperative that you consider a splashback . Its presence will protect the wall and polish the look of your kitchen.
How to do it ? If the splashback takes up very little space (count on average 8 mm thick), it is just as aesthetically important as the worktop , to which it must obviously match. In laminate, stainless steel, acrylic or glass : you will be spoiled for choice when it comes to coating. You can even make it even more practical by opting for a magnetic splashback or by adding small storage for utensils and condiments.
Mistake # 6: choosing the wrong hood for the room
Hoods have become real little stars in our kitchens ! Ultra pretty for some, we almost forget their first function: to limit cooking vapors, odors and grease deposits on the walls. Aesthetic, the hood must also be efficient and adapted to the layout of your kitchen.
How to do it ? When choosing your kitchen furniture , keep in mind the presence of a hood above the hob. Wall or island hood, the measurements of the room and its technical constraints must be taken into account before choosing it. You will also need to consider your way of cooking when choosing this essential. Although many hoods offer both functions, you may have to choose between a recirculation or an extractor hood. The first evacuates the cooking vapors through a duct leading to the outside. The second filters the vapor-laden air before returning it to the room.
Mistake # 7: choosing a floor that gets dirty easily
As for the floor in the kitchen, there is no question of doing just anything, anyhow ! This piece is subjected to your constant comings and goings, to the splashes of water and grease. In other words : if you do not want to be cleaning it every four morning, you have to choose your floor.
How to do it ? You can bet on the unconditional tiled or porcelain stoneware floors , both easy to maintain. Other options : cement tiles, PVC or wood treated for such use. In the case of a small open kitchen, be sure to choose a different floor from the rest of the room, this will visually distinguish the kitchen space from the whole. Ditto for a kitchenette in a studio, if the carpet dominates the floor, consider a vinyl rug to protect it on the kitchen side.
Mistake # 8: multiply materials
As in any other room in the house, the kitchen seeks harmony. If in the living room, you are not going to mix more than three colors, behind the stoves you are not going to multiply the materials. All this is a priori a matter of aesthetics but you will see that it is also a question of a practical nature!
How to do ? It’s simple: use a maximum of three materials for your entire kitchen. Example: opt for wooden cupboards and a quartz worktop. In the same logic, you will make sure to choose a splashback that best matches your worktop to – this is where the practical side comes in – to facilitate the junction between these two . The advice obviously also applies when it comes to colors: two flagship colors are sufficient. Example: if your kitchen furniture is light wood, choose a black shade for the appliances, from the refrigerator to the hood, including the coffee maker and the oven.
Mistake # 9: not providing enough electrical outlets
In the kitchen, you must pay great attention to electrical outlets … and their location! Between the coffee maker, the toaster and the multifunction robots, you will need to be able to plug all your equipment into the worktop at the same time … and preferably keep them away from the sink and its splashes.
How to do ? Beforehand, calculate how many appliances you have in total: small appliances but also refrigerator and stove. Then, plan for sockets mostly on the credenza so that you can plug them all in at the same time. It is advisable to leave a height of 5 cm between the worktop and the socket. Also think about the built-in sockets that hide in the worktop.
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Mistake n ° 10: neglecting the recycling space
It is now impossible to ignore a space reserved for recycling in the kitchen. To forget it in the arrangement of this one is to risk the mess by piling up anyhow your waste such as plastic bottles and packaging boxes. Selective sorting will allow you to be a bit green without the hassle.
How to do ? If you enjoy a large kitchen, plan a minimum of three bins in a large sliding drawer: one dedicated to the basic trash, another for plastics and cardboard, and a last reserved for glass. If space allows it, you can add a bin for all this equipment that you never know where to throw away like bulbs or batteries. In a small kitchen, either you hide these bins in a cupboard, or you only plan a basic bin and a bin with a cover to throw away the plastics and cardboard, which are widely used in the kitchen.
