Your kitchen hosts a wide variety of important everyday tasks, so it needs to both work hard and look good. Whether you're cooking, cleaning, eating, or entertaining, the kitchen should be a space you enjoy being in, and thoughtful kitchen design can help make that happen. If you're planning a kitchen renovation or designing a new kitchen, these tips will help you create a space you'll love. Follow our advice on planning, organisation, and must-have features for a kitchen that looks beautiful and functions efficiently for all your needs.
Eliminate wasted steps.
Think about how and where you typically use items when organising a kitchen—store breakfast foods and bowls near the breakfast table. Keep wraps and plastic containers in one handy spot near a work surface for wrapping leftovers. Locate dishware and flatware near the dishwasher to ease the process of unloading.
Design wide walkways.
Ensure your kitchen floor plan includes enough room between cabinetry and the island to move through the space quickly. Generally, paths throughout a kitchen should be at least 90 cm wide.
Direct traffic through the kitchen.
Traffic flow is a crucial consideration when designing a kitchen. For kid-friendly kitchen design, keep the cooktop out of traffic areas, so children don't catch handles and cause spills when passing through. Also, make the refrigerator accessible to both passersby and people working in cooking and cleanup areas.
Stay clear of corners.
Pay attention to corners when deciding where to place cabinetry and appliances. Plan space for the door's clearance and swing direction in your kitchen design to make cabinet and appliance doors fully functional. Keep devices away from corners, and make sure doors won't bang into each other if open at the same time.
Find the right height for the microwave.
The correct height and location for a microwave oven will vary depending on the chef or the kid-friendly nature of the kitchen. Thirty-eight centimetres above the countertop level is a good microwave height for adults. If kids are using the appliance, a below-countertop setup might be safer and more suitable. Do you use it a lot? Some go under bench to hide it or a butlers housing.
Determine the island's function.
Form follows process when it comes to kitchen islands. Think about how you'd like to use the island within the space before considering the design. If you want to cook and eat on the kitchen island, plan enough room to separate the cooktop from the dining area safely. The island can also house other elements such as a sink or dishwasher for added functionality — ensure enough space for breakfast bar and stools.
Plan landing space near appliances.
Landing space around appliances provides a spot to place items while cooking or preparing ingredients. When designing your kitchen, allow plan space around bench tops. Landing space is also important near the microwave and other small appliances, such as coffee pot or toaster.
Consider the countertops.
Think through your needs for meal preparation to help guide your countertop choices. Chefs who like to cook require more counter space (ideally between the range and sink) than those who cook infrequently or prepare simple meals. Additionally, incorporating two countertop heights can make baking more accessible and help kids involved in meal preparations.
Double up kitchen appliances.
Consider doubling up on your most often-used appliances if you have a large family or extensive cooking needs. A second microwave oven and a mini-refrigerator or refrigerator drawer positioned at the edge of the kitchen work centre, for example, can spread out the workload and keep snackers out of the cook's way. Add a snack bar with stools for an after-school spot for the kids. Double ovens or a separate sink in a butlers pantry.
Arrange the range area.
Plan to store important cooking essentials in the space directly around the range. Place a shelf beside or behind the oven to keep cooking oils, utensils, and spices handy.
Install a pot-filler.
Are you tired of lugging water-filled pots from the sink to the cooktop? A swing-out tap, also called a pot-filler, installed near the cooktop fills pots near where you heat them. Alternatively, you can install an extra-long hose attachment on your main faucet to fill pots on the cooktop.
Be smart when storing knives.
Hang knives on a magnetic strip tacked to the backsplash. Place it above the stretch of countertop you typically use for prepping ingredients. This makes it easy to spot the right knife for a job and keeps dangerous items out of children's reach. Or check our knife hiders that are hidden away in a drawer — out of sight, out of mind.
Make recycling easy.
Plan spots for waste and recycling to make sorting as easy as possible. Equip a cabinet with separate containers for glass, plastic, and metal. A spare drawer could hold old newspapers and other papers to recycle.
Organise items within reach.
When organising your pantry and other food storage areas, place frequently used ingredients and snacks quickly within reach. Consider the needs of other family members as you arrange items. For example, if you have small children, make sure to put kids' favourite dishes and snack foods on shelves they can reach.
Add a message center.
Establish a message centre in an easily viewable spot next to the refrigerator. Put a bulletin board, chalkboard, or whiteboard on the wall to create a place to jot down reminders or grocery lists. Store a calendar, notebook, and writing utensils in a nearby drawer or wall-mounted baskets.
Consider electrical outlets.
Ensure your kitchen includes plenty of electrical outlets in areas where you plan to use a coffee pot, toaster oven, blender, and other countertop appliances. Install multiple outlets along with the backsplash and on the island so you'll have electricity wherever you need it. Consider outfitting a drawer with outlets and USB ports to create a hidden charging station for devices for extra customisation.
Cut kitchen cleaning time.
Careful design decisions make kitchen cleaning easier. For example, glass refrigerator shelves catch spills that wire shelves let through. Flush-set or under-mount sinks don't have a crumb-catching rim to worry about. Matte finishes don't show dirt as much as glossy ones do.
Break up cabinetry blocks.
Kitchen walls wholly covered in cabinetry can appear heavy and uninteresting. Break up long blocks of doors and drawers by adding interesting details such as glass doors and display shelving. You can also try placing wine storage or windows between cabinet areas.
Use light colors in a small kitchen.
Dark colour schemes can shrink an already small space and make it less inviting. Use soft shades on kitchen cabinets to visually expand a small room. Outfit large windows with simple window treatments to ensure the space receives plenty of natural light.
Find a focal point.
Choose one focal point within your kitchen design that draws the eye or makes a bold statement. Over the top backsplash tile, fancy flooring, a sizable range hood, bright kitchen cabinets, or patterned countertops can all serve as the attention-grabbing element. Once you select the focus, complement that area with a few other quiet but still eye-catching details.
