If cooking is less of a necessity and more of a passion, well-designed kitchens aren’t just a luxury, they are essential. Not everyone is excited by the prospect of trying a new dish, creating a culinary masterpiece, or experimenting with spices, but for those who are, an all-encompassing kitchen likely excites you. Designing a layout that encourages flow, installing smart high-end appliances, allowing for ample counter space for food prep, proper lighting, and organized storage all contribute to the perfect kitchen for an in-home chef.
The Chef’s Triangles
Designing for movement is important for enthusiastic in-home chefs. A great place to start with your design is The Chef’s Triangles. For decades, the design community has utilized the tested and trusted kitchen triangle design concept; where uninterrupted traffic between the three key kitchen functions (sink, stove/oven, and refrigerator) is held to a maximum sum of 26’. As our focus for maximizing kitchen function has peaked, a secondary kitchen triangle concept has evolved. So, to achieve full efficiency in your space, also consider the movement between your sink, garbage, and workspace, keeping the distance between each close and easy to access. Moving between all these places seamlessly should be the foundation of your kitchen layout, allowing maximum space and easy movement.
Kitchen Zoning
Much like the idea of the Chef’s Triangles, creating zones for your kitchen encourages organization and maintains order when cooking. Designing distinct areas in the kitchen for storage, food prep, cooking, cleanup, eating, relaxing, and entertaining helps the rest of the layout fall into place. Each zone has a purpose taking the guesswork out of the location of items and where to do your work. After your triangles and zones are established, adding the proper island, cabinetry, and appliances will seem like an easier task.
Workspace Surfaces
Countertops are essential to the in-home chef. From materials to locations to varying heights, the countertop is where a lot of the magic happens. Having adequate counter space is a priority, giving you all the room you need to house cooking tools, small appliances, and leaving enough surface area clear for culinary creations. When considering materials for your countertops, some good options are:
- Granite & Quartz. Timeless and beautiful, these materials are also incredibly durable. They can typically withstand some levels of heat, moisture, and cutting.
- Butcher Block. Elevating your kitchen’s style and bringing warmth into the space, butcher blocks also work well for in-home chefs who like to chop and prep without a cutting board.
- Recycled Glass. Resilient and fun, recycled glass can also handle heat and is resistant to scratches and stains.
Smart Appliances
Appliances are a huge asset to the in-home chef, regulating cooking times and allowing for ample space to cook multiple dishes at once. Traditional high-end appliances provide this, however, with the power of current technology, you can take your appliances to the next level. In addition to having the ability to control devices remotely from your phone, smart appliances use less energy and make storing and cooking food more manageable.
Organization & Storage
When creating your kitchen zones, consider the utensils, appliances, and cookware needed in each zone. This will allow you to determine the best storage solution for your space, promoting organization and saving time. Maintaining clutter-free counters means ample storage. Open shelves may be ideal for some zones, enabling easy access to kitchen needs, whereas others may benefit from pull-out deep custom drawers to hold larger appliances and pans. Essential to every in-home chef is the pantry. Pantry design has evolved from large cabinetry with sliding shelves to smaller rooms off the kitchen storing items that may not be used daily along with food items, as well as, out of the way everyday use small appliances that might clutter the overall kitchen aesthetic. Carefully consider the space of your kitchen and choose the storage solutions that benefit you the most and add to your design style.
Lighting
Food prep and cooking require sufficient light to decrease accidents and boost the in-home chef’s mood. Natural light is always desired, but adding ambient, task, and accent lighting to your space will provide options depending on the task at hand. Lighting also serves as a personal style choice, adding personality and character to the space. Consider both style, function, and layering of lighting when creating the lighting ambiance in your kitchen.
If you are ready to create that perfect workspace to unleash your culinary creations, NJW Renovations Unlimited can help you reach your goals. With years of experience and a stunning portfolio, we have the resources, knowledge, and partnerships to curate and execute your perfect in-home chef’s sanctuary. Visit our galleries for inspiration or give us a call to chat about our process. We are excited to hear from you!