8 Rules For Designing A Functional Kitchen

8 Rules For Designing A Functional Kitchen:We all want our kitchens to look nice, but if they don’t work, what’s the point? Lisa Shaffer is an interior designer who says that a customized kitchen is the most useful one.

Prior to starting the actual remodeling process, you should think about how you and your family use the kitchen and how you plan to live in the space.

8 Rules For Designing A Functional Kitchen

• We think the most useful kitchen is the one that fits the way you live.” “We’ve made galley kitchens that are as small as possible and kitchens that are as big as possible with back kitchens and walk-in pantries.”
• Some clients might like an open, large kitchen, but others would rather have a more private space. Every cooking style can work well with some careful planning.
• She says that breaking the rules is sometimes necessary to make the kitchen work best. Kitchen design rules from the past aren’t the only way to do things. Instead, homeowners and interior designers can be creative in how they put together a place that works for the people who will be using it.
• “A lot of what we think about how a kitchen should work is out of date,” says Shaffer. “When I was a kid, I had to jump on the counter to get a glass of water. No one ever thought to put the glasses in a lower cabinet so they would be easier to get to.”
• The best function will happen when you think about what each client needs.
• You shouldn’t break all the rules, though.
• Some of the best designers in the South have put together a list of their best rules for creating a functional kitchen.
• These rules include tried-and-true methods as well as new, more useful ideas that bring old ideas up to date.

Also Read: The Most Popular Kitchen Design Trends Of Every Decade

Function Over Form

• When it comes down to it, interior designers say that usefulness should come before style.
• Don’t focus too much on how your kitchen looks and forget about how it works. If you do that, you may need to redo it again before the dust settles on this one.
• This is what designer Courtney Thomas says: “Good kitchen design combines both form and function, but if I have to choose between the two, function always wins.”
• It’s important for getting things done, and it doesn’t matter how nice a place looks if it doesn’t help you.

Kitchens Aren’t Just for Cooking

• There are more people in kitchens these days than just moms and hosts who want to be alone while they cook. Instead, kitchens are often active places where people can talk while they cook.
• People these days often eat in their homes and even have parties there.
• it all comes down to knowing how you use the room and making a space that can be used for more than one thing fit your needs.
• Kitchens are the heart of your home; they’re not just for cooking.
• “Think about how you’ll use the space when you’re planning the design.” Does a part of your counter need to be used as a desk for kids?
• It’s a great place to serve food and talk, so if you like to have people over, you might not want your range in the middle of the island.

Light Bright

• Kitchen lighting is very important for both style and function. In fact, good lighting will make something more useful by making it possible to use it for more than one thing.
• A kitchen, for instance, can be used as a school area or home office if it has enough light.
• Kitchens are places to do things, not just cook. “Don’t forget the lighting.” “Add pendants or a straight fixture above the island.”
• If you can afford it, put cans in the roof and add lights under the cabinets and over the sink.
• use warm light bulbs in the kitchen and keep the lights on a low.
• Miller specifically says that light fixtures are important for function and can also be used to add a lot of style to a kitchen.

Forget the “Kitchen Triangle”

• The kitchen triangle is possibly in the first chapter of the old book on kitchen design rules. Designers, on the other hand, say that you shouldn’t follow this example.
• “The ‘kitchen triangle’ is an old design rule that says the flow of the kitchen should be based on the ‘triangle’ shape made by the sink, range, and fridge.
• “Because modern kitchens are multi-use rooms, we often go beyond the triangle idea.”
• Kelly and Shaffer both agree that the kitchen triangle isn’t the most important thing.
• This doesn’t mean that a triangle kitchen isn’t useful, but it’s also not the only choice.
• one mistake she sees a lot of clients make is that they are too focused on making a kitchen triangle, even if it doesn’t work with how they use their kitchen.
• People get caught up in the working triangle and having everything close together sometimes.”
• “Kitchens are getting bigger these days, and I think moving the main features around helps the room look and flow better.”

You Can Never Have Too Many Drawers

• You can never have too many drawers.” “Customers want to add more drawer banks to their lower kitchen cabinets more than before.
• ” Many people like drawers because they are more useful and better for families.
• You can make the shelves slide out like drawers so you can easily get to things that are tucked away in the back if you like the way cabinets look.

No Inch Left Behind

• Miller began her work in New York City, where space is even more of a premium. She now lives in Charlotte, North Carolina.
• There, she learned how to make the most of every inch of kitchen room. Now, she takes what she learned to homes all over the South.
• Miller says to put in full extension hardware, which lets you open a drawer all the way out so nothing gets lost in the back, to make the most of the room in your kitchen cabinets.
• Also closets work best when they are the right size for the homeowner’s storage needs.
• In this way, plates, trays, and other cabinet items won’t have too much room around them, which could be useful.
• Also suggests making spots to fit needs to save valuable counter room. Instead of putting common messes on top of the counter.
• “You can make niches in the wall or small shelves next to the stove that are just for olive oils, spices, and frequently used cooking tools.”
• This will save space on countertops and make things more useful by letting home cooks keep their most-used items close to where they’ll need them.

Surround the Island with Space

• Not leaving enough space between the island and the perimeter cabinets is a mistake I see a lot of people make.”
• The sink and dishwasher should be on the island, and the range should be right across from them. Someone is putting dishes in the dishwasher while someone else is putting food in the oven.
• That room feels crowded very quickly. I always say there should be at least 52 inches between them, and if there is room in the plan, I push for more.

Find Appliances a Home

• What to do with all those kitchen tools is the first thing that designers think about. These days, there are a lot of them, and if you’re not careful, machines can take over your countertops.
• put small tools away in a “appliance garage” or an easy-to-reach cabinet.
• When it comes to bigger appliances that are harder to hide, where you put them is very important for both usefulness and safety.
• “Appliances have come a long way, but I wouldn’t put an oven next to a fridge because I think it would stress the cooling system too much.
• “I wouldn’t put a stove on the edge of a counter either.” Little hands can get to the hot top too easily.
• Shaffer says that the placement of the refrigerator and microwave is another appliance setup to think about.
• putting them in the middle of things might not be a good idea.
• These are usually the most-used appliances. “Keeping them away from the kitchen area makes sure that everyone can use the space without bumping into each other.