How to design a social kitchen
Most kitchens today are part of the living area. As a central part of the house, it has to be an easy place to work, a pleasant place to entertain and really a place to live. The contemporary kitchen cashes in on all the studies of efficiency, with well-planned layouts and clutter-free storage solutions. They unify work areas for different tasks and eliminate unnecessary motions. Some have public and private spaces, allowing the main kitchen to remain sleek and chic. A scullery, or small workspace concealed behind a sliding door, allow messy food preparation to be concealed.
But almost as important as their efficiency is their decorative effect. The modern kitchen is decked out with mood, as well as task lighting, and the furniture is as comfortable as the engineering is exact. Creating a kitchen that suits your lifestyle is a fundamental part of the Kiwi dream. But those needs do not necessarily remain constant, due to the demands of modern life. During the week, a busy couple might dine on convenience meals that take 30 minutes from fridge to table, yet at the weekend that same pair might spend hours poring over recipes, gathering exotic ingredients, and preparing a gastronomic feast from scratch.
Creating a kitchen where food is prepared but also where it is shared is something that Fisher & Paykel designers have given a lot of consideration. “For us, design is about making life a little bit better,” says Mark Elmore, general manager of design at Fisher & Paykel. “Our passion is to create better products that turn everyday routines into rituals. We understand the dynamic nature of modern living. We deliver products that are adaptable, functional and durable as well as human. We don’t just make things that fit the space provided, we create products that fit the lives lived around them.”
When it comes to planning a kitchen, it’s best to think of it in terms of zones. Identify your main work and storage zones and how they might overlap or connect. For example, you can install a CoolDrawer™ Multitemperature Drawer for drinks near the dining table, and perhaps a DishDrawer™ Dishwasher for crockery by the sink, with another for glasses by the bar. If two of you often cook at once, you might want two distinct prep or cooking areas. If you entertain, you might require a mixed-use zone where you can set out platters of food or where friends can lean with a glass of wine. One size does not fit all when it comes to kitchen design, but almost all kitchens have one thing in common. They are the social hub of a home.
To find out more head to fisherpaykel.com
Photos / From top, photographer Kallan MacLeod, kitchen designed by Leonie Metge of Cube Dentro; middle, photographer Katherine Lu, kitchen designed by Three Birds Renovations; bottom left, photographer Shannon McGrath, kitchen designed by Whiting Architects; bottom right, photographer Shannon McGrath, kitchen designed by Whiting Architects.