Why a good kitchen plan and design matters

Most women see the kitchen as their personal sanctuary in a home. The place where the health of the family is dependent on, and where they can make delicious dishes to satisfy the man of the house, because as they say, “the way to a man’s heart is through his stomach.”

Some people even describe the kitchen as the most important space in any house, as much more thought is being giving to the kitchen design and functionality of a modern kitchen. In recent years, the kitchen as been transformed from just being the mother’s workspace space, solely for preparation of meals, to the new living room, filled with energy, aroma and texture.

According freshhomes.com, in the last 20 years, kitchens started to become living spaces with more time spent in these spaces and where more was done than just cooking. Newer homes were designed with kitchens as living spaces in mind and so these rooms became larger to better accommodate family and friends as an additional space for entertaining”.

Many kitchens began to open up to other rooms, yet some remained separate spaces. These newer, larger, more accommodating kitchens now had space for large tables and islands were planned in to create a natural flow for those coming and going. Much more thought was being given to kitchen design and functionality. The idea of the kitchen as a living space was becoming more and more popular and those with smaller kitchens in older homes started to take notice. As a result, homeowners started to alter and enlarge their own kitchen spaces to follow the “trend,” both for lifestyle and resale purposes.

Today the importance of a good sized, productive kitchen cannot be over emphasised. Realtors all over the world consider it to be the most important room in a house, as its location and functionality are key.

“Many buyers, when considering an older home with a smaller kitchen, immediately look into renovation possibilities that may include a remodel or expansion, to create a more open feel. As our lives become more casual, our homes are as well,” says Kate Omoyele, an interior designer.

Because every home requires a kitchen, its plan, organization and layout are essential. Consider what type of kitchen layout you want (L-shaped, U-shaped, island, etc).

Specialists refer to the sink, stove and refrigerator as the kitchen triangle, the area of greatest activity that requires careful planning and unobstructed access. Of the three, the sink typically sees the most action; it should have easy access to the stove and refrigerator, as well as your countertop workstations.

Obviously, your sink needs to be near the plumbing. Sometimes, however, because of the placement of the pipes, kitchens are designed with the sinks in a poor location. If this is the case in your kitchen, consider hiring a plumber to relocate the plumbing to accommodate the best placement for the sink.

You also need to make sure you have enough storage space and counter top space in a kitchen. Good lighting is also essential, as well as good ventilation, especially because there will be a lot of smoke and smells coming from the kitchen. Finally, make sure that the floor materials are slip proof as there will definitely be a lot of spills in the kitchen and we don’t want people falling over all the time.