Creating a Kitchen with Functionality

The kitchen can be a very busy place in the house, but it can also be a place of frustration. Many kitchens are originally designed based on the builder's spacial needs and not on the occupant's needs. To help one's kitchen become more functional, begin by assessing the particular needs of the individual household.

A kitchen can be divided into a few zones for easy streamlining. The first zone is the food preparation area. This zone includes the stove, oven and countertop space for preparing food. The stove should contain an amount of burners that will meet the typical needs of a daily cooking regiment. While many would enjoy a six burner stove, the practical number is four. The number of burners can be subsidized by the addition of other electrical appliances. An electric skillet, a single coil electric burner, rice maker or crock pot are all examples of additional ways to increase the kitchen's stove functionality without investing in a larger stove. The problem with additional appliances is the need for them to occupy countertop, which can detract from the food preparation area, or their need to be stored in cabinets.

The need for storage space is the second zone to consider. This includes cabinets, the refrigerator and the countertop. Countertop space should be reserved for only storing frequently used items or foods. Everything else should have a place that is relegated to different parts of the kitchen depending on the frequency of its use. Cabinet space can be a limiting issue that will decrease functionality if items have to be dispersed on valuable countertop space. To alleviate some storage issues, consider incorporating a china cabinet for dishes, silverware and glassware storage. The addition of a china cabinet can expand one's storage space without having to remodel the existing cabinets.

The final zone is the washing and drying area of the kitchen. The sink is a vital area in the washing of dishes, but the incorporation of a dishwasher will alleviate some of the needed space around the sink. Without a dishwasher, one will often need to incorporate countertop space for dirty dishes and for a dish drying rack. Even if one hand-dries dishes immediately after washing, the shuffling of countertop occupants to make room for a dish rack is not a convenient choice.

Countertop space and cabinet space are the most valuable and flexible locations in a kitchen. Some kitchens will incorporate an island in the middle of the kitchen to create added space, while others may incorporate an overhead hanging rack to free up cabinet space. It is important to think of maximizing both the horizontal and vertical areas in a kitchen to increase functionality and practicality.