Three Tips for Developing a Functional Kitchen Floor Plan
Whether you’re building a new home from scratch or remodeling, a functional kitchen is key to a functional home. Other than bathrooms, kitchens are the most-used room in a house, and they also typically serve as a gathering spot where you host family and friends. That said, a kitchen can have the most beautiful cabinets and up-to-date appliances and still not be a functional space for homeowners. It takes an experienced eye for design to develop a functional layout that works for the needs of individual families. Here are the three key kitchen floor plan design considerations to keep in mind at your Oklahoma County, OK home.
Provide plenty of room to maneuver
A kitchen can’t be functional unless there’s plenty of room for people to move around. This can be especially challenging if you have an island in your kitchen. Aim to have at least four feet of walking space on all sides of the island to give you and your guests enough room to maneuver without bumping into each other. Maintaining enough clearance around an island also ensures you have plenty of room to open the dishwasher, refrigerator or oven without requiring people to move out of the way.
Follow either the triangle principle or workstation method
A poorly designed kitchen makes it difficult for you to prepare meals. Generally, whether you cook simple meals or you’re a professional chef, the triangle layout is recommended for maximum efficiency in smaller kitchens. In this layout, the stove, sink and refrigerator are placed at points of a triangle, allowing for easy movement as you cook. Alternatively, the workstation layout is ideal for larger kitchens. This layout features separate task stations for preparing and cooking food, as well as for storage and cleanup. Many design experts recommend centering these stations around major appliances while providing enough workspace directly adjacent to them. Discuss the ways you use your space with your kitchen floor plan design expert in Oklahoma County, OK to determine which layout is best for the ways you’ll use your kitchen.
Provide plenty of illumination
While not everyone wants a light, bright and airy kitchen, every kitchen does need to be well-lit to facilitate cooking. Try to incorporate all four types of lighting, including task, ambient, accent and decorative lighting, into the design of your kitchen. It’s simply ineffective to rely on one single overhead light for all your kitchen tasks. Layer light throughout your kitchen, including below cabinetry, over the sink and stove and even below the toe kick of cabinets to improve the functionality and aesthetics of your kitchen. Designing a kitchen layout from scratch is a big project that requires a lot of skill and plenty of planning. Leaving it to guesswork is never a good idea—instead, leave these steps to the kitchen floor plan design experts in Oklahoma County, OK. Reach out to Perry House Plans today to discover how thoughtful design and proper planning combine to create a kitchen that functions perfectly for you and your family.
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