Page 387 - 2018 National Home Improvement

2018 National Home Improvement Estimator, All Rights Reserved Page 309

Chapter 12, Kitchens

Living area in a home can be divided into three categories: private area (bedrooms and bathrooms),
relaxing area (living room, dining room, den) and the work area (kitchen and laundry).

This work area is more efficient when the kitchen is like the hub of the wheel. The dining area should be
only a few steps away. The entrance off the garage should be nearby in another direction to make
unloading groceries easier. The laundry room should be another spoke off the hub. Anyone preparing
meals in the kitchen should be able to monitor the washer and dryer. Storage space (or a pantry) should
be close at hand. But remember that a kitchen is a work area. Traffic from the rear entry or laundry
shouldn’t pass through the kitchen work triangle – range-to-refrigerator-to-sink.

In the 1960s and 1970s, designers favored small kitchens on the theory that smaller work triangles save
steps and reduce fatigue. The proliferation of appliances at the end of the 20th century made small
kitchens seem cramped. Modern kitchen counters need space for juicers, extractors, grinders, mixers,
toasters, dispensers, coffee makers, microwave ovens, electric pots, grills, griddles and more.

Avoid setting a door that swings into a kitchen. Doors interfere with use of appliances, cabinets and
countertops. If a door is essential, consider a pocket or folding door. Provide enough glass area to make
the kitchen a light and cheerful place. Time spent in this work area is more enjoyable when there’s a
window over the kitchen sink with a view. If there’s an outdoor living area immediately outside the
kitchen, install a large sliding window over the sink or counter. Extend the window sill 14” beyond the
window to form a level shelf for passage of plates or a food tray between interior and exterior.

Every kitchen is also a family meeting-place. Consider combining work with pleasure. Merge the kitchen
(work area) with the family room (relaxing area) by removing a partition or by adding extra living space.
Figure 12-01 shows a kitchen and family room combined with an island cook center that doubles as a
breakfast bar for casual dining.