Plan for wide aisles . 42", 48", or 60" if an appliance will
open into it. Never less than 36".
Try to follow the Work Triangle configuration for proper
placement of appliances. Try not
to place a side by side refrigerator next to a wall on the left side, without
leaving several
inches of clearance on the left side. The narrow freezer door will not open
fully making it
very difficult to access freezer side.
Don't place 2 appliances next to each other. Always have a
cabinet between them. Not
only does a stove directly next to the refrigerator not look good, but it
throws the design
out of balance, plus you only have counter space on one side.
Always plan plenty of free counter space around both sides of
the sink & the range or
cook top. Plan free counter space on at least one side of the refrigerator & an oven
cabinet.
Microwaves are usually most handy placed close to the
refrigerator. Most of the time
foods come out of the refrigerator & go directly to the microwave for warming
or defrosting.
Plan for plenty of drawer space. 3 or 4 drawers are not
enough. Evaluate both your
drawer & total storage needs. Drawer bases are good to have beside the
stove and sink, to the right when possible.
Remember, for smaller or closed in Kitchens, lighter colors
will make the room feel larger.
Roll-Out Trays in base cabinets, especially near the range,
make accessing the cabinet
much easier.
Convenience items, such as roll-out trash units & tilt-out
trays under the sink help
organize hard to place items like the trash-can & the small scrubbing pads
that usually
wind up littering your sink.
Using moldings around the top, like large crown or galley
rail, add a great deal of appeal
to your Kitchen. Using fluted columns & staggering the height of cabinets will
also create
interest.
More things to consider...
Think about what things you like and don't like about your
current kitchen or ones
you have had in the past. Write them down. Always make notes to refer back to.
Get ideas. There are many great magazines available on Kitchen
& Bath ideas &
remodeling to help get you started. Visit some of the Kitchen & Bath sites on
the internet
and go out to some showrooms.
Think about what type/style of cabinetry you want.
Oak, Natural or Glazed Birch, Maple?
Light or dark? Do you want to paint?
Don't forget to research Countertop materials. Check pricing for Laminate, Ceramic Tile,
Solid
Surface, or Granite.
Research appliances, choose what types of appliances you need. Get accurate
dimensions of size and rough openings for appliances you plan to use.
Remember,
to order cabinetry you must have these dimensions to know what size cabinet
you
need.
Take accurate
measurements of your kitchen.
Draw a floor plan of your existing cabinetry and one showing items you
would like to change.
Study the work triangle below.
Understanding The
Work Triangle
For years,
kitchen designers have used the Work Triangle as a guide for measuring the
efficiency of a kitchen. The Work Triangle is the distance between the three
primary work centers of the kitchen drawn in the form of a triangle. The
work centers consist of the food storage center (refrigerator area), the
food preparation center (range area), & the clean-up center (sink area). The
total footage of the three sides of the triangle should measure between 12'
& 26'. Less than 12' means your appliances are to close together & you may
have a cramped kitchen. More than 26' means you may be wasting time & steps
walking between the work centers. Note the Work Triangle is highlighted in
red in each example.
The 6 Basic Floor
Plans
While there are endless
variations on ways to design your new kitchen, most designs should be
centered around one of 6 basic floor plans. The diagrams below illustrate
these plans & give insight to the advantages & disadvantages of each design.
Take note of which design might best fit your new project.
The Straight Kitchen
The Straight Kitchen
is the simplest of all designs & is usually found in smaller homes,
apartments, or office applications. All work centers are located on one
wall. It is difficult to provide ample countertop & storage space with this
type of design. Use it only when space is limited.
The Galley Kitchen
The Galley Kitchen
with two walls of cabinetry is a vast improvement over the straight kitchen.
There is much more valuable counter space & distance between work centers is
reduced, cutting down on wasted footsteps. Aisle space should be at least
48" for one cook. If there are two cooks, aisle space should be increased to
60" to avoid bumping or running in to each other. Heavy traffic flow can
sometimes present a problem in this type of kitchen.
The L-Shaped Kitchen
The L-Shaped Kitchen
is a great design, providing ample counter space, room for two cooks, good
access to work centers, & better traffic flow. This layout allows the unused
corner (lower right hand area of drawing) to be used for a dining table.
This layout is good for medium sized kitchens.
The U-Shaped Kitchen
The U-Shaped Kitchen
is also a great design, especially for larger kitchens. Lots of
counter space, good access to work centers, & plenty of room for two cooks.
This layout eliminates household traffic through the kitchen giving the cook
plenty of room to work within.
The Peninsula Kitchen
The Peninsula Kitchen
is also a good design for larger kitchens. Similar to the
U-Shaped kitchen it provides lots of counter space, good access to
work centers, & plenty of room for two cooks. This layout eliminates
household traffic through the kitchen giving the cook plenty of room
to work within. A wide bar top can be added to the peninsula providing
an ideal kitchen seating & eating area or a large work & serving
area.
The Island Kitchen
The Island Kitchen
takes the L-Shaped kitchen a step further. Notice how the
placement of the island helps define the perimeter of the kitchen,
while providing extra counter space& storage. The island offers
possibilities for positioning the sink or cook top in the center of
the room. The addition of a wide island top provides a seating &
eating area.
Our Contact Information
Sales-Customer Service Hours
Monday - Saturday 9:00 am to 6:00 pm
(US-Central Time Zone)
Sunday-
Church
Telephone
Alabama Local:
256-553-9084
Toll Free in the U.S.:
1-877-839-2227
1-877-8EZ-CABS
