Why your next kitchen should include a functional kitchen layout
You spend a lot of time in your kitchen every day so you need to make sure that it is functional and the most practical for your own use when looking to renovate your kitchen and plan a new kitchen design.
The kitchen isn’t just for your own use either and whether that is eating meals with the family, chilling out with friends or inviting a guest around your home, your kitchen should feel spacious, welcoming and tidy whilst providing you with practicality and ease of use.
When it comes to designing a kitchen, establishing this functionality can be a difficult and tough task and at the end of the day needs to be built so it is practical for your own use as there is no good in having a kitchen that isn’t laid out to your own liking and ease of use.
Therefore if you find it easier to have the oven next to the microwave, then put it there! There are no right or wrong answers only little tips and tricks that you can look to add to your kitchen layout if you feel they suit your own lifestyle and kitchen design.
A functional kitchen only feels functional and easy to use if you choose to design it in a way that is optimal for you and those who are going to use the kitchen itself. That being said by taking into consideration these five functional kitchen layout tips and tricks, you can look to optimize your kitchen so you can be at your most efficient and productive in your kitchen whilst making it a space that you enjoy being in with plenty of space and little clutter and mess!
Five tips on how to design a functional kitchen plan
Throughout this article, we will provide you with five functional kitchen tips that will ensure that your kitchen can be designed with maximum efficiency and practicality in mind all whilst still keeping the style, design and look of the kitchen in check.
The five tips on how to create a functional kitchen design include:
- Prioritizing storage options
- Ensuring space is a priority
- Installing soft-closing doors and cabinets
- Ensuring continuity throughout the kitchen
- Make your kitchen layout match your own preferences
1. Storage is essential
There is nothing worse than having nowhere to store things in your kitchen. Not only does it look messy but it can be a nightmare for anyone trying to cook, prepare or clean up on the countertops. Running out of storage should not be a problem you ever face in your kitchen, even if you are limited to a small kitchen space.
With the correct planning and design, you can create a kitchen space that is designed to be functional and practical whilst providing efficient storage space so you do not need to play jenga with your kitchen utensils on your new granite worktop.
We recommend making the most of your storage space by utilizing coroner cabinets and other dead spaces within your kitchen that aren’t being used. You can do this by creating nifty custom storage areas. An example is adding storage drawers to thing cabinets that can be used to store spices and sauces utilizing the kitchen space to the maximum and keeping your kitchen clutter free!
2. Space is a priority
Walking space in your kitchen. Counter and worktop space. Storage space. It is pivotal to a kitchen that is functional and easy to use whilst in the midst of cooking up a storm in the kitchen. There is nothing worse than stumbling around the kitchen because the layout is poorly designed with limited space. Cabinet doors bashing into each other. Small walkways and awkward appliance positions. An impractical design can cause you huge complications when cooking and it can get pretty annoying!
That is why by ensuring you have at least 42 inches of walkway between your kitchen counter and kitchen island you will still have enough space to open up the fridge or kitchen units. Furthermore, it means more than one person can be in the kitchen at one time so if you a preparing a meal and someone pops in to get a drink, you won’t be bamboozled and thrown off cooking your masterpiece.
Ensure your kitchen is efficiently measured before you create the kitchen design and you will be able to account for these spaces so you can ensure everything fits perfectly and space is maximized to the fullest opportunity.
3. Soft close drawers and cabinets
Soft-close drawers and cabinets are a small touch that can go a long way. They allow the door or drawer to close softly and smoothly reducing any chances of damage to the doors and cabinets whilst not making a huge noise when you are in the midst of things cooking.
There is nothing worse than rushing around cooking and opening and closing a door to then be met with a crashing sound of broken plates and a damaged kitchen unit. Kitchens aren’t cheap and soft-closing doors are a small but easy implementation that can save you money and stress in the kitchen!
4. Ensure continuity
Open-floor kitchens have become even more popular in this modern day. An open-floor kitchen is one that is open to the other rooms without being closed in by a wall or door. This style of kitchen not only looks stylish but helps you to maximize space and keep a functional kitchen layout.
The open plan design goes hand in hand with integrated and built-in appliances that are designed to hide away those big bulky appliances behind a matching door that will keep the design of your kitchen looking the same throughout. Hiding your bulky appliances will keep continuity and make your kitchen seem more spacious and sleek blending into that feeling of functionality in your kitchen as everything looks and feels pristine.
5. Make your kitchen layout match you
Finally, as mentioned previously, there is no functionality in a kitchen that doesn’t match your way of life. Therefore, if you prefer a kitchen design in a certain way, that is going to be more practical than integrating some of these tips that may not work for you. For example, if you prefer your cutlery drawer next to the sink to do the washing up, then put it near the kitchen sink and vice versa.
At the end of the day, it is your kitchen and you are the cook. If there is something you feel could be put in a different place and make your life easier, then do it and you will be thanking yourself in the future!
Conclusion
In conclusion, you should now have a clear understanding of how you can prioritize your kitchen so that it is designed in a way that is functional and practical for everybody’s own uses. Now you may not agree with all the tips mentioned and that is perfectly fine. As mentioned previously, everybody has their own way of working in the kitchen and someone’s idea of functional and practicality may not be anywhere close to your own way of working. That being said if you have found just one tip that you will look to implement into your next kitchen renovation and kitchen plan that is a bonus that will do a world of good when it comes to ensuring your kitchen space isn’t too cramped and cluttered but instead easy to navigate and everything is in the right place as to which it should be.
