Kitchen on the Top

If your kitchen is to be functional and ergonomic for the whole family, it should consider your habits. Take the time to observe how you live in your kitchen.  Do you prefer frozen meals to be put in the microwave, or do you like to spend hours simmering small dishes? Do you prefer to cook with two or four hands, maybe you’re a bit of a gourmet? Don’t forget the kids! Are they your little helpers? Cake workshops can be a family bonding time.

There is nothing more unpleasant when you are doing the dishes than other family members coming and going to throw away crumbs, yoghurt containers, etc. Think about ergonomics. For example, the waste bin should be located between your dining area and the sink:

• The sink: you peel your vegetables and then wash them,
• The dining area: you clear the table at the end of the meal by emptying your plate into the bin before rinsing it and then putting it in the dishwasher.

Result: the circuit is immediately more coherent and logical !

The idea of providing a bin unit when designing your kitchen allows for better sorting. This unit offers two large bins: one for household waste and another for selective sorting. 

An additional advantage is that you have two bins with a capacity of 32 litres.

In general, kitchen designers will tell you about the activity triangle that connects the hotplate, sink and fridge.

But this triangle is missing an essential part: the worktop! We take the vegetables out of the fridge, wash them, cut them on the worktop, and cook them; it's logical! The transition from one area to the other must therefore be fluid and coherent..

On the other hand, you can never have enough work surface! Plan a sufficient surface for :

• Food preparation,
• Putting dirty dishes before washing,
• A storage area (to put down your shopping or a dish coming out of the oven),
• A free space for small daily appliances. For example, a coffee maker or a toaster

Lastly, do not neglect the quality of your worktop.

Consider a material that is both heat and stain resistant. Also, remember, the right countertop can add elegance to any kitchen.

You love those little sliding spice cupboards or the one for the bread bin and oil bottles! However, these cupboards waste space, are irrelevant and can be quite costly...

Each cupboard has two side walls (cheeks) of about 1.5 cm thick. By multiplying the number of cupboards, you multiply the space taken up by these walls, and therefore you lose storage space.

On the other hand, the spice drawer hides the spice labels and doesn’t allow you to see what’s in your jars. Better to opt for a nice shelf!

Finally, the price of a kitchen cabinet essentially reflects the price of the opening system (handles and hinges). So, in proportion, these small cupboards are very expensive.

Going to a 60 or 90cm cupboard or casserole is not only a space-gainer but also a price-saver !

Let's talk about another favourite cupboard of every self-respecting kitchen designer.

The miracle solution for reclaiming a corner in your future kitchen: the corner cupboard!

It's a false good idea that costs you a lot of money and offers you no advantages! Here's an idea :
Use the corner for small appliances.

Dishes, small appliances and food stocks: each item must have its place to make life easier and avoid random stacking in the cupboards!

Remember to list everything you need to store in detail as this will help you avoid many design mistakes in your kitchen. Also take into account your propensity to tidy up!

It is preferable to use low cabinets so that your children can help you cook, set the table, or put away the dishes. Plus, you won't have to stand on your tiptoes to retrieve the pie dish or jar of rice.

Consider your particular kitchen space, if you have a more space limited kitchen you may be the exception to the rule and going vertical might work best.

Just remember to have an easy to get to, designated spot for your footstool!

Simple lighting is not enough in a kitchen. It is a room that needs to have a maximum amount of light and these different light sources must be placed in strategic places, such as on the worktop or under-cabinet.  

You should therefore think about adding several light sources above all worktops. Those where you plan to cook, cut, prepare.

Also consider your needs in terms of plugs so that you don't end up with unsightly power strips and extension leads cluttering up the kitchen.

Tip: Some kitchen appliances need designated power to prevent overloading your circuits.

Make a list of your small appliances and how often they are used to adapt the plugs to your needs.

If you think of adapting your kitchen furniture to the current trend, never forget that it could become “has-been” in the years to come. Do you like red or yellow?

Then use your favourite colour on the walls of your kitchen or in the utensils and small appliances as an alternative to using these bold colours for your cabinets. 

It will be easier and cheaper to redo your paintwork or change your crockery than to completely redo your kitchen!

As in fashion, the design of your kitchen is often based on the credo "never more than three colours". The colour of all the fronts of your kitchen is the main one. Then there is the worktop, which differs both in colour and material.

Finally, and we often forget this, take into account the third colour: that of the floor and walls!