| As an Architect, I try to utilize the best means of | | | | of the upper counter can be 24'' wide, for serving |
| design to make a house more efficient and well | | | | food or as a breakfast bar. |
| utilized for the square footage. In this article, I'm | | | | Now...I'm discussing this portion last because |
| dealing with kitchen design, and how to make it | | | | different clients use their kitchens differently, and |
| more efficient in use and storage, make it feel | | | | every person has their own taste. I'm not talking |
| more open than a standard kitchen, but do it in a | | | | about the size (although it's related), but how |
| smaller size (square footage costs money). | | | | many people they want in a kitchen. Some clients |
| I am a big believer in the "Open Floor Plan" which | | | | want everyone in the kitchen, including guests and |
| has fewer walls and doors, with rooms tied | | | | relatives, to help in cooking or processing the |
| together as open visual space. Keeping the Great | | | | meal, which means a larger kitchen to handle the |
| Room, Dining Room and Kitchen "open" (meaning | | | | people. Others don't want anyone but a few |
| no walls between them) help make all the rooms | | | | people in kitchen, so they're not tripping over |
| "feel bigger". The wall removal helps facilitate the | | | | people to get the meal finished, which means a |
| open communications between the rooms. You | | | | smaller more efficient kitchen. |
| don't feel isolated in the kitchen when wall barriers | | | | Most modern house designs have the kitchen |
| are removed, and thus people don't have to step | | | | open to the garage or rear door and open to |
| into the kitchen to talk to you. They can do it | | | | family room and/or other rooms such as |
| from outside the kitchen zone. | | | | breakfast areas, dining rooms, or hallways. This |
| Keep your ceilings tall by putting in scissors | | | | means the kitchen has multiple openings to handle |
| trusses. You can make your walls 8 foot tall, but | | | | these functions. Some kitchens also have "island" |
| by adding the scissors truss (peak at 13 to 14 | | | | cabinets/countertops with two or more openings. |
| feet) will give you lots of visual space and a less | | | | All the openings to the kitchen allows people to |
| confined feeling. And get a skylight in the kitchen. | | | | come in, stand around, or pass thru the kitchen |
| The opening for a skylight can be much bigger | | | | from Point A to Point B somewhere else in the |
| than the skylight itself. Get the opening from the | | | | house. Also, one of the quirks of our human |
| peak of the ceiling to the edge of the wall, and | | | | psychology is everyone eventually ends up in the |
| locate the skylight near a perpendicular wall so it | | | | kitchen. This design concept uses the kitchen as a |
| will disperse the light throughout the kitchen. Put | | | | "traffic corridor". These kitchens need a large |
| some "niches" in your tall walls above the 8' line | | | | amount of space to handle the volume of traffic. |
| for greenery, or statues. Put "puck" lights in these | | | | Again, some clients love the flow of people in and |
| niches for accent lighting. | | | | out of the kitchen. They just need a larger |
| Use tall, 2' deep cabinets instead of overhead | | | | kitchen space for all this happen |
| cabinets. 2 foot deep, 7 foot tall cabinets (or 8 | | | | Other clients think the "traffic corridor" kitchen |
| foot tall) are also known as pantry or utility | | | | concept "clogs" up the kitchen with unnecessary |
| cabinets. With fixed shelves, they hold over 4 | | | | and unwanted people. Count me in the |
| times as much stuff as an overhead cabinet. Put | | | | "keep-the-unnecessary-people-out-of-the-kitchen" |
| a line of tall cabinets along a back wall, and near | | | | category. I like to keep the kitchen open and |
| the opening to the kitchen zone. By having a 2' | | | | inviting, I just don't want the extra bodies while |
| wide, 2' deep, 7' tall cabinet near the Kitchen | | | | the meal is being prepared. By keeping the extra |
| opening (usually next to the Dining Area) it can | | | | bodies out, the kitchen can be smaller and more |
| store all the glasses, dishes, platters, and bowls | | | | efficient, meaning fewer steps between the |
| that you use on a daily basis. People don't have to | | | | refrigerator, cooktop and sink. |
| enter the kitchen to get the dinnerware to set | | | | Keeping people out of the kitchen is very easy to |
| the table as you would with overhead cabinets. | | | | do in your design, just make it difficult for them |
| By using just 3 tall cabinets (2' deep 7' tall) at the | | | | to get in. Use a wrapping countertop with just |
| rear of the kitchen, and the open floor plan, this | | | | one (1) countertop opening into the kitchen, and |
| allows all the rest of the kitchen to have 36" tall | | | | locate that opening in the most difficult spot to |
| base cabinets and countertops, without overhead | | | | enter the kitchen. This, along with the "open floor |
| cabinets. Eliminating overhead cabinets (and the | | | | plan" is the most effective way to prevent |
| associated wall) just gives you an incredible open | | | | unwanted kitchen traffic. The single kitchen |
| feeling. The kitchen isn't as nearly as cramped. | | | | entrance will psychologically keep them out of the |
| The windows and natural light come from the | | | | kitchen zone, while the open floor plan (no walls) |
| windows of the other rooms and skylights, | | | | allows you to communicate with family and |
| meaning you don't have to waste valuable kitchen | | | | guests, while keeping them out of the kitchen. |
| wall space for windows. Place your sink and | | | | With the tidbits I've discussed above and by |
| cooktop to face the open rooms. | | | | keeping the people out of a kitchen, a kitchen size |
| In the corners of the kitchen, install cabinets at 45 | | | | of 16'x10' or 12'x12' is very effective, with tons |
| degrees to the adjoining cabinets rather than a | | | | of storage. Making the kitchen a "traffic corridor" |
| "blind" cabinet or "lazy susan". While a 45 degree | | | | for people to pass through, the kitchen would |
| cabinet has some dead space, it utilizes more | | | | need to double in size, and you're not gaining |
| space than a "lazy susan", mainly because the | | | | storage space with that size because all the |
| cabinet shelves and drawers are square, and a | | | | openings to the kitchen are eating up what could |
| "lazy susan" is round. | | | | have been used for cabinets. |
| Put a pantry in the corner between your tall | | | | In regards to lighting, most kitchens have a few |
| cabinets. It doesn't have to be very big (4' x 4') | | | | main way of lighting (or combination of these) |
| and being in the corner will utilize all the corner | | | | A. Light in the ceiling fan |
| "dead" space. The pantry would have a 2' opening | | | | B. "Can" lights in the ceiling |
| at 45 degrees to the adjoining cabinets. The | | | | C. Under-cabinet lighting (usually puck lights or |
| pantry walls could be 2x4 framed with drywall or | | | | fluorescent strips) |
| 3/4" MDF, but the wall shouldn't be taller than the | | | | I generally reject all of these lighting concepts. |
| height of the tall cabinets. This allows for crown | | | | With a light in the ceiling fan, you always have the |
| molding (if you use it) to also be used on the | | | | light at your back, meaning you're casting |
| pantry. Have the pantry open at the top, | | | | shadows onto everything you do on the |
| especially if there is a skylight above, to allow | | | | countertop. Can lights are "energy hogs" because |
| daylight into the pantry. Have shelves from the | | | | they cut large holes in your insulation, and use |
| floor to top of wall. Put a "cabinet door" (same as | | | | inefficient incandescent lighting (usually 75 watt). I |
| the rest of your tall cabinets) on the pantry | | | | don't use overhead cabinets so therefore |
| entrance, not a frame door like you'd use in the | | | | eliminate under-cabinet lighting, which is sometimes |
| bedroom. By having a cabinet door the pantry, | | | | expensive |
| and the pantry walls at the same height as the | | | | With the tall ceilings of a scissors truss, I like to |
| cabinets, the pantry looks like a cabinet rather | | | | use MR16 adjustable light fixtures, not "can" lights. |
| than a drywall opening. | | | | The MR16's are usually know as "strip" lighting. |
| In the pantry, install a counter with 4 electric | | | | However, you'll want to use a "plate" instead of a |
| outlets. This is where the coffee maker, toaster, | | | | "strip" for the fixture connection. By using a plate, |
| electric can openers, etc are to be permanently | | | | the MR16 uses a standard electrical box, so a |
| located. It keeps them off your kitchen | | | | smaller hole in your insulation blanket compared to |
| countertops, but they are always available to use. | | | | a "can" light, and they pump out twice as much |
| No need to store them in your cabinets and no | | | | light for less wattage (usually 50 watts) than a |
| need for appliance garage cabinets. This leaves | | | | "can" light. MR16 fixtures can be very small (so |
| your main kitchen countertops "clean" (nothing on | | | | you don't see them) and not very costly (around |
| them) and more open for the food prep you | | | | $20). MR16's are adjustable, meaning you can |
| need to do. | | | | point the light where you want it. A "can" light |
| Put an upper counter 8" above your countertops | | | | points light perpendicular to the ceiling. In a sloped |
| (i.e. 6" wall, 2" thick upper counter). In an "open | | | | ceiling, that's not good. Locate your lights above |
| floor plan" concept, this 8" of height hides a | | | | the countertop to eliminate shadows, along your |
| "messy" kitchen counter from view to the other | | | | major work areas (sinks, cooktop, cutting and |
| rooms. It also gives you plenty of room for | | | | prep areas) and then distribute evenly along the |
| multiple electric outlets in the in the 6" wall areas. | | | | rest of the countertops. You really don't need |
| The 6" tall wall is the right height for 6" ceramic | | | | lights elsewhere other than for accent lighting. The |
| wall tile. The upper counter is 44" (elbow height) a | | | | lights above the counters will be more than |
| perfect height for "leaning". This allows your | | | | enough, assuming you're keeping the kitchen |
| guests to "lean" on the counter (out of the | | | | smaller. |
| kitchen) and talk with you while you're preparing | | | | If you want to look at some examples, you can |
| food (in the kitchen). It's also a good height for | | | | go to my website and click on any of the floor |
| serving food or for tall stools as a breakfast bar. | | | | plans, and zoom in on the kitchen area. There are |
| Not all of the upper counters have to be the | | | | also pictures of kitchen in the "Interior Design" |
| some width. Some sections may be 9" wide (just | | | | section of the website. |
| a top to the kitchen partition, while other sections | | | | |