Kitchens are much more than places to cook, they are where families come together to feast, forage and flop.
Action packed with cooking, cleaning, entertaining, homework and family time, all in one place, the kitchen has a million and one jobs to do in the modern home.
So, whether you are considering a brand new kitchen, or just looking for ways to revamp your existing one, the benefits of having a well thought out space are not to be underestimated.
Leading experts believe, because we ask so much of our kitchens, that zoning is the most useful way to make sure they are up the tasks in hand and we don’t get under each other’s feet in the process.
The idea is to create considered zones for food preparation, cooking, eating and relaxing, which give a sense of flow and ease in how you move around your kitchen.
For example, think about establishing a natural path around your kitchen which makes food preparation seamless.
If there isn’t room for an island, create a tucked-in zone where you can have plenty of space for chopping, with sockets for appliances such as food processors.
An integrated bin cabinet underneath and storage cabinet where you can put away your kitchen equipment when you’re finished will make preparing meals easier.
Whether you have a large kitchen, or a small cottage-sized one, another tip is to create a specific area for making tea and coffee.
Bi-fold counter top cabinets work particularly well here. You can have your kettle and coffee machine plugged in and sitting on the kitchen work surface, but concealed behind closed doors when you are not using them.
Needless to say, this makes your kitchen look less cluttered too.
If you are not planning on a new kitchen there are things that can be done retrospectively to make better use of existing space.
One way of creating more work surface space, if you have room, is to bring in some free-standing furniture.
Sideboards, console tables and pot boards are perfect. They can be added to an existing kitchen to make your prep space bigger and better than before.
They also break up the look of having purely fitted cabinets and some items you feel you can’t lose from your worktop space can sit there instead.
