Kitchen or Cabinet Showroom?

When remodeling a kitchen, the tendency is to fill all the walls with cabinets and counters.  Everyone wants more storage and work space, but there are other things that need to happen in a kitchen - in addition to storage and food preparation.
In the 70s and 80s, kitchens became "machines for cooking" - lined with cabinets and counters, they resembled showrooms for kitchen cabinets.  Full of straight lines and hard gleaming surfaces, this type of kitchen demanded constant cleaning and straightening up.  Now the children of baby-boomers are growing older and there is no longer the need to clean up baby food or constantly prepare meals.  Although some homeowners prefer the minimalist kitchen, most families tend to use the space as a hub of activity - for dining, homework, watching TV, paying bills, and just plain interaction with one another.

Designers have noticed this trend and are starting to treat the kitchen more like a home and less like a showroom - decorating with furnishings and design features that befit an important room of the house.  Here are some ideas for avoiding the "storage-box" kitchen:

- Incorporate design elements that bring in a more homey feeling such as box beams, mouldings, and actual light fixtures (instead of holes in the ceiling).

- Reflect the history and interests of the family with artwork and family artifacts, like grandma's hutch. 

- Pantry closets provide for a larger and better array of storage than bunches of cabinets alone.  Avoid the impression that someone sold you as many cabinets as they could fit in the room.

- Add comfortable sitting areas as well as spots for casual perching and chatting.

- Use a variety of counter surfaces - some are best for food prep, others are better for homework or just hanging out with a cup of coffee. 

- The cabinets don't all have to be the same type or color - or even have to match for that matter.
Keep in mind that kitchens are not just for showing off cabinets - they really contribute to making a house a home.


This article was originally printed in "Remodeling" magazine published by Hanley Wood - February, 2007

Kitchen Cross Traffic

Although we can't completely avoid cross traffic or keep it out of the kitchen, it is possible to organize the flow to reduce interference with the work area.  When remodeling a kitchen, fixing the traffic problems could be much more important than the style of the cabinet doors.

In the 1950s and onward, homes began to have attached garages and generally lost the front and back porches.  Family and friends once came in through the front door and suffused through the living area - but with the car being used for most trips, that traffic now comes in through the kitchen.  Often it goes right through the food prep. work area.  Many builders took the opportunity to insert the stairs right next to the kitchen to keep things compact.  A central kitchen table further interferes with the work triangle.

A few deft changes could improve the situation considerably by channeling the traffic to flow past the work zone.  They should also help to define the areas used for cruising through or hanging out.  It's best to keep these separate from the room needed  by the cook and bottle-washer; even if it takes a pickle-shaped island.  Sometimes adding walls and arched openings can help accomplish this while adding a sense of classical organization to the space.  Opening up stair walls for railings and adding windows will visually improve the feeling of spaciousness and of reduced congestion.

This article was originally printed in "Remodeling" magazine published by Hanley Wood - August, 2006