Tips to help you design your kitchen

Brought to you by Gepetto – Gallery for home design

Keep this practical list handy when designing your new kitchen.

Advance planning will ensure a smooth design process

and bring you one step closer to your dream kitchen!

ü      Consider the usage of the room – is the kitchen the busiest room in the house? Does the family spend a majority of its time in the kitchen? Do the children do their homework in the kitchen? Consider an eat-in kitchen with work space for the kids

ü      Do you have oversized pots / dishes / trays which you use regularly?

ü      Do you have oversized pots / trays / dishes which you use irregularly?

ü      How do you want the proportions of dairy-meat space? Half-half, more dairy, less dairy?

ü      Would you like or need to have a separate area for baking or pareve cooking?

ü      Would you like to have your kitchen child-friendly (nosh, dishes etc within easy reach) or child proof?

ü      Would you like to have appliances on the surface for easy access, or do you prefer the surface to be clutter-free?

ü      Will you need more electric / gas / water outlets? Where are you most likely to need them?

ü      Would you like to have the cabinets reach to the ceiling? Consider storing pesach and/or irregularly used items in the top cabinets.

ü      Would you like a drawer (or more) for “junk” such as pens, papers, hair bands, etc?

ü      Would you prefer your cookbooks in an open space or to be placed inside a cabinet?

ü      Do you use the phone in the kitchen? Would you like a wall-mounted phone and a cubby-hole for phonebooks, paper and pens?

ü      Would you like to have additional pull-out workspace in the kitchen?

ü      Are your utilities to be in the kitchen, in a room off the kitchen, or a separate room altogether? Consider a cabinet for brooms, pail, and cleaning solutions in the kitchen for easy access.

ü      Consider a bench in an eat-in kitchen corner. Extra space can be created under the bench.

ü      Would you like to have a display cabinet for fine glassware or ornaments? Consider a glass fronted cabinet.

ü      Would you need a space for wine or other bottles?

ü      Where will you put your garbage? Would you need it to be movable or would you prefer it to stay in one place?

ü      Would you need extra lighting in places such as over the sink or under the cabinets?

ü      Would you need a light colored wood if your kitchen does not have a lot of natural light?

ü      Where will you dry your dishes? Do you want an in-cabinet dish rack, or do you prefer it to be on the surface. Will you have a dishwasher?

ü      Remember to make storage for the Shabbat hot-plate and hot water urn, as well as space to place them (eg an electric outlet near the stove so that the hot-plate can be placed on the stove top)

ü      Would you like a pantry? Consider a shallow cabinet so that cans don’t get lost. Consider short shelves, so you do not need to stack the cans or packages high.

ü      Consider amenities such a garbage deposal (which side – meat or dairy?) instant hot water (which side – meat or dairy?).

ü      Do you like to sit down when peeling/cutting? Consider a portion of surface which is lower, and has leg-holes, or a tall stool.