Planning a kitchen takes a great deal of time, patience and expertise. After all, the pleasure of something new should not fade after only a few years. On average, Austrians buy a new kitchen every 20 years. So the principle is: better to invest a few more hours in the planning than to be dissatisfied afterwards.
First step – taking stock
The kitchen is the centre of many people's lives : from making breakfast and a snack in between to the evening meal – we spend a large part of our day between the fridge, the cooker and the sink. A logical, ergonomic arrangement of the individual work zones and of the appliances is therefore of great importance.
Before the detailed planning begins, think carefully about what requirements the kitchen has to meet.
The following points are particularly important:
- The size of the kitchen and the work surfaces : is the kitchen used by only one person, or does the whole family cook? Do people often cook together? What is the kitchen used for every day?
- Arrangement of appliances and surfaces : are there right-handed and left-handed users?
- Heights of appliances and surfaces: do children use the kitchen too? Is step-free access needed?
- Special requirements : are there particular personal preferences? For keen bakers, for example, enough storage space for food processors, blenders and the like could be an advantage. This aspect can be taken into account when planning the worktop too. Passionate coffee drinkers can realise a coffee corner in their new kitchen. That too needs suitable storage for the espresso machine, coffee grinder and the rest.
Kitchen zones
In principle every kitchen is divided into five different zones: storing provisions, storage, preparation, cooking and baking and washing up. The size of the first two zones depends above all on whether the kitchen is used by one person or by the whole family.
The preparation, cooking and baking and washing up zones are to be considered independently of personal circumstances. No matter who cooks or how large the kitchen is: these three areas should always be arranged in a triangle, to ensure particularly efficient and pleasant work in the kitchen through short distances.
The preparation area in particular calls for two important considerations : sources of light and power . Additional light sources in the form of ceiling spots and/or LEDs on the underside of the wall units provide enough brightness for working in the kitchen. As a rule of thumb for planning sockets: better one too many than one too few!
A-3390 Melk, Josef Adlmanseder-Straße 7 | +43 2752 528 78 | verkauf@gottwald.at | shop.gottwald.at | Opening hours: Mon – Fri 8 a.m. – 6 p.m., Sat 9 a.m. – 12 noon
Share:
kücheplanungkulinarikhaushaltergonomie
