|  President
Elect, National Kitchen and Bath Association
Not a day goes by that the issue of form vs. function doesn’t
come to play in the creation of a plan for the most used room in
the average American home: the kitchen. When presented with a knock-out
design, clients ask, "But will it work?" On the other
hand, when they have laid out their ideal functioning kitchen, their
concern is "How will it look?" Speaking from years of
experience as a homemaker, coupled with my background in the field
of art education, the resounding answer is "absolutely and
terrific" -- if you keep a few simple concepts in mind. One
notion that needs to be overcome is that symmetry rules.
A symmetrical arrangements are actually more pleasing to the eye.
Odd number of similar items, such as cabinet doors, tends to give
a more pleasing look than even numbered groupings. Hanging lights
over counters in clusters of three or five are to be preferred over
a group of four. Upper and lower cabinets rarely need to line up
one over the other. The exception, of course, is with ranges and
hoods; but even here it is wise to use a 36" hood over a 30"
range with the centerline being in common. This technique addresses
the issue of safety as well as creating a realistic capture zone
for the heat and grease that are generated during the cooking process.
Because the average kitchen today is much larger than in the past
and serves many purposes, we have a wonderful opportunity to create
spectacular task centers that make a statement of their own. Don’t
hesitate to throw in a splash of color or to alter the height of
cabinets serving as a baking center, for instance. The counter itself
might be lowered here, as the function of kneading bread is actually
more comfortable if done a few inches lower than the standard 36"
high counter. The kitchen desk is almost always lowered and becomes
a catch-all. Why not raise it to 42" and create a stand-up
message center? Today’s hectic lifestyles allow few of us
the luxury of sitting down at the desk anyway. Not too long ago
we all had a "stove" in our kitchens. Today we might have
a separate grill, wall oven, microwave, warming drawer and five-
burner dual- fuel cook top. The first thing we need to remember
is that all of these units serve a unique function and that they
don’t necessarily relate to one another. In fact, if arranged
throughout the work area, they allow more than one cook to work
in the room more efficiently. The warming drawers and oven are for
long term projects; thus can be located further away from the apex
of the work triangle: which is still the kitchen sink. Because we
all tend to congregate where the smells of good food originate,
we naturally want our kitchen to be a beautiful room. Also, few
of us dine "formally," preferring instead the casual elegance
achieved by co-locating an expandable dining space in the "kitchen
as great room" concept.
Del Sol Construction can help guide you through the complexities
of planning your dream kitchen. Just remember, good design is not
dollar driven. Well planned rooms are available in a wide range
of budgets, so feel free to discuss openly not only your needs but
also your investment parameters.
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