There is a saying goes that "To way
to a mans heart is through is stomach" , so kitchen is the only
place from where one can win anyones heart. For a house wife , this is
a place where she has to spend the maximum of the time and for a working
woman , it should be so that, she feels fresh as she enters the kitchen,
tired . There is no ambience in the home more loved and lived in by all the
members of the family, the best of the family , the best place to savour the
pleasure of being together with all the tastes , memories and daily habits
of the family . These are feelings which need a suitable ambience , where
the warmth of wood combines with the strong character of the stony materials
, such as marble and granite of table tops and the counter .
Every family has different expectation of their kitchens as they follow
different cultures. While the basic function of the kitchen is to serve as
an area for the preparation of the food , the need of each individual
household differ and often the kitchen has to cater to additional and
varying requirements. A kitchen layout should be customized to the specific
requirements and needs of the users . Hence , it is important to ascertain
the individual preferences overall lifestyle and eating habits of the direct
users . There are various practical points that must be considered and
discussed before commencing the designing of a new kitchen or the
modification of an existing one .
- DESIGNING : Before designing the kitchen , one
should identify the tasks to be performed in the kitchen. A kitchen
should be designed to match the preferred style of the individual user
and the general décor of the rest of the house . It may be
designed in a country / farmhouse , contemporary , colonial / English ,
laboratory , futuristic / high-tech , European / Mediterranean or ethnic
style with matching decor and finishes .
- PLANNING : Kitchen planning revolves around the
three main work centers storage , washing and cooking. These form
three corners of the triangle . These centers should be connected with
the work counters. The work pattern generally moves from the décor
to the functional flow of traffic in the kitchen.
- STORAGE : The most important aspect of the kitchen
design is a well planned storage. It can facilitate or impede the main
task of cooking and keep the kitchen either tidy or a mess at the end of
the day. Storage units have a variety of internal arrangements and
dimensions to suit the items they are going to contain.
- FLOORING : Flooring should be non slippery ,
resilient , hard wearing and easy to clean. Marble is the most common
choice but one can also go for Kotah stone too. Granite tends to be
slippery when wet.
- LIGHTING : Kitchen lighting should be bright and
functional . Care should be taken to ensure that the light does not cast
shadow on the major working areas. Light fitted on the underside of the
overhead cabinets light up the counters effectively.
- VENTILATION : Ventilation is the most important
aspect that should be taken care of properly. Kitchen is a area which
generates lot of odour and smoke , thus this has to immediately emmitted
out. An exhaust fan is a considerable help in dispelling smell and for
air circulation also.
- The hob also has a central position with a canopy formed by its hood
which destroys odours and fills the ambience with light at the same time
. The electrical appliances are carefully concealed beneath the worktop
. Function and harmony should be the dominating characteristics of the
present collections.
- Kitchen walls should be able to withstand all kinds of fumes and
splashes. The walls in most kitchens are usually painted. Good quality
plastic emulsion paint for areas under the sink and near the wash area.
- The sink plays an important role in overall efficiency of the kitchen
, linking cooking accessories . Even if you have a dish washer , a roomy
, easy to clean sink is still essential .
- The counter top is the most wear tear area. Materials such as stones
, glazed enamel tiles , stainless steel , laminates can be used for
counters and each has its own pros and cons.
Thus , the basic concept is to finish this ambience which is the most
lived in the entire family with the aim of making it a place in which it is
pleasing to be together . To create , therefore , a little domestic paradise
in which several people , all there together will find it easy to move about
among extremely functional articles . There is no need for large spaces ,
but it is attractive and welcoming , perfectly in tune with the surroundings
with the reminder and exaltation of stories , traditions and rediscovered
family values.