After a week of writing about my failed attempts to lose weight, and having made a few very minor updates to my eating and thinking habits, I am taking a break. Only from thinking about my updated plan, mind you - not from actually maintaining my new habits. Although it is only 2pm, and I am very hungry after my lunch.
Hmmm. I'll think of something that isn't too drastic. Maybe a protein shake. Yes, that will do.
ANY WAY....
Back to kitchen design, which is supposed to be the topic of this entry.
I am planning, one day (in about 10 years), to be living in my dream home. I have this home more or less designed, but I run into problems with the kitchen. Kitchens are very complicated rooms, and the options these days for where to put things, and what things should actually go in the kitchen are innumerable. Or at least way to many for me to count.
- Easy to entertain many people. I have a large family, and I am used to having many (20+) people needing to be fed.
- Keep the table-setting and clearing activities out of the cook's way
- Baking area separate from the cooking area
- Sufficient counter space so that small appliances don't need to be stored between uses.
- Children's area. I firmly believe that children should be able to feel useful and welcome in the kitchen, and yet it is a dangerous place for them. I don't actually know what this looks like, but I like the idea of incorporating a play kitchen or something.
- Meal-planning area. I need space to sit down with cookbooks, a computer, pen, paper, calculator, etc. to think about what I am going to do in the kitchen.
- At least one, maybe two dishwashers. I really don't like doing dishes.
- Multiple sinks. One for food prep, one for washing up. Maybe another for drink prep; this is a new concept I am considering.
- Multiple counter heights. I am 5' tall, with short legs. Not everyone is, so that makes life in a kitchen interesting for me.
- Corner cabinets that don't require crawling into to get stuff out of
This has been an ever present puzzle for my brain, and today I decided to dig into it a little bit.
In kitchen design, for years, the idea has been that no matter your layout, in deciding where to place your three main stations (fridge, stove, sink) you draw a triangle, and the area of the triangle is supposed to be a certain number, and the length of each side is supposed to be no more than a certain number, and between the three areas, you are supposed to have counter space to work on.
The only problem with that design plan is that it is now common for a kitchen to support multiple people working, instead of just one. And if you aren't careful with your triangle, then the multiple people start tripping over each other.
A new trend has emerged, where instead of planning one work area, you plan for multiple zones, which in theory flow with each other.
- Consumables
- Bread
- Coffee, Tea, Cocoa
- Cereal
- Canned goods
- Noodles, Rice, side dishes
- Finished Products
- Sugar, Flour
- Chilled foodstuffs (refrigerator and freezer)
- Snacks
- Non-Consumables
- Cutlery
- Dishes
- Coffee dishes
- Glasses, dessert bowls
- Plastic containers
- Odds and Ends
- Seldom used small electrical appliances
- Cleaning
- Waste cleaning utensils
- Household cleaners
- detergent and detergent tabs
- rubbish bags
- towels
- shopping bags
- Preparation
- Kitchen utensils and tools
- Various small electrical appliances
- Cutting Boards
- Vinegar, oil, sauces, etc.
- Spices
- Mixing bowls
- Food processors
- Scales
- Cooking
- Cooking utensils
- Pots and pans
- Special oven pans
- Baking trays and racks
- Baking forms and foils
- Baking tools and ingredients
- Tea towels
- Cookbooks
- Operating instructions
Picture the following activities happening in the kitchen above:
- A family meal (1-2 meat dishes, ~ 4 hot side dishes, 2-3 salads, 2-3 garnishes, buns/bread, drinks)
- Most of the work is done ahead of time, and so when people show up for dinner, the food is mostly ready, with only the following needing to be done.
- Take the hot food off the stove, move into serving dishes
- Prep the drinks
- Set the table
- Whip the cream for dessert
- In my family, that would involve:
- 1 person making gravy
- 1 person transferring food into serving dishes
- 1 person carving meat
- 2-3 people setting the table
- 1 person getting drinks ready
- 1 person whipping cream
- 1-2 people washing pots and pans to minimize after dinner clean up
- I ask you - can you imagine 8-10 people moving around and through the above zones laid out that way without killing each other (or tripping, starting a fire, etc) before dinner? I can't.
- Bread, cereal, butter, salt, pepper, toaster and one cutting board were stored within arms reach of the table.
- The dishes (plates, bowls, glasses, mugs, dessert dishes) were stored on the back side of an island, facing the table.
- Wall pantry with a shelf that had an outlet on it and doors so the mixer could stay out, and other small appliances could be plugged in and used. When finished with them, the doors were shut. No pulling things out every time you wanted to use them, and no worrying about having clutter-free counter tops - you just closed the doors and you were done.
Ideally, then, I would have multiple sinks in my kitchen and possibly multiple fridges, and would break some of the zones above into smaller sub-zones.
- Planning
- Cookbook storage
- Pens and paper
- Seating, work surface
- Shopping Bags
- Aprons
- Consumables (Pantry)
- Canned Goods
- Freezer (Full upright or chest)
- Refrigerator
- Noodles, Rice, Side dishes
- Food Storage (Unopened, Bulk food, etc.)
- Preparation
- Small appliances (food processor, etc.)
- Seldom used small appliance storage
- Small sink (hand, fruit, veg washing)
- Kitchen utensils and tools
- Cutting boards
- Mixing bowls
- Food scales
- Pots and Pans (incl. special oven pans)
- Baking trays, forms, foils
- Baking tools and ingredients
- Operating instructions
- Spices
- Vinegar, oils, sauces, etc.
- Cooking
- Cooking utensils
- Spices
- Vinegar, oils, sauces, etc.
- Stovetop
- Oven(s)
- Plating
- Serving dishes and cutlery
- Hot mitts
- Cooling racks
- Cleaning
- Multi-sink (2-3 compartment)
- Waste cleaning utensils
- Kitchen garbage and bags
- Recycling, Compost
- Dishwasher(s)
- Plastic containers and wrap
- Kitchen Cleaners and detergent
- Kitchen towels and cloths
- Drying rack
- Consumables (Ready-to-eat)
- Refrigerator (drinks, leftovers, condiments)
- Bread
- Coffee, tea, cocoa
- Open cereal, etc.
- Finished products (cookie jar, etc)
- Some small appliances (toaster, coffee maker, electric kettle, etc.)
- Bread board and knife
- Snacks
- Wine fridge/bar??
- Non-Consumables (Butler's Pantry??)
- Cutlery
- Dishes
- Coffee mugs and tea cups
- Dessert dishes
- Glasses
A few other things that I have thought of while putting this list together.
- The pantry might or might not replace a cold/dark storage area.
- A laundry area should be close to the kitchen, and would contain storage for household cleaners that aren't used in the kitchen.
- If the house is multi-level, then both a dumbwaiter and a laundry chute should be considered.
- There should be some form of seating close enough so that guests can visit with the cook. (Breakfast bar, etc.)
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