Once, very little consideration was given to making the kitchen user friendly. It was often a dark, unattractive place to be with just a tiny window to let in light and air. While many people may have happy memories of sitting at a large kitchen table while Mum prepared dinner on the other end, this was not really the best way to deal with all the preparation that needed to be done.
Happily, times have changed considerably and there are many highly experienced cabinet makers that can design and build kitchens that are trendy and user friendly. Here are 5 easy ways to make your kitchen more user friendly.
- The Triangle
When you are cooking there are three main points that you have to reach; the refrigerator, the stove and the pantry. Keeping these areas in a rough triangle will make your food creation much more efficient as well as easier. If your kitchen does not have a triangle of these three items it may be possible to move the refrigerator or the stove to make things easier. Or depending on how your kitchen is designed, you could change the position of the pantry – or place the foods that are used more often into a different cabinet.
- The Horizontals
Horizontal surfaces are what you use to prepare food, so there should be plenty of them. Bench tops are usually what we use for our food preparation, but if you don’t have enough space, consider adding a flip-up bench top that can then be folded down when not in use. You could also have an island cupboard or if you have a spare wall, have another bench cabinet installed there. It may also be possible to rearrange what is on the bench top taking up valuable space. Put it away in the cupboard or have a narrow shelf built above the bench so you can keep frequently used appliances on it.
- The Verticals
Vertical space comprises of what is under the bench top. While the shelving is horizontal, when the doors are shut it forms a vertical surface. The trend today is not to have handles on those doors for good reason; if they are placed at around knee level and you are moving along the cupboard preparing food, it is highly likely that your knee will come into painful contact with the handle. Older kitchens had this problem, but it is easy to fix by taking the handles off and placing them higher. Or you could change all those doors for magnetised ones. And while you are at it, have drawers installed instead of shelving as they are much easier to access.
- Windows
Windows allow light and air into the kitchen, so if yours are not big enough, consider having them enlarged. It will make the kitchen a more pleasant place and will also make it appear more spacious.
- Look Up
Lighting should not be positioned so that you are working in your own shadow. Not only is it aggravating – if you can’t see properly it can cause accidents or give you a headache. Change the lighting or add to it if you are not happy with it.
It is not that difficult to upgrade your kitchen to make things a whole lot easier to use. Remember, a kitchen that is user friendly is not only a joy to work in, it is also a safer place to be.
