The Modern Kitchen: More Than Just a Breakfast Nook

The kitchen. The hub of all social activities, the kitchen is the center of the lives of every household. It is where the family meets to share meals and make wonderful memories that last forever. It is also where you serve and enjoy great company and good company.

 

Most families have a tradition of spending time together in the kitchen. It is where they gather to prepare their meals and discuss the day’s events. It is also the location where meals are usually served and often where guests are entertained. And last but not least, it is the site of the most dreaded activity – food preparation. Thus, it is imperative that kitchen spaces are utilized in the most productive manner possible.

 

For the best use of your kitchen, it should be organized in the following way: stove, sink, refrigerator, cabinets, cutlery, cooking range, microwave, food preparation surface, microwave oven, cupboards, wastebasket, garbage disposal, trashcan, kitchen cabinets, cupboard doors, kitchen flooring, kitchen tiles, kitchen countertops, kitchen cabinets ventilation and exhaust fans. Of course, this is only the tip of the iceberg. And given today’s busy lifestyle, almost everything that comes into the kitchen needs to be fitted or moved around. Here are some tips on how to organize your kitchen so you can maximize its productivity.

 

First, keep the kitchen tidy. Whether you are organizing or cooking, dirt and debris will accumulate in your kitchen cabinets. To prevent this, set up an organized work kitchen by rearranging and partitioning cabinets and shelves to make more space and keep everything in its place. Install wall racks and hooks for containers, which you can move and replace with new ones as you need them. In order to improve your cabinet organization, it may be a good idea to install hooks on your cabinets’ backs, as well as racks on the walls for pots and pans.

 

Second, arrange kitchen cabinets on the work triangle. The work triangle refers to the distance between the center of one wall and the opposite wall in your kitchen. This creates an unbroken line from your stove to the nearest wall, which means that most of your kitchen items are conveniently located within easy reach. For example, your stove is just beside your pot rack, while the cutlery is in the center of the kitchen and your pots and pans are stored in the cupboard nearest your stove. The kitchen triangle also suggests that cooking objects that belong together do not occupy too much space when they are arranged in their proper locations.

 

Third, transform your kitchen into a modern kitchen. With a wealth of choices today like induction cooktops, electric timers and built-in microwave ovens, the possibilities of modern kitchen design are unlimited. This is one reason why homeowners today are encouraged to create a modern kitchen design and include the concept of organized kitchen storage as well. Kitchen islands, for instance, are a great innovation that solves two storage problems at once.

 

Open kitchens, on the other hand, offer endless opportunities to show off your style. For homeowners who want to turn their kitchens into modern kitchens, it is a great idea to include the concept of organized kitchen storage in their scheme. Since open kitchens let in plenty of natural light in, it is a good idea to lighten up the ambiance inside the room with appropriate lighting fixtures and other efficient home accessories. If you really want your kitchen to be a modern kitchen, then it would also be a good idea to install wall appliances such as ceiling fans and window exhaust fans.

 

It is also important to note that contemporary kitchen designs are becoming more flexible than those designed a few years ago. As more people are getting busy with their work, they are preferring homes that have kitchens equipped with the latest kitchen appliances to make the whole process of food preparation and cooking faster and easier. However, it is still necessary to ensure that you equip your kitchen with kitchen gadgets such as those that can help you cook faster and cleanly. The ultimate kitchen should have a spacious kitchen space, an efficient stove, a dishwasher, a refrigerator, a microwave oven, a food processor and a coffeemaker. Aside from providing ample kitchen space and modern kitchen appliances, open kitchens allow for greater family interaction and encourage creativity in the kitchen.