Design

Transform Your Kitchen to Fit Your Lifestyle with Design Tips from Industry Pros

If form follows function, a well-designed kitchen can be inviting, stylish and efficient by creating 'work zones' to optimize the space. Andrea Burton, owner of Kitchen Solvers of the Valley (Danville, CA) offers the following information on kitchen zoning - a project that uses homeowners' standards of living as the blueprint and simple design choices to combine functionality with appeal.

Depending on space constraints and individual lifestyles, kitchen zoning can be an easy three zone process creating areas for food preparation, storage and cleanup or a kitchen fit for the gourmand with additional zones for beverages, plating, baking and more.

'Every kitchen, regardless of shape or size, can be made more efficient with some simple changes,' says Burton. 'We work one-on-one with our clients to analyze how they use the space and devise a plan that works specifically for them.'

Before designing a zone plan, it is important that individuals interested in a kitchen remodel consider their everyday routine. For example, a family that entertains on a regular basis might benefit from a separate bar area and/or additional beverage and appetizer zones with mini refrigerators built into the custom cabinetry.

Burton recommends her clients take a quick quiz to determine what types of zones will best suit the homeowner and what the zoning project will entail - a simple cabinet/countertop refacing or a complete kitchen overhaul.

'I always ask my clients what meals they regularly prepare and if they usually cook alone,' Andrea Burton states. 'It's also important to consider how often the client shops, if they buy in bulk and if entertaining is a seasoned past-time.'

While not a brand-new idea, zones are a tried result of the evolution of kitchens. In the past, designers relied mainly on the 'work triangle' when planning an efficient kitchen. A typical work triangle is defined by an imaginary line drawn from the sink to the cook-top to the refrigerator and finally back to the sink.

'Though time-tested, zones make more sense because they take lifestyle and actual use into consideration,' Andrea Burton comments.

Case in point-according to the National Kitchen and Bath Association, there has been a big change in the kitchen's use pattern over the years. In the 1950s, the kitchen was used only by the woman of the home. She mainly cooked from scratch and needed storage for about 400 items. Today, research has shown that most women work outside the home and share cooking duties. In their kitchens, they prepare very few meals from scratch and need storage for about 800 items.

Kitchen Solvers offers a variety of solutions that allow homeowners to 'get into the zone,' including consultation and design, cabinet refacing, new custom cabinetry, countertops and more.

'We work with the client through the whole process, setting up expectations for the finished product, staying on budget and taking them step-by-step through the redesign-dramatic results without all the drama,' Burton says. 'We want our clients to be comfortable through the whole process, and to enjoy the transformation of their home.'

For more information on Kitchen Solvers serving your area, visit our 'Franchise Locator' and request an in-home consultation.