More equipment is stored in the kitchen, in an often restricted space, than anywhere else in the house, Good, easy-to-reach storage facilities are essensial and can make all the difference to a task's ease and enjoyment.
Most people live with a kitchen planned and fitted by someone else whose lifestyle and needs were probably not the same as theirs. In spite of this, simple improvements can be made by fitting out cupboard interiors with wire racks and extra shelves. Further storage can be provided by filling wall space with shelves and using racks and rails behind the work surface. The sensible positioning of stored supplies and equipment also helps can siderably towards a kitchen's smooth running.
Whatever the shape, start to plan a kitchen with the most used spot, which is the preparation area between the hob and sink.
For those of you who are putting in a new kitchen here are some ideas for drawing up a plant of a kitchen that will be tailor-made to suit you. There are tips on fitting units and services and advice on what jobs are better done by the experts.
Efficient storages
If items are not easily accessible the chances are that they will be left out after use to clutter whatever working space there is - and if this area has to be prepared no one is going to enjoy working in the kitchen.
You will use space most efficiently if you bear the following points in mind:
1. The most frequently used items need storing in the most accessible space.
2. If equipment utensils and stores are placed at the position in the kitchen where they are first to be used, time and effort will be cut down.
3. Adding racks and extra shelves to cupboard interiors will cut down on the need to stack contents. Stacking leads to accidents as well as physical wear and tear through excess bending, streching and lifting.
Professionally planned storage
In a commercial kitchen the area is divided intro work stations - pastry making, sauce making, vegetable and salad preparation and so on. Within the station all the equipment and food for that particular job is stored so that it is not necessary to go from one side of the kitchen to the other to collect items.
This efficient system can be of benefit to the home cook too. All that is probably needed is some simple reorgaization as follows:
Cooking area, (Next to the hob and possibly, but not essentially, next to the oven.) Store cooking utensils, any pans that go straight to the cooker (those that are first filled with water are stored by the sink) plus pan lids, cooking tools, foil, anything that goes straight into the pot (herbs, oil, spices, canned foods like tomatoes and baked beans, rice and pasta).
Preparation centre, (Preferably between hob or cooker and sink). Tools for mixing and baking, bowls, measuring jug, scales, cutting boards, casseroles, baking supplies and all food mixed or prepared before use.
A rack that stores plates vertically is decorative and easy to use.
The use at pull out shelves or drawers means contents are easy to see and to reach.
, Any equipment first filled with water plus utensils like colanders and strainers, rubbish bin liners, foods that need water adding, cleaning materials.
Snack making and serving area, (Close to the eating area, next to microwave and kettle and close to the fridge.) Coffee and tea making ingredients, mugs, breadboard and knife, toaster, heated tray, dishes, glassware, cutlery, table linen, food served at table.
Extra fitments
These can go a long way towards making your storage space more accessible. The range shown below is not just available as an extra with new units but can be fitted to most standard-size kitchen units as well.
Extra shelves These remove the necessity for stacking the contents of cupboards. You can buy studs to hold shelves and slot them into holes drilled in the cupboard sides at regular intervals or you can use metal or plastic strip. Melamine faced chipboard 20mm (¾in) thick is adequate for most stored equipment.
Wire racks Plate racks allow you to store saucers and plates vertically rather than horizontally, making them much easier to remove and replace. Shallow back-of-door racks provide added storage space for small items such as spices, packets, tubes and small tins or cleaning materials.
Plinth storage Do not waste floor level space - tools can be stored in shallow trays here, or you can be use the space for folding steps that can be quickly retrieved and unfolded to provide safe access to high-level cupboards. A bracket is available with steps that allows them to be swung under the plints.
Fold-away surfaces Ideal for limited space are ironing boards and tables that fold into two or three sections and then slide to fit inside the top and back of a cupboard when not in use. Mixer and food processor shelves hold equipment in the cupboard then lift to fit flush with the worktop for use. All these come with full fitting instructions.
Drawers These are now considered one of the most practical forms of storage. There is less stoping involved in removing the contents, which are easy to see and reach. Some unit ranges consist only of drawers of varying widths and depths. Wire baskets that pull out on runners are a good alternative, and you can buy them both shallow and deep enough to take pans. Four shallow baskets can replace shelves in a floor unit, while the deeper baskets fit on to a pair of shelves with runners.
Waste bins Bins can be fitted that swing out when the unit door is opened, leaving the lid behind. The newest bin is fitted into the worktop, where a hole is cut in the same wa as for an inset sink or hob. The rim and lid fit over this and a bin liner is anchored by the rim and removed when full from the cupboard below.
Narrow spaces You can use a space between floor units or a telescopic towel rail. Two-and three-arm rails are available. Attach the fixing plate to the back wall or to the underside of the work surface.
Turning a problem to advantage
In a small kitchen every centimetre of space has to work for you. Here are some suggestions for overcoming common problems and at the same time giving the room your own individual touch;
Limited width in a narrow passage kitchen Where there is only space for units and working surface along one side of the kitchen consider putting up shallow shelves that run from floor to ceiling along the opposite wall. This form of storage, suitable for dried foods as wellas utensils and china and glass, is immensely practical as everything can be easily seen - there is just no room for one item to be hidden from view behind another.
Shallow shelves provide one of the most efficient forms of kitchen storage.
If you do not want everything to be always on show fix roller blinds to the ceiling to drop down in front of the shelves. These can be left up when work is in progress, then lowered afterwards.
Hard-to-reach corners Ideal in this situation are revolving wire or plastic tray carousels which swing out towards you, providing easy access to those items stored at the back. In quarter-turn carousels the baskets are fitted to the door jamb and have revolving hinge fittings. Half-turn trays fit on to a tube, as do three-quarter corner carousel trays. When planning a new kitchen, consider placing the cooker or sink at an angle across the corner; this position provides extra working space around the fitment and space for utensils at the black.
Lack of eating space A rectangular or semi-circular drop-down table that fits snug againts the wall when not in use could provide the answer (
see Planes And Surforms for construction). Add fold-up chairs that can be hung n hooks on the wall on either side. If no wall space is available you could consider a table that slides back into a unit when not in use. Both would also provide extra workspace.
Cluttered worktops
This usually means that equipment and utensils are difficult to put away - see previous discussion for some answers to this problem. Take advantage of the space between worktop and wall units to fit shallow shelves for smaller equipment and hanging rails and racks for utensils. A 200mm (8in) deep shelf can take much of the equipment otherwise left at the back of the work surface and release space below for stores needed temporarily during food preparation. It is only the front two-thirds of the worktop that is usually required for the actual preparation.
When drilling into ceramic tiles for a screw fixing, stick adhesive tape over the position of the hole before you begin to stop the drill bit from slipping.
Old-fashioned units
A breakfast bar and stools provide eating space in a small kitchen.
A table that slides out of a unit also provides extra eating space.
Fold up chairs can be stored in a narrow space or even hung from the wall.
Racks and shelves maximise storage; rails hold cooking utensils.
Is it simple to give old units a new look by replacing the cupboard doors and drawer fronts with standard size lay-on doors hung with concealed lay-on cabinet hinges (
see Hinges And Hooks).These make aligning doors much easier than it used to be. There is also a wide range of handles to choose from.
Planning a new kitchen
A small kitchen, where everything is stored close to hand, is the most practical to work in and even in a large area success relies on the space being broken down into smaller sections.
Large kitchens, used for relaxing as well as preparing food and eating, have become very popular in the last decade. In fact the kitchen is fast taking over from the living room as the place where friends as well as family naturally congregate.
Often the only way to find the space needed for this multi-use area is to incorporate an adjoining room within the scheme.
See Practical Use Space for information on recognizing and removing load-bearing walls.
Lifestyle
In many homes now the cooking is no longer done by one person alone, but approached as a joint task, particularly where both members of a couple are working. With the introduction of microwave cookers many younger members of a family now make their own snacks and quite often want to do so at the same time as an evening meal is being prepared.
This has resulted in a totally new look at kitchen planning, which invariably used to be based on a working triangle. Sink, cooker and refrigerator were placed on two or three separate walls but as close to each other as possible to create a working area that formed a triangle between the three. This is fine only one person does the cooking, but it causes chaos when two or three people are trying to prepare food at the same time.
Layouts for working area
Depending on how many people will work in the kitchen, bear the following points in mind:
The Multi-cook kitchen In this case you need to plan the kitchen with a main preparation area close to sink and hob or cooker and a secondary space where hot drinks and snacks can be made. This section should include the kettle, toaster and microwave, and perhaps also the oven. The refrigerator and food will need to be accessible from each.
The one-cook kitchen The food preparation area is the centre of most work in the kitchen so the position of this is the first thing to be decided upon. Then equipment; hob, sink, refrigerator and larder are planned around and as close to it as possible. Storage space is planne around each working area (
see work stations listed under Profesionally planned storage).
A backward look
Kitchen designers are realizing that some of the contents of the traditional kitchen are especially practical for use today. These are some of the oldies to bear in mind when planning your kitchen.
The dresser Uses that valuable storage space between hip and shoulder again. China and cookware stored on shelves is immediately apparent and much easier to reach than that hidden away in floor level or higher cupboards.
The larder A floor-to-ceiling ventilated step-in larder with shelves of varying heights and depths on three sides allows more storage in a given space than wall and floor units, so it is the most valuable way of storing foodstuffs in a small kitchen.
A shallow floor to ceiling cupboard used for food storage must be ventilated.
A centrally positioned table can be used to divide off different working areas of the kitchen and is the ideal height for many jobs like pastry making and chopping. It also provides an area where visitors can make themselves comfortable.
Planning check list
Before a kitchen is planned on paper it is important to work out how you want to use it, so the result is designed to suit your personal lifestyle. A kitchen designer would start by asking a number of questions, listed below, so note down the answers and use them yourself when making your own plan. It is a mistake to tackle it the other way around and start by working out what you can fit into the space you have. The list highlights priorities.
1 What do you want to use the kitchen for; cooking, eating, laundry, ironing, relaxing, hobbies, home office?
2 How many people (and pets) will use the kitchen?
3 What appliances do you require-one oven or two, hob, microwave, refrigerator, freezer, dishwasher, washing machine, tumble dryer?
List them and note which need special plumbing or ventilation.
4 How much storage space do you need? Work this out from present storage and add one third to one half on top. Do not forget space and facilities for rubbish.
5 How many electric outlet will you need? Check your plan when finalizing to see that lighting is adequate for all surfaces.
6 Have you anywhere else that laundry equipment could go - the cloakroom or bathroom, for instance?
7 Have you made a note of what is wrong with your present kitchen?
Drawing up your design
If you by self-assembly units you will probably find that the stockist will offer assistance with the design. Where help is not available use large grid paper for ease and draw on to it the outline of your kitchen, nothing doors and which way they open, windows, and any fixed items - radiator, boiler, gas pipes, plumbing (all these can be moved, see below, but if you need to call in an expert the cost increases). Include windows still height, ceiling and door heights and so on.
Cut out shapes of units and equipment to the same scale, mark them with what they are and place those that need specific positioning first - but consult your check list. If the kitchen is the main route to the garden, take care over positioning the cooker. Carefully double check your final plan. Using this, make up the list of materials you will need.
P L A N O F W O R K
Electrics
If you are replacing an old kitchen with a new one you will probably need more electrical outlets. Assuming you have a ring main you can add one extra socket outlet to each existing one by means of s spur. If this will not give you enough outlets a special kitchen circuit will be necessary and in this case it is better to call in a qualified electrician.
Gas
The flexible hose fitted to most modern cookers allows you about 30cm (12in) leeway on either side of your present cooker position. Running new gas pipes to alter the position is not difficult. All gas connections must be made and checked by a registered gas installer.
It is vital to turn the gas off at the mains and ventilate the room thoroughly while you are working. Use pre-soldered capillary fitings and work with scrupulous cleanliness.
You will need 15mm (½in) copper tubing to carry the gas and a good flux to ensure a good joint, plus a small blow lamp to apply the heat to the pre-soldered fittings. Check joins with a solution of detergent when you first turn the gas back on and before lighting the appliance. Smear it over joints: bubbles will appear if there is a leak. When you do light the appliance let the gas escape for a few seconds before you ignite it.
If you are having any plumbing done the fitter will include gas work at very little extra charge.
Plumbing
Plumbing is simple if you do not want to move the sink position and can put the dishwasher and washing machine on either side. You can buy undersink traps with built-in connectors to take the waste water from the machines. The hoses push on.
If you want to move the sink it should be possible to place it anywhere on an outside wall, or on an internal wall within about 1m (3ft) of an outside wall, but the shorter the run of waste water pipe the less chance there is of a blockage.
Floor
Use a long spirit level to check the floor level. A difference of 10mm (½in) across the floor is normal. At this point assemble the units, put them in position without fixing and lay the worktop in place. If an egg laid on the worktop stays in place the floor is level enough, if it rolls the units or floor will need adjustment. A solid floor can be rescreeded or the units and plinths can be trimmed to fit. These are skilled jobs and it is better to call in an expert to do the work.
Walls
Lay a strip of metal along the face of the wall. Check where it does not. Minor variations do not matter bu if they are more than 20mm (¾in) fitting the worktop will be a problem. Choosing a worktop with an upstand at the back that you can fill behind with a silicone bathroom sealant is one way of getting around variations but if the problem is severe the worktop will need to be scribed and planed to fit. The skills of a professional joiner are required for this.
Joins in worktops are possible using alumunium strip but a professionally made joint looks far better. Most suppliers will do this for you but when supplying measurements you need to take into account any variation in the two adjoining walls to get an accurate fit.
Fitting Units
Fit a wooden batten to the wall level with the top of the units. This gives extra room for plumbing and cuts out the need for access slots in the sides and backs of the units. Do not screw down the batten so hard that if follows bumps and hollows.
Place the floor units in position, check the plumbing and electrics line up, then use a jig or sharp pad saw to cut holes in the back where necessary for services to pass through.
Fix the units to each other through the sides. Check that the backs fit correctly and slide them down in position. Run glue along the sides of the pannels first for stronger assembly.
Using metal right-angled brackets, fix the units to the battens.
Offer up the worktop to check the fit against the wall. If necessary hack away the plaster then repair the wall when the worktop is in position using exterior filler.
Screw up through th units into the worktop to fix it. Using a jig saw, cut holes for the sink and hob in the worktop and fit and fix these in place. Check that they work.
Add doors and drawers to the base units and adjust the hinges so that the doors hang level.
Assembly the wall units and, using a spirit level, hang these.
Tile above the worktop if required. It is important for hygiene reasons to use an epoxy grout. Fit plinths, cornices and concealed lighting.
TIPS
• Save worktop space by using special purpose brackets to hang a microwave on the wall.
• A wall telephone with noticeboard and shelf nearby plus tall stool will provide a useful planning and organization area.
• Use an internal windowsill to house a window box full of herbs, making a dash into the garden in the rain unecessary.
Fast-growing species like mint and lemon balm need to be contained in pots sunk into the compost or they will soon take over.
