Housing and Space Management

Housing And Space Management 3(2+1)

Lesson 16 : Designing Service Space - Kitchen

Types Of Kitchen

The different types of kitchen or the various shapes in which the major work centers can be arranged are

1. ‘U’ shaped,
2. ‘L’ shaped,
3. one wall
4. Parallel walls and
5. Island kitchen

The ideal shape for the kitchen arrangement is ‘U”. It consists of preparation and cooking centers on either side and the cleaning center in the middle. This is a compact arrangement and labour saving too. In the ‘L’shaped kitchen arrangement of the work centers are placed on two adjoining walls. The one wall arrangement is suitable for small kitchen.

1. U – Shaped:
   The U shaped configuration makes working in the kitchen a hassle free experience by creating an ergonomic work triangle, i.e., the stove, sink and refrigerator are placed in a triangular layout to allow ease in movement. With ample counter top space and cabinets it provides you more room for your appliances and other kitchen utilities.
   Using three full walls of a room can offer the perfect working kitchen. The fridge, cook top and sink can be spaced out for total efficiency and convenience. This is great news for those of you who take your cooking seriously, as it provides the best workflows with the shortest distances around the kitchen. This shape also allows for large amounts of worktop and storage space


2. L – Shaped:
   The L shaped kitchen is an absolute stunner. It gives you ample storage space & also allows easy movement and accessibility. Add to this the thoughtfully placed center island which acts as a convenient platform and also doubles up as a breakfast table. This is a very popular kitchen layout - ideal for a family kitchen or for entertaining guests as it can easily accommodate table and chairs in the same room. Using two adjacent walls, the kitchen also benefits from lack of through-traffic. The sink, stove and fridge should be separated by a preparation area.


3. One wall:
   This is a smart and simple solution for narrow rooms, ideally with one wall over 3 yards long without windows or doors. However, this shape of kitchen causes the longest journey distances since it is necessary to walk from one end of the room to the other. It is a good idea to situate the sink in the middle of the line, with adequate space separating it from the cook tops just like a parallel kitchen; the single wall layout makes the most of small spaces


4. Two Wall / Corridor Kitchen:
   This layout, also known as the corridor or gallery styles kitchen offers unlimited comfort, in a limited area. With kitchen cabinets and appliances on opposite walls, the work flow is absolutely smooth. This shape offers the most efficient use of space, making it the choice of many professional chefs. The two rows allows room for lots of preparation space, and moving between activity areas can be as easy as turning around. However, this shape is not ideal if the corridor is open at both ends, as it can cause traffic congestion.
   It is necessary to make sure there is enough room for opposite drawers to be open at the same time (at least 1.3yds). Another important consideration is to keep the cleaning and cooking areas on the same side in order to minimize the risk of accidents while moving hot pans between the sink and cook top.


5. Island kitchen:
   A very popular kitchen type, the island layout is perfect if you plan to entertain. An independent island unit can face a dining or living area, allowing the cook to socialize while preparing. A sink here provides the optimal arrangement in terms of the kitchen’s working triangle. Otherwise, cook tops with a canopy over the island can form a stunning focal point to the kitchen.