These 4 things are cooking, washing, preparation and storage. These generally are the four main activities that will occur in your kitchen, apart from laughing and talking. It is extremely important that you think about how these are handled in your current kitchen and what your future plans are for cooking, family, eating.
No matter the size of your kitchen these 4 areas are important.
Let's delve a little deeper into each area:
You need to have flat, bare counter space very close to your cooking area, be it your oven or cooktop. This is for the placement of hot food. It is extremely important as you do not want to be carrying or handling hot food over a distance.
The closer and quicker you can place the hot food on a benchtop the better. To complement this you need space for your plates to be close to your hot pans and pots. This way you are not having to hold plates to serve or place food on them.
Also, don't place your pans or pots on the open oven door as this may lead to glass breakage or problems in the future with your oven doors. Oven doors are not designed or manufactured to be used as a serving dish. By doing this you may void the warranty of your appliances.
Do not forget your microwave oven. You will need to have this close to a bench because you have hot or warm food to be removed from your microwave oven.
The sink and the dishwasher need to be close, just like good friends.
One compliments the other. You can quickly and easily rinse your dishes in the sink and then place in the dishwasher. It will also help with any plumbing when you are designing your kitchen.
You do not want to have water and waste disposal pipes running all over your kitchen. Keep them close to help with your design and costs.
Place your waste disposal bins close to your sink so that you can easily clean up your food scraps.
The most important aspect of any kitchen is your bench space, you can never have too much.
Ensure you have sufficient space near your sink for your plates, pots, and pans for when you wash up, both before and after, and for when you empty your dishwasher.
Whether you are a master chef or purely a toasted sandwich person then you need to have bench space to handle, prepare and combine all your food ingredients for your meals.
When you have to chop, cut, mix, blend, slice then you need the space.
Also, this area is generally near the sink so you can rinse your food and wash your hands as you continue with your food preparation.
You may consider allowing space for a stand to hold your cookbook or your iPad given the advancement in the internet and various applications.
You always need storage for food, containers, cooking tools, serving dishes, pots, pans, small kitchen appliances, microwave ovens.
It is extremely beneficial if these can all be in close proximity to your preparation area. Remember your refrigerator/freezer are also storage areas and you will need to have bench space close by to ensure quick placement whether pulling out or putting in food.
Also consider storage for cookbooks, wine, food, small kitchen appliances.
There you have it. When designing your new modern kitchen if you have these always in your thoughts and mind then you can't go wrong with a lovely new kitchen.
Talk soon.....
Photo by iAlicante Mediterranean Homes on Unsplash
Photo by Alyson McPhee on Unsplash
Photo by Jeff Sheldon on Unsplash
Comments will be approved before showing up.
Looking for easy kitchen updates for better functionality without renovating? Discover practical ways to improve workflow, storage, lighting, organisation, and hosting comfort so your kitchen feels easier to use, more welcoming, and better suited to everyday life.
Adding more storage doesn’t fix clutter—it often makes it worse. This article explores why your home still feels messy despite organising, and how to reduce clutter by changing habits, layout, and what you choose to keep. Discover a smarter, more intentional way to create a calm, functional home.
Learn where to place mirrors to make a room feel larger and lighter with practical, design-led strategies that improve light, flow, and comfort. Discover how thoughtful mirror placement can transform your space without renovation—and why most mirror styling advice falls short.
