Recently, an article on theglobeandmail.com caught the attention of our kitchen designers. In 5 ways to streamline your kitchen, writer Dave McGinn offers some practical advice on how to make your kitchen more functional without sacrificing style.
While homeowners often remodel their kitchens to improve the overall look of the space, increasing a kitchen’s functionality can be just as rewarding.
McGinn suggests purging the items you don’t use very often and removing them from the countertop or kitchen cupboard so you can make room for the items you do use every day.
“Even before renovating my own kitchen, the ‘great purge’ began,” says Monarch designer Marion Cuddie. “It amazed me how much space was freed up simply by discarding or storing items that were
not used on a regular basis.”
Look to all areas of the kitchen when purging. This includes stripping magnets, to-do lists, school calendars and pictures off your fridge door. Instead, try setting up a separate area for your messaging. A cluttered fridge door makes the space look untidy.
Once you’re done purging, consider how you can organize the space better. If you’re tearing down your existing kitchen, your kitchen designer will help you plan your “work triangle.” The work triangle operates on the theory that the majority of the work we do in a kitchen takes place between the stove/cook top, sink and refrigerator. The imaginary lines between these three points make up the work triangle. A carefully designed, efficient kitchen plan will ensure these three elements are close (but not too close) to each other.
Finally, the key to working – and enjoying – your new kitchen design is finding the tools you need quickly and with little effort. McGinn points to the Pinterest-trending use of pegboards in kitchens for smaller items like measuring cups and commonly used tools such as scrapers, ladles and spatulas. For bigger items like mixing bowls, pots, storage containers and food, large pull-out drawers ensure nothing gets forgotten at the back of the cupboard.
“Whether you are planning to renovate or not, these tips are useful and a great starting point to getting a kitchen that works for you,” says Marion.
