These days, the kitchen is much more than a simple area for food prep. It's where we socialise, cook together and relax, so it needs to be somewhere that we feel good. Considering your kitchen’s ergonomics will not only help with aesthetics, but make sure it’s a practical space that facilitates your everyday life.
We’ve got some kitchen design tips to share on how to create a comfortable, practical kitchen that will no doubt become your favourite room in the house.
Kitchen Design Advice 01: Design with function in mind
A functional kitchen design should prioritise fluid and intuitive movement. Make sure to optimise the 'activity triangle', which is made up of the cooking, washing-up and storage areas. Optimising this triangle of movement will reduce to-ing and fro-ing and make everyday tasks more efficient. It’s also useful to keep each zone - prep, cooking and storage - well-defined and easily accessible.
Kitchen Design Advice 02: Opt for intelligent storage solutions
Our next kitchen design tip is to invest in storage solutions that maximise space, such as our retractable units or plinth drawers, which utilise the area at the bottom of the base unit. Another option would be our drawer organisers, which range from cutlery holders to spice compartments, and make seeing and accessing the content of your drawers really quick and easy.
Kitchen Design Advice 03: Prioritise comfort and security
Your kitchen should be a space where you feel at ease, and an ergonomic kitchen design is key for this to be the case. Selecting an appropriate kitchen worktop height for you will help you feel comfortable whilst cooking and avoid any aches and pains from constantly hunching over. At eba, we offer our base units in several different heights so that they can be adapted to you.
We also offer our base unit drawers in five different depths and twelve different lengths so that they can be easily customised to suit your space.
Kitchen Design Advice 04: Build electronic appliances into your units
Building in electronic appliances to your units at standing height is a great functional kitchen design tip. Not only are they easier to use, but look sleek and sophisticated in your kitchen. For those of you going for a minimalist aesthetic, appliances could also be built into retractable units and easily hidden behind sliding doors.
Kitchen Design Advice 05: Be intelligent with light
Lighting plays a crucial role in determining how functional your kitchen is, which is why our next piece of kitchen advice is to prioritise natural light as much as possible. Wherever you can, tweak your kitchen’s layout so that it opens up to the outdoors.
Pairing natural light with well-distributed artificial lighting, such as our LED lighting systems mounted underneath wall units, will prevent there from being any darker areas and make food prep easier. At eba we also offer lighting systems for unit interiors.
Kitchen Design Advice 06: Think about your personal needs
Everyone has different needs and preferences when it comes to kitchens, so personalise your space according to your own lifestyle. If you're a coffee connoisseur, create a dedicated coffee corner with a built-in espresso machine. If you love baking, design your kitchen to have a spacious worktop where you can roll out your pastry without obstructions.
Kitchen Design Advice 07: Keep it simple
For our final ergonomic kitchen design tip, we recommend trying to avoid overfilling your kitchen with things that aren't 100% useful. Favouring minimalism, refined lines, durable materials and soothing colours will create a relaxing environment that's enjoyable to live in.
By following these simple design tips, you can come up with a functional kitchen design that meets all your needs. With a bit of careful planning and attention to detail, your kitchen can be a space that's a delight to cook, socialise and relax in. Keep ergonomics in mind, but also remember that the goal is to create a space that suits your lifestyle and personality.
If you'd like some support in creating your dream kitchen, arrange a meeting with us now.
