Kitchen furniture: design and functionality

 

When creating modern kitchen furniture one can get many advices and suggestions and it gets really complicated to decide what is really necessary and what is not that important. All the people are different and unique and therefore there cannot be the “right” choice that would suite everyone. Modern kitchen furniture is created for an individual in order to mach his character, habits and taste.

Some people use kitchen only for breakfast or coffee drinking and some spend the whole day communicated and even working in the kitchen. Therefore it is important to decide how significant is food cooking. Creative chef will definitely use wide work surfaces and complex equipment; if this chef is also inclined to have fun, work surfaces could be joined with eating and snacking zones. Kitchen is not only cooking and work but one of the finest details of modern interior, which imparts home individual style and cosines and also reflects the status of its owners.

In our modern world where words “modern”, “style”, “design” is inseparable part of our life, kitchen becomes more and more sophisticated. More intricate and fancy equipment and materials are used to make life easier and the time spent in the kitchen much more enjoyable.

Kitchen functionality is very important criterion for the modern kitchen. Of course, the main function of the kitchen is food cooking, storage of foodstuffs and other equipment used for eating. Indeed, storage of the things should become refined, functional and reflect the general kitchen design. One of the most important things when designing the kitchen is whether kitchen and dining rooms are joined or separated. Both versions offer many design and functionality possibilities. Joined rooms provide flexible solutions for general home design, separated rooms provide the possibility to use the dining room as a work room or document storage. Another important detail is table as it is usually a centre of the kitchen and it can be both extended work surface, island or wall bar. Another detail worth speaking about is lighting as it can create desired atmosphere and is very important for food preparing and cooking. As we can see, all details matter, and further we will talk about kitchen planning and zone dividing.

Kitchen planning and zone dividing

There should be enough space and comfort in the kitchen for working. Since XIX century it is researched how works and moving in the kitchen could be optimised. “Frankfurt kitchen” is a design concept created in 1926 and it is meant for optimise work and shorten the moving distances in the kitchen. So called “work triangle” was discovered in the sixties and it describes logical relation among paths connecting main kitchen zones (cleanup, cooking, and food storage)(The Work Triangle). Successful kitchen planning starts with the layout of zones. Presently there are distinguished 5 main kitchen zones:

Product storage zone
In this zone there are kept such necessary products as canned foods, rice, grains, pasta and also frozen foodstuffs.

Utensils keeping zone
In this zone there are kept utensils, glasses, etc.

Cleanup zone
There are trash boxes in this zone, as well various cleaning materials, detergents, etc, also sink and dishwasher.

Food preparing zone
This zone is the main in the kitchen. There are many food preparing works done in this place. Kitchen utensils, cutting plates, knives as well spices and may other things should be kept as near as possible to this zone.

Cooking zone
There are stove, oven, microwave, cooker-hood in this zone, as well pots and pans are kept.


Distribution and adjusting of these five zones for certain personal needs is one of the most important tasks when creating a modern kitchen. Therefore it is necessary to rethink one’s habits, preferences, lifestyle and the number of people who are going to use this kitchen. Think about what you like and dislike most in your present kitchen. We offer few steps in order to make this process easier:

·    Define your needs for storage space in the kitchen  (pdf)
·    Make sure that the zone order corresponds to your needs (left- or right- handed persons)
·    Make sure that there is sufficient storage space in each zone
·    Choose drawers with high backs and high closed sides; in this case you will have more useful storage space; use separators in the drawers to ensure order
·    Avoid shelves in lower cabinets. Use drawers and pullout systems
·    Choose working surface and built-in equipment according to your height

Built-in equipment is inseparable part of modern kitchen. It provides kitchen with uniformity and perfection.

Most famous modern kitchen furniture manufacturers you will find in these links:

Italian Kitchen Design
Naujoji virtuvės koncepcija

Therefore before starting to plan the kitchen, you should review catalogues and pictures, select your style (combinations of colours and materials, design) and then find good designer who could transfer your vision to the kitchen model in the computer. We are certain that our services are very high quality and we will make your dream kitchen come true.