The kitchen is the main room in your house which needs to be planned for functionality. Kitchens provide many functions such as meal preparation, food storage, kitchenware storage, and in some cases, serving food.

The kitchen is more than just a room, it is a family gathering place. If you are one of the many people with limited kitchen space, planning is even more vitally important.

Regardless of whether you are doing the work yourself or using a contractor, the first step in remodeling your small kitchen is deciding on the floorplan.

Planning Your Small Kitchen for Function

The three basic tasks in a kitchen are food preparation, storage and cleanup. Planning around these tasks can make your life easier when your kitchen is completed.

One floor plan revolves around the triangle concept, with the triangle consisting of three elements of the refrigerator, stove and sink. Since these are the most used areas of the kitchen, access to each area should be relatively easy.

Planning for Multiple Chefs

An alternative small kitchen floor plan consists of creating more than one work center area. The key is to create areas where a second person can work easily without interfering with the first person’s space. An area such as an island or free standing cutting block is one idea. Consider having counterspace on either side of the sink area to enable separate counter areas which both have easy access to the sink.

An island is a versatile space which can be used for many purposes. Including a secondary sink in your island can provide a complete workspace for a second person working in the kitchen. Some islands even go as far as to have an extra range to cook on. Plan your island around your unique cooking situation.

When remodelling your small kitchen, a little thought can go a long way in making your workspace an enjoyable and productive area.