How to plan a place for kitchen furniture and appliances

Press profile homify Press profile homify
homify Moderne Küchen
Loading admin actions …

When designing and planning a new kitchen, one of the most important factors you will have to consider is the placement and situation of your appliances. The kitchen is undoubtedly one of the most important places within your abode, and hosts many different activities. Cooking, eating, drinking, cleaning, and socialising all occur in the kitchen, and require a space that is visually appealing, efficient, as well as functional.  

Many mistakes are made during the appliance placement stage of a new kitchen, and this can have a hugely detrimental effect on the final result of your cooking space. Luckily homify is here to help! Today we are taking a look at where to locate your main appliances and how to put them together in a cohesive fashion to produce a versatile and practical space. Check out the following gorgeous examples of stylish kitchens below and get inspired to plan and refurbish your space with confidence.

Know your space

First things first you are going to want to consider the space you are working with. There is no point planning an elaborate range of kitchen appliances and furniture if you don’t actually have anywhere for them to go! The best way to go about this is to draw a rough sketch of the floorplan of the room taking particular note of the windows, doors, arches, and openings. This will be particularly important when you choose a location for certain appliances as many need to be against a wall rather than a window. In addition, many designers work with a term called the work triangle. 

This basically means that in your design you need to ensure a connection between the three main work areas in the cooking space – the fridge, the cooker (stove and oven), and the sink. There are specific distances that are considered ideal, and sticking to these is deemed to create a model cooking environment. However, the work triangle isn’t the be all and end all – it can be adjusted to suit your needs. Write down a list of essential requirements for your kitchen and ensure your floorplan drawing includes all of the relevant necessities.

Kitchen island, or no kitchen island?

A kitchen island can work wonders for a cooking space, not only does it provide additional bench space for preparation of food, it can also house an informal dining area. These days there are numerous designs and styles, with the opportunities really only limited by your imagination. 

Consider the benefits of an island in your space and look at the room you have to play with. Can you fit a kitchen island? And secondly, do you need a kitchen island? All of these things are important to ponder before deciding on a final kitchen furniture and joinery plan. If you need some assistance consider chatting to an expert to get some great ideas and a thoughtful kitchen plan.

The oven

Ovens are often located under or next to cooktops, and if you have a range cooker or stove this will be decided for you as the oven sits underneath the range. A range cooker is often the standout feature within your cooking space, and therefore should sit in a place central to the rest of the room. Consider where you gas outlet is if you are utilising natural gas, and ensure you have enough wall space to house the size of oven you are aiming to install. If you are looking at installing a pair of ovens, or a set of cookers you will need to make sure you have enough room to open their doors, and that they don’t impede the flow or layout of your design.

Ovens can be situated under-bench or in the wall, each has its pros and cons, and will suit different styles of kitchen. Under-bench ovens avoid taking up work and prep space, but can be annoying if you have to continually bend over to collect your cooked food. Wall ovens are popular as they can be stacked above or next to each other if you decide to have more than one. They will however cause you to lose storage space, but provide a far more ergonomically friendly solution.

The dishwasher

homify Moderne Küchen

The dishwasher is best located next to your sink to allow plates to be rinsed and put away to be cleaned. Additionally, this will save you a difficult plumbing job as all water will be situated in the same convenient place. It would be extremely rare for a kitchen design to include the dishwasher away from the sink, and could cause a problematic and inconvenient layout.

Ideal location for the sink

homify Moderne Küchen

When it comes to the sink most people opt for a space near the window. This is generally because it gives one something to look out of while cleaning dishes and washing up. However, with the advent of dishwashers, this isn’t an essential and we see sinks placed in many different areas of the kitchen. If you are creating a family friendly home, you might want to include your sink looking out over the open plan living room. This will allow you to keep an eye on children playing, and will create an inclusive space for anyone who is using the kitchen. 

Essentially you need to consider where you want to look while you are at the sink. If you use it frequently, ensure you give yourself something other than a wall, but conversely, you may want to save your kitchen island space for informal dining or as a socialising area. Remember you will also have to consider where your plumbing sits. If you are on a budget and don’t want to have to re-plumb the room, try to plan around the existing utilities.

Where should I situate my fridge?

Bright, clean, contemporary homify Moderne Küchen

The fridge is probably one of the most popular appliances in your home. Housing all of the food, it is the go-to location for kids when they finish school, and the first place you look when you want a snack. For this reason it needs to be located in a smart position. It is also one of the largest appliances, so can be difficult to fit it into the overall design.

Consider placing the fridge away from direct sunlight, as this can cause it to heat up during sunny or hot days. It should also be placed away from the cooker, but still within close reach to get food while you are cooking. Additionally, and most importantly, you need to ensure there is enough room between the fridge and the parallel worktop to allow the door to comfortably open.

The cooktop

Other than the fridge, the cooktop or stovetop is your most commonly used appliance. It is rare to see the cooktop located under a window, although it is technically possible. Due to the large amount of splatters and spills that occur while cooking, it is often prudent to locate your stove or cook top in an easy clean area, possibly away from windows. 

Look at where your utilities are located, and pick a space that will work well with your fridge and sink. Cook tops in kitchen islands are becoming more popular, although they will require a good exhaust fan to ensure food smells don’t drift throughout the living areas.

Thinking about storage

Finally, it is extremely important to think about your storage. Storage is the key to a functioning kitchen and will help you to achieve a minimal aesthetic. Without adequate storage your kitchen can easily become a messy and chaotic space. Take every opportunity to include extra storage in the form of cabinets, cupboards, and drawers. Additionally, look at disused nooks that might be able to function as extra storage space. Perhaps the awkward area above the fridge could house your rarely used appliances, or even a wine rack.

Hopefully this Ideabook provided you with some handy tips to help you decide the location and situation of your kitchen appliances and furniture. If you want to continue reading, check out: 6 Modern Kitchen Must-Haves

Benötigen Sie Hilfe mit einem Projekt?
Beschreiben Sie Ihr Projekt und wir finden den richtigen Experten für Sie!

Highlights aus unserem Magazin