The Modern Kitchen as a Signature Space

The 20th century saw a rapid evolution of the home kitchen—the introduction of electricity, modern appliances and revolutionary materials. Its function has also undergone changes from serving as a place primarily for preparing meals to the highlight of a modern home.

Influenced by a healthy economy, today's kitchen is a showcase space for gourmet foods, the latest appliances and exquisite materials. It's also adaptable—capable of serving as an entertainment space for the weekends and a place to prepare a quick meal during the week. Many kitchens have evolved into an activity hub for other areas of the home, including the family room, great room and dining areas.

With this much attention being paid to one room, homeowners want their kitchens to be distinctive and adaptable, to reflect their personal needs and preferences. They want a signature space. When designing a signature kitchen, you are shaping space to fit those who use it rather than adapting the use to fit an existing space.

Developing a signature space around the homeowner begins in the earliest programming stages. Conduct an in-depth evaluation of how the space is to be used day-by-day and for special occasions. Sit down with the homeowners and talk with them. They may want this to be a space for parties on the weekend and microwave cooking during the week. Maybe they enjoy quiet evenings at home and would rather have a comfortable, casual space. Perhaps they're budding gourmets and want the latest in commercial appliances with convenient places for storage.

What you discover about the user's needs will drive the entire kitchen design. Consider the work flow patterns and think beyond the "work triangle." With a custom design, there is freedom to add convenience features such as a dishwasher positioned in a comfortable location for direct reach into the upper cabinets, extra deep cabinets and drawers for increased storage, and countertops placed higher or lower depending on the height of the homeowner. Also consider the traffic flow of people moving through the space during the different kitchen activities, including entertainment and daily functions.

The storage needs of the family are developed by analyzing their requirements in cabinetry, shelving, drawers, equipment and food storage. Cabinetry can be fit with a variety of convenience hardware pieces: lift-up work surfaces that store appliances while retracted, drawers that hold bins for staple baking ingredients, organizers for easy reference to a spice collection and appliance garages that hold larger appliances for easy access at countertop level.

For appliances, it is important not to be limited to the standards. For instance, a family who actively participates in recycling programs may not need a trash compactor. A smaller