Kitchen Plans and its best Location in the Conducive Home Environment!

It is a room in which meals are prepared ,cooked and served (sometimes) .Other activities that take place in the kitchen are:
•washing of dishes ,scullery
•storage of food
•washing and ironing (laundering) of clothes.
•Knitting and sewing machines
A well planned kitchen should be both convenient and safe to work in a conducive environment. Before attempting to plan a layout ,it's necessary to decide on:
♦activities to be carried out in the kitchen
♦equipments which will be required for these activities .Equipments in a morden kitchen microwave oven ,convertible stove ,cupboards ,dish washer,tumble dryer ,washing machine ,fridge,freezer
It's always possible to plan a completely new kitchen equipment often has to be fitted in around existing doors and windows.Electrical wiring may be difficult to reposition.
The Kitchen should be located near a service door where deliveries are received.It also should be located where there is access to the front door ,bathroom and bedrooms without going through the living areas.Cookie (1994:115)says,morden designers who advises us to place a kitchen to the front of the house so that the housewife can see what is happening outside and leave the back of the house for the bedroom so that sleepers can be undisturbed.
However ,most Zimbabweans, kitchens mostly placed at the back of the house where tradesmen can reach it and at a strategic where dustbins can be removed more easily.
If possible it should be located near children's play area may be observed through the kitchen windows. The kitchen should be adjucent to the dining as well as the receiving doors.If possible a counter pass through to the dining room should be included and make serving more convinient.
Kitchen should be adjucent or same side with bathrooms because it's easy for plumbing ,drainage and septic and soak away tanks.And there should be a good amount of natural light.
Whatever your plan and design of a kitchen ,remember the basic work area of stove ,food storage ,sinks ,fridge all need counter space next to them.These three areas shouldn't be more than 3 metres apart to minimize amount of walking.We'll need 4 metres of counter space ,a back door should provide access to a kitchen yard which could contain the washing line,rubbish bin or vegetable garden and promote good environment to work on.
The door can lead to an area in the garden for outdoor dining .Try to include continous working surfaces at either side of the sink or cooker.The unbroken surface prevents awkward gaps which trap dirt and germs which are difficult to clean.An efficient kitchen has ample storage space .Larger kitchens can have ailment units which may combine cooking areas ,storage units ,work surface and easting zones.
Storage space can be provided in base units fitted work tops ,open shelves and wall cupboards should be designed to suit an average sized person.
The size is to a great extend determined by the number in the family and amount work should be done in the kitchen.Although morden kitchens are on the whole are fairly small .The kitchen can be planned to save time and space.
The kitchen should be on the coolest side of the house .Large surfaces should be in light tone and small objects such as light fittings ,door handles ,cupboards handles and curtains should have brighter tones.