Kitchen Remodels

Design

A well-planned kitchen design is based on proper arrangement of individual centers, passageways, and work aisles to accommodate all of the equipment, foodstuffs, and activities anticipated in each area.

Kitchens in the past were planned on the basis of three primary centers: the refrigerator/mix area; a sink/dishwasher area; and a range/cooking area. Kitchens today have more appliances and more work centers. Many kitchens have a second sink. A separate cooktop with a ventilation system, a microwave unit, and a built-in conventional or convection oven are often specified.

Functionality

A kitchen with less than 150 square feet should have a minimum of 120” of drawer or roll-out shelf frontage. Larger kitchens should have at least 165” of drawer or roll-out shelf frontage. These drawers and roll-outs are normally a part of the base cabinets included in the base-cabinet frontage requirements.

At least five storage items should be included in the kitchen to improve the accessibility and functionality of the kitchen. These items include, but are not limited to: interior vertical dividers, specialized drawers, built-in bins or racks, swing-out pantries or drawer/roll-out shelves in excess of the amount required. For kitchens with usable corner areas in the plan, at least one functional corner storage unit must be included.

Work Center

The kitchen contains four primary work centers: the sink, the refrigerator, the cooktop/range, and the food preparation or mix center. Secondary work centers might include the microwave or the secondary sink. These centers contain the appliance and the necessary counter space to use it. For work to be accomplished efficiently, their arrangement should be such that the common food preparation and clean-up activities flow from one to another. If two such centers are located adjacent to each other, the proper counter frontage requirement is to take the longer of the two counters and add 12”.

No two primary work centers (the primary sink, refrigerator, preparation, or cooktop/range center) should be separated by a full-height, full-depth tall tower, such as an oven cabinet, pantry cabinet, or refrigerator.

Food Preparation Center

The food preparation center should be well lit and comfortable. At least 36” of continuous countertop should be provided for the food preparation center. It should be immediately adjacent to a water source. The preparation center logically can be placed between the primary sink and the cooking surface, between the refrigerator and the primary sink, or adjacent to a secondary sink on an island or other cabinet section. If more than one person works in the kitchen, each will require a 36” preparation center of his or her own. If two people will stand adjacent to each other, 72” of counter space should be allowed. Two people should never have to work at right angles to one another with their backs to each other.

Safety

In addition to space planning for appliances and activities, there are a number of considerations in the area of safety and convenience.

All major appliances used for surface cooking should have a ventilation system. NKBA recommends a minimum of 150 CFM and IRC requires a minimum of 100 CFM. However, with many of the high performance cooktops and ranges being installed today, fans rated at a minimum of 300 CFM may be required with downdraft systems requiring even larger fans. Ventless fans cannot remove heat or moisture and are to be avoided.

At least two waste receptacles should be included in the plan; one for garbage and one for recyclables, or other recycling facilities should be planned.

Ground fault circuit interrupters must be specified on all receptacles serving a counter surface. A fire extinguisher should be located across from the cooktop. Smoke alarms should be included near the kitchen.

Courtesy of NARI CKBR education program

Custom cabinets often separate the good from the great. Functionality, usability, and craftsmanship make custom cabinets a clear choice for any upscale remodeling project.

When it comes to cabinets there are huge differences in quality and features.  Wood species, construction styles, trim packages, functionality, and hardware are only a few of the many things to consider when choosing your cabinet package.  Any good cabinet project starts with a great design.  Seeing your cabinets before they go into production eliminates much of the confusion associated with  custom cabinet purchasing.

When clients choose C&K for their remodeling project we bring our reputation for design, craftsmanship,  and excellence to every project.  Good design and layout reduces problems and increases functionality as well as the overall remodeling experience.

Don’t leave your house to just anyone.  Let us turn the house you have into the home you love.

Safety is a primary consideration for the placement of the range/cooktop. There should be 24” of clearance between the cooking surface and a protected surface above, or 30” to an unprotected surface. A microwave hood combination appliance may be lower than the 24” dimension as dictated by the manufacturer’s specifications. The back of the cooking surface also should be protected with a flame retardant backsplash or by a countertop extension in the case of a peninsula or island location. The cooking surface must not be placed below an operable window.

For an open-ended kitchen configuration, at least 9” of counter space is required on one side of the cooking surface top and 15” on the other.

When the cooking surface top is located near an end wall or tall cabinet, at least 9” of clearance is required between the cooking surface and the wall or tall cabinet. The cooktop can be as close as 3” to a wall if it is protected with a flame-retardant surfacing, although it is not recommended to get this close, and 15” has been allowed on the other side of the cooking surface.

Ovens that are separate from the cooktop require additional space. There must be at least 15” of landing space next to or above the oven if the oven door opens into a primary traffic pattern. A 15” landing space, which is no more than 48” across from the oven, is acceptable if the oven door does not open into a traffic area.

For a kitchen with a microwave, at least 15” of landing space should be provided above, below, or adjacent to the microwave unit. Locate the microwave oven after considering the user’s height and abilities. The ideal location for the bottom of the microwave is 3” below the principle user’s shoulder but not more than 54” above the floor.

Courtesy of NARI CKBR education program

Refrigerators are available in a number of styles and sizes. With advances in technology, the placement of refrigerator/freezer systems allows more flexibility for the designer and challenges for the installer. The selection of the refrigerator must be completed before the cabinets are ordered to ensure proper cabinet selection and placement.

Most refrigerators will require a minimum space of between 1 and 2 inches above them to allow for proper compressor ventilation. In addition, the bottoms of these units need to be kept free of obstructions as airflow restrictions can severely reduce the life of the refrigerator.

As a general rule, separate refrigerator-freezer combinations take more space than a combo. Also the cost of the equipment and installation is significantly higher for the separate units.

Commercial-like equipment has see-through doors and typically requires a separate freezer unit. These provide a modern look to a kitchen, but the homeowner must ensure the refrigerator is kept neat and clean or the whole kitchen will look unkempt.

Side-by-side refrigerator/freezers have become very popular. Many have water and/or ice dispensers built-in on the door. If the homeowner intends to use a refrigerator with one of these built-in dispensers be sure to plumb a water supply to a location near the refrigerator.

Side-by-sides will also reduce the amount of door projection into the kitchen, but the doors tend to block access to the counter tops on both sides of the refrigerator. On smaller side-by-side models, the freezer compartment may be very narrow and larger items like large turkeys, roasts, or pies may not fit easily.

Built-in refrigerators are becoming more available. The units are typically 24” deep and tend to be much wider than standard depth refrigerators in order to hold a comparable size food load. The up-side to these units is that panels can be installed that enable the refrigerator to match the cabinets of the kitchen. The price of built-in refrigerators is typically higher than a comparable standard unit, but using built-ins can have a dramatic impact on the kitchen.

Modular units have appeared on the market recently and enable refrigerators to be placed next to the location where their contents will be used. The use of modular refrigerators must be included at the design phase. When installing these units, be sure to note all clearances and safety precautions listed in the manufacturer’s installation instructions.

The cabinet above a refrigerator should be 24” deep to optimize the storage space usage. Refrigerators that support the use of wood panel inserts require that you exercise care when matching the inserts to the cabinet panel. If the color or grain do not match, it can cause a distraction. It is also recommended that you measure the physical unit before ordering panels – manufacturer’s instructions are generally “clear as mud.”

The refrigerator should be placed so that there is adequate space for loading and unloading and so that it does not interfere with traffic patterns through the kitchen. The plan should allow at least 15” of clear counter space on the latch side of the refrigerator or on either side of a side-by-side refrigerator. An alternative is to provide at least 15” of landing space, which is no more than 48” across from the refrigerator. A kitchen with a side-by- side refrigerator should be designed so the countertop is readily accessible to the fresh food section. For convenience, when there is room for only one appliance adjacent to a countertop, the refrigerator should be the appliance.

Courtesy of NARI CKBR education program

Clients will fall into two categories when it comes to their need for trash compactors. Either they must have one and feel they can’t live without it, or they don’t want one anywhere near their house. The draw of trash compactors is that they reduce the bulk of non-food kitchen waste generated by the family. This can be useful in locations where trash disposal is costly, difficult, or based on volume. However, as more and more communities implement recycling programs, the trash compactor’s use may decline because it will only be used with non-food items, typically recyclable items.

Residential compactors come with 1⁄2- to 3⁄4-hp motors that require 120V power. The more expensive models have odor and sound control devices included. The best place to locate a compactor is between the sink and refrigerator or close to any recycling bins. As with all appliances where the doors open into the walkway, always ensure clear access and minimize traffic conflicts.

Courtesy of NARI CKBR education program