Make Room for the Perfect Kitchen
by Charity Shumway

You don't need a ton of space to have the perfect kitchen. Whether you??ve got a lot of room or a little or whether you??re building a new kitchen or undertaking a kitchen makeover, efficiency and comfort in your kitchen comes down to smart design. Let these three kitchen design tips help you lay out the perfect kitchen floor plan for your home.

Tip #1 ?? For the Best Kitchen Designs, Think Triangular
Inadequate storage and workspace is one of the most common problems homeowners considering kitchen makeovers want to solve. But before you start adding cabinets and countertops here, there, and everywhere, stop and think about workflow. Kitchens have three main centers of activity: the sink, the refrigerator, and the stove. Smart kitchen designs start with smart arrangements of this triangle. Goal number for your kitchen remodel is to make sure none of these important areas lie outside the triangle. Miles of countertop between your sink and your stove won't serve you well, but proximity of sink, fridge, and stove will.

Tip #2 ?? The Best Kitchen Floor Plans Factor in Traffic
Do you want your kitchen to be part of your entertaining and gathering space, or do you want it to be a quiet workspace? Kitchen designs that incorporate islands and are open to adjacent spaces are great for entertaining, as are U-shaped kitchen designs with counters, not upper cabinets, facing the adjacent room. Galley and L-shaped kitchen floor plans are typically best for kitchens that aren??t heavy traffic areas.

Tip #3 ?? The Best Kitchen Designs Have Carefully-Considered Storage Plans
Before your kitchen makeover turns into a quest for space at all costs, consider your storage needs and wants. Which small appliances do you use enough to warrant full-time countertop storage? Which need to be close-at-hand in the nearest cabinets? Which can be tucked away and pulled out only occasionally? Ask the same questions for everything from dishes to food. Let the answers guide your kitchen storage designs. You may end up finding the best solution is to turn a coat closet into a pantry, not to add a bank of cupboards.

Whether yours is a kitchen makeover project or a from-scratch design, the right kitchen floor plan starts with these three kitchen design considerations.

About the Author
Charity Shumway is a freelance writer and teaches writing at Oregon State University.