First of all- I hope you all had a wonderful Labor Day weekend. It sort of signals the end of summer no matter what the weather. Everyone begins to focus on fall activities and holidays. Happy New Year to all my Jewish friends and family! We start to think about spending more time indoors- perfect timing for creating that dream kitchen!
In part 1 we discussed thinking about how everything in the kitchen works together and assessing what doesn’t work and why. Today we’ll look at what you do in the kitchen, how you do it, and we’ll make some lists.
First, let’s look at kitchen activities. In your kitchen, do you:
- Socialize? Does everyone usually end up in your kitchen?
- Cook frequently or infrequently?
- Is there generally one cook or does more than one person share cooking tasks? Do you cook together or take turns?
- Use the computer- to look up recipies, or just in general?
- Watch TV?
- Have an eating area, or do you go elsewhere to eat?
- Have to keep cell phone chargers?
- Pay bills, or do other desk work?
Now let’s think about how you cook.
- Do you use your microwave often?
- Do you cook more frequently on your range/cooktop?
- Do you bake or broil often?
- Do you use a steamer?
- Do you often cook for a crowd, or for small groups?
- Do you have caterers bring in food, or do you prepare the food yourself and just have serving help?
Now for the lists (the fun stuff!) First list; all the must-haves.
- Fridge (obviously)
- cooktop or range
- sink
- garbage disposal
- trash storage
- oven(s)
- microwave
- you get the idea!
Next list; your dream kichen would have….
- steamer?
- warming drawer?
- wine cooler?
- wine storage?
- larger refrigerator?
- more than one oven?
- more than one dishwasher?
- a second sink?
- this is the time to dream big! What would you really enjoy using or what would make your preparation easier? Put it down! If you know what you’d like, you can find ways to fit them in.
The more you think about the possibilities, and what you’d really like to have, the better- remember you don’t remodel your kitchen often so it’s best to do a lot of planning beforehand. If I were planning a new kitchen today I would look into induction cooking, and would choose a French-door refrigerator. What are your dreams for your kitchen?
