PRAGMATIC | design — 5 Kitchen Tips

The Foundation for the 21st Century Souls

Regardless of our status, single, married, housewife, professional, retired, our time matters. As precious as life could be, the way we decide to spend our time and the choices we make count.

“D, don’t get frustrated, you know the painful consequences stress has on your body.” - I heard this morning.

Yes! Frustration got me here writing about such a powerful tool and human virtue called design, which can be sometimes wasted when implemented badly. I never thought, and still don’t think, I have the ability to write properly, nor entertaintly, but letting these frustrations out can make some changes in some lives’ for good, therefore, no shame here.

Let's start with a background and this goes for #developers #landlords, #building-associations, #city-departments, #designer and #product-designers, #home-owners and you!

I’m a former architect-designer (commercial and residential). In my opinion, offering humans a living unit, does not necessarily have to be a dark box with some punched holes on it, prised based on zoning, and equipped with the cheapest options ever at its assumed standards. A living unit means a life-time gastropod shell where a human being grows emotionally, spiritually, mentally, and even professionally if you are lucky enough now to work from the comfort of your home.

Many of us live in rentals, bought a property already finished, are planning to purchase one in pre-construction, whatever the case may be, quality, efficiency, and comfort are barely the primary goal of developers and building associations. Main target => profit. However, at any budget, design decisions matter and can make a difference in people's life.

One decision at the time, with big outcomes at #home: Make sure you consider the current life-style, the fast and the furious most of us experience. Think of the best options (no necessarily the more expensive ones) that will offer you quality of life and more time for yourself and your family.

Tip #1 : Faucet

1. Make sure you choose a minimal design faucet, easy to clean.
2. The highest it goes, the better when washing veggies, big pots, filling up vases.
3. Based on your use, the faucet may as well have an extension.
4. Having one temperature handle makes it easier to reach the desired temperature quickly with one hand, specially when cooking and hands are busy.
5. Finishing material: Try matching other metal accessories in your kitchen, such as lamps, drawer handles, metal shelves to bring balance in the design as a whole. Balance and harmony are imperative for the peace of mind,- sense of comfort.
6. If you opt for an elegant, long black faucet, try a light color background and/or countertop, unless the intention is to camouflage the faucet.

Tip #2 : Layout

An efficient layout for a kitchen tells the story:

1. We take the ingredients from the fridge or storage and place them on the counter.
2. We wash them (if not previously washed), chop them, mix them, etc.
3. We cook them
4. We serve them
5. If you have a big window or a nice view from your kitchen, that’s where you want to be facing at most of you cooking journey and eating time. This is where a kitchen island, an extension of the kitchen counter, or a well planned kitchen can make the difference.

Tip #3 : Cabinet Doors | Handles

1. Flat doors (without ornaments) are easy and less time consuming when cleaning.
2. Opening System: if you cook often, push-pull system can be easily damaged over time; however, there are doors with integrated handles at the top and bottom for pulling it manually (minimal).
3. A matt surface shows less fingerprints due to low reflection.
4. Slender long doors all the way to the ceiling make the space looks higher. If the surfaces with patterns are preferred, in this case, vertical patterns are better options than horizontals.
5. In small kitchen, light colors will always make the place look bigger and brighter.

Tip #4 : Floor

One thing I remember and appreciate from my parents cleanliness obsession were our kitchen and bathroom floors (they had hidden drainages under the tiles).

1. Kitchen floors are exposed to a lot of organic components, fett, sweets and sticky substances. In addition, it is usually the most crowded area of the house during home parties. A surface able to be well washed is crucial. If well planned, from a construction starting point, having a drainage (covered with a removable tile) would be my personal choice.
2. Having the kitchen cabinets sit directly on a concrete underlayment prevents water/dirt to run under and be accumulated over time.
3. Checkered floors can make our homes look quite sophisticated, or very cheap, nothing in between. The materials and colors of the surrounding, and the amount of light entering the place create different impressions.

Tip #5 : Containers

Thinking of storage before purchasing can also be a time saving decision for the daily basis.

1. When buying bowls, a set of stackable save space.
2. Lids are fundamental to save leftovers directly into the fridge.
3. With today’s technology, any amazing design and style can be found dishwasher safe,- a big win for busy, pragmatic people, and/or lazy people like me.

Do not become a household slave, regardless of your status, single, married, housewife, professional, retired, make things work to your advantage, and not the other way around. Enjoy life! Choose to be happy at every possible step!