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Planning your new kitchen Our four style personalities each have different planning requirements for their kitchen. In this section of Living Worlds, we outline these differences then proceed to the solutions: clever ways with storage, ways to provide ergonomic ease and smart cabinetry and waste management systems to create a kitchen that really cooks! 59
Modern For the modern person the most important thing about a kitchen is how it looks. That s not to say it s not an efficient workspace too, but given that it s likely to be part of an apartment s open plan living room, it needs to work as a piece of built-in furniture as well as a working kitchen. This also means planning is - by necessity - very tight and appliances are integrated into the joinery. The fridge, microwave and dishwasher are hidden behind joinery panels. No unpaid bills or kid s drawings pinned with magnets to the fridge door for this set. The only visible appliance is the stainless steel oven. It doesn t see much action, but the modern person likes to know they have the very best available when it s needed. Modern cooks likely have a small, but impressive, culinary repertoire (and aren t afraid to experiment). They eat out often, grab takeaway on the way home from the office a couple of times per week, but they also like to occasionally impress close friends with their prowess over a pan - which is also a shared experience. Everyone gathers around the island bench (which doubles as cocktail bar and dining table). Someone chops and peels. Someone makes a salad. Someone pours the drinks. Space and storage is stretched to its absolute maximum potential. A tall, full-extension pantry slides silently out and away. Plates are to hand and stored in deep drawers. The kitchen works, it impresses and then it disappears until next it s needed in a hectic urban existence. 60
Classic People of a classic nature have a kitchen that reflects their feel for enduring quality. Classic people plan their kitchen with all their cooking rituals firmly in mind. They are creatures of habit. They understand the need to keep the distances short between food storage and preparation areas. They also understand the need for plenty of storage (and they need more than most). Their pantry, for instance, is necessarily large because they love to keep bulk quantities of items they use most. Not happy shoppers by nature, they d much rather buy quality goods in quantity - and at a better price - than have to stock up regularly. Their choices have been honed over years by trial and error. Similarly they need plenty of storage for their multitude of pots and pans. Each pan and each pot - and each piece of kitchen paraphernalia - is only of the best quality and has been bought with its specific use in mind. They own more Le Creuset than anybody you ve ever known. Everything has a place and everything is in its place for smooth, efficient cooking. That s not to say that classic people aren t experimental in the kitchen but they do like to perfect a dish before they ll try it on anyone else. There s nothing fussy about a classic person s kitchen - or overtly innovative. They are by nature initially suspicious of innovation, but as soon as they can see the practical benefit of a new idea (and accept it works beyond all doubt) they are happy to adopt it into their lives and their kitchens. 61
Calm The calm person s decisions are considered and weighed carefully. Order is important to create the desired feeling of peace and tranquillity in the home environment. For the design of their kitchen, the calm person will favour clean lines and understated yet luxurious finishes. The feel of how their kitchen functions will be of great importance: drawers that glide open at the touch of a fingertip and cupboards that swing out smoothly and silently will give them a daily, yet subliminal, feeling of pleasure. There must be a place for everything and everything in its place: space for large items such as a wok and storage for an exotic array of spices, condiments and sauces will be essential. Their kitchen will be open plan but beautiful to look at with functional items such as the fridge, dishwasher and oven hidden from view from the dining area. Even the taps must be items of beauty rather than pure function. Yet careful attention will be paid to ergonomics and the placement of the work triangle of sink, fridge and cooktop for maximum efficiency. Because they favour Asian cuisine with its quick cooking methods, the calm person needs adequate bench space for pre-preparation of all ingredients so everything is ready to hand. If both food preparation and cooktop face the dining area (perhaps on an island bench with a low wall on the dining side to hide any mess from view) they can chat to guests while chopping, slicing and stir-frying. When entertaining, the mood is informal yet beautifully presented, with a silken tablerunner, tealights in coloured glass votives, fine Asian ceramic dinnerware and soft linen napkins setting the mood for the exotic fare to be served and savoured. 62
Natural For the natural person, the kitchen is the heart of the home. More than just a place to prepare food it is mission control centre meets family hub, with space for kids to do their homework, friends to gather for coffee and a chat, weekly menus to be planned, bills to be paid and paperwork to be done. In the natural kitchen storage is paramount, as is plenty of bench space for food preparation and serving meals. The look and ambience is relaxed and friendly but must also be efficient especially on weekday mornings as harassed parents prepare for work while cajoling children to get ready for school in time. Pot drawers and herb storage, pull-out pantries and an effective waste management system for recycling will be must-haves. However, the natural person may not be an avid reader of glossy design magazines and may not be aware such accoutrements for the modern kitchen are available. They will value guidance on this as much as on suitable finishes and appliances, which should be child-friendly, low-maintenance and durable. Stainless steel benchtops and appliances may have appeal for their hygienic value but small, sticky fingers will be continually ruining the streamlined effect. For family life, another necessity will be an easily accessed appliance cupboard with electrical outlets, in which to store the microwave, toaster, electric jug, juice extractor, mixmaster, breadmaker and ice-cream maker as well as the children s snackmaker and milkshake machine. The natural person likes to be surrounded by objects of familiarity and meaning rather than hiding everything away, so some open shelving or clear glass fronted cabinetry will allow them to proudly display Grandma s china collection, cookbooks or rustic Provencal jugs and bowls. 63