bigcommerce reviews bigcommerce vs shopify shopify themes
Tropical Kitchens

Specializing in custom kitchens & baths, delivered on time & on budget.

  • About
    • Shelter In A Day
    • Terrapeg Furniture
  • Remodeling
    • Kitchen Remodeling
    • Bathroom Remodeling
  • Testimonials
  • Press
  • Home Remodeling Blog
  • Contact

Fort Myers Kitchen Remodeling Tip; Kitchen Flow

4/30/2014

0 Comments

 
Kitchen Remodeling Tip, Tropical Kitchens, Custom Kitchen, Custom Bathroom, Home Remodeling, Custom Cabinets, Bamboo Cabinets, Fort Myers, Cape Coral, Sanibel, Captiva, Frank Schooley, Kitchen remodeling Fort Myers, Fort Myers kitchen remodel, Bathroom remodeling
Fort Myers Kitchen Remodeling Tip; Kitchen Flow

Traffic flow in your kitchen is an important aspect of good kitchen design. You will remember I told you this after you bump rumps with Uncle Harry on your way to the sink. Flow, workability and the well known ‘work triangle’ are all well-known aspects of traffic pattern design.



On the front lines of our kitchen design office, we know that the ‘work triangle’ is more of a buzz word than a practical set of rules. The triangle consists of the sink, range and refrigerator. All kitchens have these three necessary appliances and since all triangles are alike with three angles and three sides, it’s pointless to favor one triangle over another. The best placement for these three appliances is vitally important to the overall design so other design ideas will be more important.

So let us lay down some general traffic pattern principals and please preface all these  design ideas with ‘If possible’:
  • Design so that through traffic doesn’t disturb the cook. For example, a narrow, galley-style kitchen will have the range at the end of the ‘U’.
  • Someone standing at the open refrigerator should not block traffic flow. A side by side refrigerator can help if the space is limited, because the doors are narrower.
  • Walkways between any two fixed entities (countertop, wall, pantry etc.) should be a minimum 32” wide, 36 is very good but 42” is best.
  • If the kitchen has an island, make sure that bypass traffic does not naturally go through the kitchen. The cook is turning and moving whereas someone passing through is moving much faster. Your dinner will end up on the floor. The dog will help with the mess.
  • Round countertop corners at least 2” radius on interior corners and at least 4” radius on exterior corners and more if people bypass, going somewhere besides the kitchen. A bump with a sharp corner at a brisk walk can break a hip or make you feel as if you did.      Safety First, Last and Always!
  • Avoid corners sticking out into traffic flows. Especially bypass flows. If a corner cannot be avoided, add overhang on the countertop and round it as much as possible.
  • Try to place appliances that ‘others’ might need so that they don’t have to completely enter the kitchen. Examples might include a trash drawer or refrigerator.
  • If placing an island at an angle will help overall traffic flows, do it!
 Bar stools can block traffic flow either literally or just feel like they do.  If you are using them in a traffic bypass situation, make sure that they fit well under the countertop overhang and do not have slim, angled-out feet that can catch your poor toe going by. Furniture or houseplants should not be placed where they will tend to shift someone passing by toward a countertop corner or anything else in the pathway.

Let us add one last safety reminder. If Uncle Harry or anyone else is tall, do not design corners where his head might conceivably be. This includes upper corners, valances and range hoods. If you design it properly and Harrys head still finds it, he was probably having too much fun anyway and it’s not your fault if you throw a good party!

Next time we’ll look at some ideas to help you design for small spaces.
0 Comments



Leave a Reply.

    RSS Feed


    Author

    With over 40 years experience, family owned and operated Tropical Kitchens, utilizes old world craftsmanship with 21st century technology, making all custom kitchen and bathroom cabinets in our Fort Myers factory.


    Archives

    April 2015
    June 2014
    May 2014
    April 2014
    February 2014


    Categories

    All
    Appliance Placement
    Bamboo Cabinets
    Bamboo Home Remodeling
    Benefits Of Remodeling A Bathroom
    Benefits Of Remodeling A Kitchen
    Father's Day Gift Ideas 2014
    Fort Myers Bathroom Remodeling
    Fort Myers Kitchen Remodeling
    Fort Myers Lumicor Dealer
    Kitchen Cabinet Types
    Kitchen Remodeling Tips
    Lumicor
    Small Space Design Tips
    Types Of Counter Tops
    Wall Cabinets


    Picture
    Tropical Kitchens
    12451 Metro Parkway
    Fort Myers, Florida 33966

    (239) 768-3600

Tropical Kitchens, Custom Kitchen, Custom Bathroom, Home Remodeling, Custom Cabinets, Bamboo Cabinets, Fort Myers, Cape Coral, Sanibel, Captiva, Frank Schooley, Kitchen remodeling Fort Myers, Fort Myers kitchen remodel, Bathroom remodeling

​Tropical Kitchens

Kitchen & Bath Remodeling
tropicalkitchens1@gmail.com
(239) 823-0661
​
We're a Proud
AUTHORIZED
Lumicor Dealer
Lumicor, Fort Myers Lumicor Dealer, Tropical Kitchens, Fort Myers Kitchen Remodeling


BACK TO TOP

@ Tropical Kitches, Inc., All Rights Reserved
website created by Magnet Social Media