Instead of “going back to the same bag of tricks,” Krengel tries to inspire remodelers to “think out of the box” when they’re exploring solutions for kitchen layouts.
The kitchen and bath are the two toughest and most expensive rooms in the house to design, Krengel said, because they are a primary focus of home owners’ and buyers’ wants and needs.
“We cook less than ever before,” he said, “and yet we cling to the kitchen because it’s a safe haven in our minds and we all believe we’ll start cooking from scratch one day.”
Krengel, who is the author of several publications on the topic, including a new CD, “The Best of Kitchens by Professional Designers,” provided several observations on kitchen design elements that work and those that don’t:
- A microwave over the range, which has become a standard feature in the kitchen, should be outlawed in the future. Its location typically exceeds the maximum recommended height by six inches, he said, and it is dangerous for children who can only reach it by climbing on a chair and reaching over the burners.
- There should be at least 36 inches between the refrigerator and the stove.
- Every cabinet that is at least 15 inches wide should have a 15-watt fluorescent tube underneath it, mounted to the front, not the back. From an eight-foot ceiling, he said, a 100-watt reflector flood has lost 56% of its light by the time it reaches the counter and 96% by the time it hits the floor.
- There is no such thing as a good blind corner in the kitchen; fill the space with shelving.
- No leg of the kitchen work triangle (from the sink to the refrigerator to the range) should be shorter than four feet or longer than nine feet.
- Double appliances — such as two microwaves — should be considered at the upper end of the market. A second dish washer can be added for less than the cost of a cabinet, he said; one can be used for dirty dishes and the other for clean dishes. Dishes can go straight from the clean dishwasher to the table, which makes it easier for children to help set the table. The closer the dishwasher is to the table, the better.
University of Housing Offers Courses and Designation Programs
The NAHB University of Housing offers a variety of business management courses and professional designation programs that set builders and remodelers apart from the competition. For a complete list of current offerings, click here.
'PREP: Your First Step to CGR' Offered at IBS
PREP is your first step to becoming a Certified Graduate Remodelor™ (CGR). For more information on PREP offerings at the International Builders' Show in Las Vegas, Jan. 18 and 22, click here.
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