Seminar Report

Kitchen Design.

CHAPTER-1
INTRODUCTION
Modular Kitchen is a term used for the modern kitchen furniture layout consisting of
modules (units) of cabinets with accessories inside, which can facilitate the effective usage of
the spaces in a kitchen. The modules or units in a modular kitchen are of the following types,
namely, the floor units, (which are kept on the floor and on top of which the kitchen
worktop is laid), the wall units (which are held on the wall for storage purposes) and the tall
storage unit or the larder unit ( for effective storage of food and provisions).Modular
kitchen normally constitutes wooden cabinets, counter-tops, internal accessories, carrousels,
pull-out baskets, trays, pole-system, chimney, hob, built-in-oven, sink with or without drain
board and in some cases a refrigerator, dishwasher or other gadgets.
Until the 18th century, food was cooked over an open fire. Technical advances in
heating food in the 18th and 19th centuries changed the architecture of the kitchen. In the
Roman Empire, in cities often had no kitchen of their own; they did their cooking in large
public kitchens. Early medieval European longhouses had an open fire under the highest point
of the building. The medieval smoke kitchen (or Farmhouse kitchen) remained common,
especially in rural farmhouses and generally in poorer homes. By the early 1900s, gas
cooking and electricity was invented, and clean water had become prevalent. It was also the
first time people were introduced to refrigerators, boilers and ovens. In India, most of the
kitchens of rural and urban areas are small and simple.
The kitchen is the heart of the home, a gathering place for casual family meals and to
catch-up cups of coffee with friends and neighbors. A Kitchen needs to facilitate all these
activities while melding seamlessly into the rest of your homes design. When decorating and
designing a dream kitchen, it should be in a style you love and that goes with the rest of the
home. Kitchens not only have to look beautiful but need to be functional as well.

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CHAPTER-2
KITCHEN DESIGN
Since more time and effort are spent in the Kitchen more frequently than in any other
part of the house by the person who prepares the meals, careful planning is important. Some
of the important planning considerations are The Work Centers, The Arrangement of Counters
& working surfaces, Storage, Lighting, Ventilation, Safety and Other Kitchen Activities &
Critical Dimensions.
2.1 VAASTU SHASTRA
The Kitchen is an extremely important part of the house, where healthy food for the
family is prepared. It is essential that the Kitchen be a compact, efficient, safe and easy place
to work in. Here are some of the Vaastu Guidelines to be considered, while designing
a Kitchen:

Location of a kitchen: South-East corner or the North-West corner. North-East is not

preferred in most parts in India.
Door position to the kitchen: In the North, East or in the North-East corner of the Kitchen.
The door should open in a clockwise direction.
Window location in a kitchen: The ventilators and larger Kitchen windows should be in
the East direction. The smaller windows can be in the South. There should be adequate
provision for cross ventilation.
Cooking stove position: The cooking stove is best placed in the South East. One should
cook facing East as much as possible. The stove should not be visible from the outside.
Kitchen sink position: The ideal position for the location of the Kitchen sink is in the
North East. The cooking gas and the washing sink should be kept away from each other.
Water taps should not be in the corner. There should be no leaking taps in the kitchen.
Water filter location: The water filter and drinking water should be stored in the North
East corner.
Electric appliances locations: The Refrigerator can be placed in the North-West or the
South-West. Electrical appliances like microwave can be put in the South-East corner.
Exhaust fans in the eastern walls in the South-East corner.

2.2 THE PLANNING CONSIDERATION FOR STORAGE IN A KITCHEN

There should be adequate storage space in a Kitchen. This can be provided both under
the counter and above the Counter. There should be sufficient space to store items so that they
may be easily seen, reached, grasped, taken down and put back without much strain. This can
be achieved by having sliding, pull-out shelves, trays etc. Storage space should be sufficiently
flexible to permit arrangement of different sized containers for different items. This can be
achieved by having adjustable shelving. With proper planning, food items, utensils, crockery
etc can be stored close to the work centre where they need to be used. Unattractive items can
be stored away out of sight, while attractive crockery or crystal ware can be stored in
overhead cabinets with glass shutters so that they are visible. The maximum depth of the
overhead wall cabinet should not be more than 10 to prevent the head of the person from

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touching it. The minimum height between the Wall cabinet and the counter top should be 2
above the sink and stove and in other areas, 16. This is to allow for easy working and to
prevent the head of the person from hitting the overhead cabinet. It is advisable not to have a
wall cabinet above the stove, as it will get damaged by the fumes. Instead it is better to have a
chimney hood above the stove at a minimum height of 26.A woman should be able to reach
the overhead, storage shelves keeping both her feet flat on the floor. The highest shelf can be
at a maximum height of 60 above the floor. More than that and it becomes inconvenient,
necessitating a ladder or a stool which can cause accidents. Spacing of shelves should be: 5
for 6 deep shelves, a minimum of 6 for 10 deep shelves and a minimum of 7 for 10
deep shelves. etc, for the cabinets below the counter, so that one does not have to bend down
too much to reach for something.

Fig.no:1 Storage Considerations

2.3 THE BEST MATERIALS FOR A KITCHEN
The Counter and cabinets should be made of materials and finishes that require very
little maintenance and cleaning. Generally a natural stone like polished granite is ideal for the
Kitchen counter. Laminated or wooden cabinets with PU coating are easy to maintain. It
should be possible to wipe and clean with water the materials and finishes used for the
cabinets and the counter top, without damaging them. It is preferable to have light colors in
the kitchen as it creates a pleasant work atmosphere.
2.4 THE PLANNING CONSIDERATIONS FOR LIGHTING IN A KITCHEN
Good lighting helps to prevent fatigue and create a pleasant atmosphere. A well lit
kitchen with minimum shadows helps you to see clearly, what you are doing while cutting
and cooking. It is advisable to have lighting under the overhead cabinet to light up the
counter. Sunlight contains UV rays which act as a germicide in killing the germs .Adequate
lighting in the kitchen makes the room more agreeable and attractive to work in, for long

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periods of time That thrive on kitchen counters, floors etc due to the presence of food and
water. So sunlight should be allowed to flood the kitchen.

Fig.no:2 Lighting consideration

2.5 THE PLANNING CONSIDERATIONS FOR VENTILATION IN A KITCHEN
The Kitchen should be well ventilated to get rid of the food odours, gas, fumes etc.
There should be a good sized window in the Kitchen to allow in fresh air. The Window should
not be located behind the stove as the flames can be affected by the wind and be exposed to
dust. The window sill should be at least 6 above the counter top. It is preferable to have an
exhaust either in the wall or in the hood above the stove to throw out the objectionable
kitchen odours and fumes.
2.6 PLANNING CONSIDERATIONS FOR SAFETY IN A KITCHEN
The edges of the counter top should be rounded off and not be sharp. If possible, the
gas cylinder should be kept outside the house where it is well ventilated, so that any leaks will
not cause an explosion within the kitchen. There should be safety catches on drawers and
doors to limit the exploratory activities of young children. Sharp corners should be avoided.
2.7 THE CRITICAL DIMENSIONS IN A KITCHEN
A minimum working space should be provided adjacent to each Work Centre to enable
efficient working. Overlapping of these spaces is permissible if work at adjacent work centres
is not being carried out simultaneously.
The Sink 28 on one side preferably the right side, because it is easier to wash
utensils, vegetables etc and place them on the right side. The Minimum width of a
sink varies from 13 for a 2 person to 18 for a 6 person unit.
The Mix 24 is the minimum required for the initial preparation of the food.
The Stove 19 on either side to allow for some room for cooking.

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The Serve 30 for keeping the cooked food. This space can also be used as a
breakfast counter.
The Refrigerator 13 on the opening side to enable you to take out and put stuff
into the refrigerator without much discomfort. The minimum space for a fridge is
22 for a 2 person dwelling and 28 for 6 or more number of persons.
The Oven or Microwave 10 on the opening side to allow you to put and remove
food without any difficulty.
2.8 THE MINIMUM CLEARANCES IN A KITCHEN
The minimum clearances required for a person in a Kitchen are:
23 in front of the counter.
36 between 2 counters on opposite walls, but a minimum of 40 is needed if 2
people are working in the Kitchen at the same time.
32 in front of a cooking range (with oven) to allow you to bend and put in
something.
30 in front of a refrigerator to enable one to bend and take out stuff.
30 in front of the base cabinets, below the counter to allow one to bend and reach
for something.
32 in front of the drawer to enable one to pull out the drawer.
36 in front of a front-opening dish washer.

\
Fig.no:3 Critical Dimensions

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2.9 THE OTHER KITCHEN ACTIVITIES

Dining Many families want to eat a quick meal in the kitchen. In fact kids enjoy watching
their mother preparing hot food and serving it to them right there. This can be provided for, by
having a breakfast counter.
Infant & child care Kitchens are often used for infant care, toddlers play area, since young
children want to move around and yet be near their mother. Also the mother can keep an eye
on them while cooking. Adequate provision for infant care supplies, toys and games should be
made in the kitchen. Provision should also be made for a play area away from the work
centres but where adequate supervision is possible.
Grooming Washing hands and personal grooming frequently take place in the kitchen. So a
mirror is desirable near the sink.

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Kitchen Design.

CHAPTER-3
DESIGNING AN EFFICIENT KITCHEN
Kitchens have changed from the traditional, very large, poorly-lit and inefficient
space to smaller, well-lit and efficient family space today. This change has been necessitated
because most women are working today and cannot afford to spend most of their time in the
kitchen. In an effort to use space optimally, kitchens have been made smaller but more
efficient and the extra space has been added to other areas of the house. Kitchens have
become compact, efficient well-lit spaces today. The best way to make a Kitchen efficient is
to:
3.1 ELEMENTS OF AN EFFICIENT KITCHEN

Work triangle: The work triangle in your kitchen comprising the three main work
areas namely the Refrigerator (cold storage), the Sink (cleaning/preparation) and the
Stove (cooking area) must be compact so that it reduces movement time and yet
allows enough leg room. Ideal work triangle: Each leg of the triangle should be
between 4 and 9 feet and the total of all three legs should be between 12 and 26 feet.
There should be no obstructions (cabinets, islands, etc.) that intersect a leg of the
work triangle and household traffic should not flow through the work triangle.
Counter tops: Replace the old kitchen counter tops with granite, Kota, engineered
stone or colourful solid surface counters. They not only enhance the look of your
kitchen but are also low on maintenance.
Kitchen hobs: Replace your old gas burners with stylish hobs which are neat to look
at and easy to clean.
Chimney: Smaller kitchens can get claustrophobic. So install a Kitchen chimney
above the hob to have a smoke-free and fume-free cooking area.
Kitchen Sink: Replace your traditional kitchen sink with deeper stainless steel sinks
which can accommodate more utensils and are easier to clean.
Glazed tiles: Use light coloured tiles above the kitchen worktops and the sink. They
make the space look stylish, brighter, and larger and are easy to clean. However avoid
using glazed tiles on the kitchen floor as they can be very slippery. Even a few drops
of oil, soapy water can make the surface slippery. Moreover, breakable objects break
more easily when they fall on glazed tiles.
Pull-out baskets/trays: Have stainless steel pull-out baskets (preferably with goodquality channels for long-term use) within the cabinets to allow easy accessibility to
every utensil. You can decide the levels at which these baskets are to be fixed within
the cabinets, depending on the sizes of your vessels and appliances.
Pole-system: The Pole system is a multipurpose storage unit that can be mounted on
the breakfast counter or on the floor. Since it is vertical and compact, it saves space
while allowing you to store all your frequently used items like fruits, cups, snacks etc
within arms length.
Midway system: This is a stylish steel holder with a single or double tier shelf, which
can be installed just below the overhead cabinets, near the stove. These shelves can

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be used for storing essential and frequently used items like sugar, tea, coffee powder,
chilli and other spices.

Glass storage jars: Use glass or pearl-pet jars to store ingredients and label them. This
makes it easier to find them when in a hurry.
Carrousels: Carrousel baskets also known as merry-go-round baskets revolve
around a rigid centre shaft, thereby enabling easy accessibility to even the corner
most jar. They are especially useful in the corner of a kitchen, at the junction of the
L-Counter.

Fig.no:4 E.g. for Efficient Kitchen

3.2 KITCHEN STYLES
Today's kitchens come in a wide variety of styles. Most kitchen cabinet styles can be
classified as either modern or traditional, with many subcategories to choose from.

Antique kitchen: have distinctive features that come from an earlier period in history.
Whether an authentic restoration or a fresh remodel, the unique character of this style
brings a sense of age and beauty to any traditional home.

Arts and Crafts kitchens: are identified by simple lines, rugged construction, and very
little excess ornamentation earlier period in history.

Traditional: Common traditional styles include black and white checkered flooring,
wood floors, and cherry wood kitchen.

Contemporary kitchen: cabinets are made of woods paler than cherry wood, a
signature of the traditional kitchen.

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Modern: This style is futuristic looking, using concrete, stone, metal and glass. High
tech comes to mind when thinking of this type of decor with lots of open space, bright
lighting and square lines.

3.3 KITCHEN CABINET TYPES

Kitchen cabinets are the built-in furniture installed in many kitchens. Uses for storage of
food, cooking equipment, and often silverware and dishes for table service. Refrigerators,
dishwashers, and ovens are often integrated into kitchen cabinetry. Kitchen cabinets provide
our kitchen with a huge degree of visual impact. Kitchen cabinets create storage solutions.

Face Frame Cabinets: Face frame or traditional cabinets are characterized by the
frame, or face that masks the raw edges of each cabinet box.

Frameless Cabinets: These cabinets have a narrow veneer to cover the raw edges of
the divider.

Glass Doors: cabinets can give us a lighter and more open feel than cabinets with
solid doors.

Raised Panel Doors: and drawers have decorative panel either routed into a door
panel or inserted into the frame of a door.

Flat-Panel Doors: and drawers are characterized by a simple, unadorned slab.

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Fig.no:5 Kitchen Cabinet Types

CHAPTER-4
KITCHEN DESIGN LAYOUT
The arrangement of counters in a Kitchen will vary according to the size and shape of
space available for the Kitchen. It is important to keep the basic work area compact even if
the kitchen is large so that it is easy for a person to access all the work centres. The relative
location of Work Centres should permit a continuity of Kitchen activities such as:

Gathering material needed for the preparation of food from the Storage spaces.
Cleaning and Mixing for the initial preparation of food.
Cooking.
Storing the prepared food for serving later, at meal time.
Cleaning up.

If this continuity is interrupted by doors or with unnecessary appliances, thus forcing the
person to take extra steps every time this gap is crossed, then the convenience and working
efficiency are reduced. Here are different arrangements for Kitchens. Each has its own
advantages and disadvantages. They are discussed here:
There are two styles of kitchen: Foreign or standing type and Indian or sitting type.
Foreign or standing type is generally of 6 types:

Pullman or Strip Kitchen layout: It is found in small houses in which there is little space
for a kitchen. The strip kitchen is on wall with the components placed in row fashion so
there is one wall with the one end to the other for food preparation.
U-Shaped Kitchen layout: It is the best of the kitchen plans and most popular. Three
work centres on three adjacent walls, provide a great deal of continuous counter space
for work. Continuous flow of activity from one centre to another centre. This is the best
arrangement because:
This affords the most compact work area.
This has a continuous worktop.
Wasteful circulation is reduced.
This allows for maximum storage space, both below and above the counter.
It is the most efficient plan.
However, it is not always possible to get 3 walls for having the U shaped counter, because
generally a kitchen has 2 doors and at least one of the 3 walls will have a door. However, even
if it is a shortened U-arrangement, it is still preferable to any other shape.

L-shaped Kitchen layout: This can also be regarded as a good type. It leaves two walls
empty for windows and doors and the free corner can be utilized for keeping built-in
storage or dining area. Three work centres right to left are placed on adjacent walls. This
is ideally suited where space along 2 walls is sufficiently long enough to accommodate
all the necessary work centres. It has the following advantages:

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This arrangement allows the work area to be concentrated in one corner, thus
reducing travel.

It allows for unobstructed overhead storage since the windows and doors can be
located in the other 2 walls.However, this arrangement has the disadvantage of
necessitating longer trips to the ends of the "L".
Corridor Kitchen or Two Wall Kitchen layout: It resembles the strip kitchen, the only
difference being that it is on both sides of the wall, facing each other. This is more
workable kitchen. Its disadvantage is that it often acts as a passage for family members
on their way from one part of the house to the other part, and this traffic interferes with
meal preparation.
Unnecessary movement can be restricted as in the pullman type arrangement. Storage and
preparation centre is on one side and cooking centre is on the opposite side. This arrangement
is acceptable when doors are necessary at each end of the Kitchen. It has the following
advantages:

Since the parallel counters along the corridor are close to each other, it is easy to
access the work areas. However, the length of the corridor may necessitate longer
trips to the ends.
G-shaped Kitchen layout: This provides good continuous space for working whereas in
the U-shape the continuity is broken up.
Island Shaped Kitchen layout: It needs a fairly large room. The cooking happens on the
island and it could be used for the food preparation area. It reduces the amount of
walking. It allows the walking space for 1200 mm between the island and any other
cupboard/obstruction.
Indian style or sitting type layout: This style of kitchen is still in use in villages only. The
cooking of food, serving, cleaning of utensils etc. are carried out in sitting positions. The
racks and almarihs are of low height. However there should be proper ventilation for exit
of smoke. These types of kitchen are gradually becoming outdated because of certain
inherent drawbacks of excessive fatigue and health problem to person working in such
kitchens.

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Fig.no:6 Kitchen Design Layouts

CHAPTER-5
CONCLUSION
The Kitchen is not a specialized room but has many uses. The Kitchen leads to the
next spaces namely the Store Room, Kitchen Garden and sometimes the back Gate. It is a
space used for preparing meals, storage of food and utensils, eating, child care, entertaining
etc. It is the most frequently used space in a house and hence it should have a pleasant,
attractive and cheerful atmosphere. It should also be well lit and well ventilated. The windows
of the Kitchen should allow in sunlight which can kill the germs that thrive on kitchen
counters and floors and also dry it up. The windows should also allow fresh air into the
kitchen while the kitchen fumes and food odours are removed by an exhaust. For this, it is
advisable to consider the orientation of the kitchen with respect to the sunlight and wind
direction. Use guidelines as a way to check the practicality of design solutionskitchens
must function well in addition to looking great the construction industry, code councils, and
appliance, cabinet & plumbing should have basic standards to simplify design & building.

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REFERENCES
Professional Kitchen Design (1998), Murray Shaw, Craftsman Book
Company, Carlsbad, CA.
Traditional Kitchen Design Ideas, Transform, The Art of Custom Storage.
www.IKEA.com.au/kitchens.
www.IKEA.com.au/kitchenplanner .
Vastu Guidelines for Kitchens, An Architect ,(Jan 7, 2009) Architectural
Ideas.
Traditional Indian Kitchen (Feb,2010), Ethnic Indian Dcor :Traditional
Indian Design
Guidelines for the Safe, Design of a Commercial Kitchen, Aluline Group Ltd,
United Kingdom.
www.equipment123.com
www.IKEA.ca/RATIONELL
Kitchen Design, (Feb 05, 2012) Chee Keaun.
Planning a kitchen Island (1850) Channel 4. Retrieved, The Public Records of
the Colony of Connecticut, pg: 1636-1776, J. Hammond Trumbull.
Indian Kitchen, Tanmayee Palwe, (January 4, 2014), MIT Institute Of Design,
Vol. 1, pg:. 476.

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RECOMMENDATIONS
Design an efficient Indian kitchen which should be:
Ergonomically convenient-In terms Height / Width of countertop.
Efficient Space for primary as well secondary needs of kitchen space.
Appropriate Storage methods for Indian requirements (Kind of Utensils, daily food
requirements and buying behaviour)
Zoning for storage methods for smooth working in kitchen. (In consideration with the
available kitchen layouts)
Required basic zoning for primary needs according to workflows of daily activities:

Access to food containers is only twice a day. So food storage should be under the
cooking range, where women stands maximum of time in front of range.
Storage for pots / kadhai / cooker and spoons should be next to the food storage at left
hand side.
Storage of plates/ pans and similar utensil should be near to sink area.
For smaller areas range and sink should not be in one line or at least there should be
enough space to fit both for smooth working on countertop.
There should be always small free space at right hand side of the sink to keep utensils
stand.

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APPENDICES
Users reality about kitchen spaces:

Install Kitchen units only once for a lifetime.

Unaware about the importance of ergonomics in kitchen space.
Unaware about the importance of work triangle according to Activities and
workflows to minimize working time in rush hours.

Current scenario about Indian kitchen units and spaces:

In todays construction limited space is provided for preparation and cooking which is
a primary need.

Though cabinets are installed but many required things and utensils remain outside
the cabinets as there is no enough space in cabinets.
No proper zoning of components of kitchen - Cooking area, Washing area and
Storage in kitchen space according to Indian activities and workflows.

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