How to Create a Kitchen You Want to Cook In: 5 Essential Conditions

When planning the layout and contents of a kitchen, it's important to keep in mind the functions it should perform, ergonomic principles, ensure convenience of use and cleaning, equip the cabinet with household appliances that are not only stylish but also simplify the cooking process. What to pay attention to first, we explain in this article.

Convenient Work Zone

Many have heard about the proper 'work triangle,' but not everyone measures the distances between functional zones on the kitchen. If you're one of those who prefer to plan 'by eye,' keep in mind: there should be free surface near each 'work point.' For example, part of the free countertop next to the refrigerator to lay out ingredients, enough space for drying dishes near the sink, space around the cooktop and oven to place hot dishes on a trivet instead of carrying them across the entire kitchen.

Also, all four zones—storage, washing, cleaning, and food preparation—should be arranged so you don't have to run from one end of the kitchen to the other for a suddenly needed spoon to stir soup or a lid to lift a hot cover.

"Smart" Household Appliances for Cooking

Even if you know how to cook and enjoy it, a reliable helper won't be out of place. Modern manufacturers of household appliances 'teach' devices to control not only temperature but also cooking time, preventing food from burning.

Earlier, one had to constantly watch over meals in the oven, but now housewives can fully relax. For example, in a German brand Miele series Generation 7000, there is the TasteControl function—this makes it impossible to overcook a dish. After the cooking cycle ends, the oven door opens slightly, and the cooling fan expels hot air outside. In just five minutes, the temperature inside the working chamber drops by approximately 100 °C, and the appliance door closes again.

Another pleasant addition: you can monitor the cooking process from another room. The oven with the FoodView function has a built-in camera protected from heating.

It transmits high-resolution images to the Miele@Mobile app on a tablet or smartphone. If the dish isn't browned enough, you can adjust the cooking time or temperature in the app.

Comfortable Countertop Height

Even the most beautiful kitchen can be irritating if it's uncomfortable to cook on it. This can happen if you don't pay attention to the height of the cabinets and work surface—this determines whether you will be working with a straight back or slouched.

The optimal height of the work zone is 15 cm from the bent elbow. This means a woman who is 165 cm tall would suit the traditional factory model—85/90 cm. A man who is 190 cm tall would find it comfortable to work on a countertop that is one meter high.

Design: Irina Stepanets. Household Appliances: Miele

Good Ventilation

Kitchen hoods are unfairly chosen based on residual principle. Yet they ensure freshness and cleanliness of the air you breathe while cooking. By operation mechanism, exhaust hoods are divided into those with air extraction and those with air circulation. The former draw air from the kitchen and vent it into the home's general ventilation system. The latter clean dirty air and return it to the room. Some models can work in both modes, but for circulation mode operation, a good activated carbon filter is essential.

If kitchen fronts form a unified composition, it's likely that the hood will need to be masked—here the 'integration' comes in handy. An integrated hood can be hidden inside a kitchen cabinet, and only a narrow panel with buttons left visible.

Another excellent alternative is a hood that integrates into the countertop. This model allows freeing up space in the kitchen. One press of a button—integrated hood rises, turns on, and begins to extract cooking vapors and odors. When the hood is no longer needed, it simply disappears into the countertop.

Stylish Design

A beautiful cabinet can be a great incentive to spend more time in the kitchen and cook delicious dishes for family. Minimalist fronts without edges and handles look very stylish, require no complex maintenance, and will remain relevant for many years to come.

Enhance the cabinet with handle-less built-in appliances: for example, some Miele dishwasher models G7000 have the Knock2open function—just tap gently on the door to open it. The Master Cool 2.0 refrigerator series opens with a touch thanks to the Push2open function. Appliances from the ArtLine series open using sensor control Touch2open.

Design: Quadro Room Studio

What Other Things Are Useful on the Kitchen?

The drawer waste sorting system is very convenient to use. It consists of several containers: for food waste, plastic, glass, and paper. This kind of disposal not only looks more attractive than a regular trash can but also solves the problem of unpleasant odors.

The Miele DGM 7000 steam cooker is a device combining the functions of a steamer and microwave oven. It helps solve the problem of insufficient space on the kitchen. The steam cooker combines both functions in 'Quick Cooking' mode. For example, boiled potatoes in this mode cook twice as fast.

Are you afraid that food residues on dishes will clog the drain? A compact shredder installed right under the sink is useful. The device consumes little energy, and solves the problem of clogged drains once and for all.

The M 7000 microwave oven simplifies the process of preparing dishes thanks to its automatic programs. You only need to select a program and enter the weight of the ingredient. The device automatically sets power and cooking time. In addition, the EasyControl sensor system allows you to quickly and intuitively configure the microwave oven's operation and makes cleaning easier.

One of the key advantages of switching from manual dishwashing is saving time. A dishwasher helps find those extra minutes in a day that can be spent with family.

Another convenient home device is a tap from which you can pour drinking water of various temperatures: icy, room temperature, boiling hot, or even carbonated. Some sets come with a CO2 tank and cooling system. Instant boiling is provided by an integrated storage water heater.