Life, Styled
Making better, healthier choices is on a lot of people’s New Year’s resolution list. We want to be more intentional about getting more exercise, choosing healthier snacks, and getting enough sleep, and our home can have a significant influence on our decisions. When it comes to making healthier food choices, one of the first things we try to limit is going out and opting for cooking more at home instead. Many find this difficult because their kitchen layout is either non-functional or uninspiring. Your kitchen design can impact your willingness to follow through with your resolve to eat better by cooking at home. Just as a well-designed home office can influence productivity and focus, a well-designed kitchen can help you stick to your plans for a healthier you. Let’s discuss the essential design elements needed in your kitchen that can help you make healthier choices and stick with them.
More Counter Space
When you cook at home, it is essential to have enough room to spread out and not feel like you are tripping over yourself. If you have limited space and struggle to prepare a meal, it can reduce your motivation, which is one of the main ingredients for healthy living. When you have sufficient counter space to spread out all of your ingredients and cutting boards, it helps you feel inspired to create that amazing meal. Some things to consider when designing a healthy kitchen are:
- Move appliances off the counter
- Use the wall space for pots and pans
- Have a large, uninterrupted space
When planning your counter space, it is essential to consider what tasks need to be performed in the kitchen and which items can be eliminated. A built-in microwave in the lower cabinet area or island allows you to have its convenience without taking valuable space. Hanging your pots and pans above the stove means you have easy access without clutter. Consider adding a kitchen island, which provides a large area for you to spread out all the healthy ingredients for your meal in one space, making dinner preparation effortless. Get a few more helpful tips on keeping your countertops clutter-free from the Simply Organized Home. Keeping it clear of clutter also helps you feel less stressed and overwhelmed. A large, open countertop gives you the freedom to spread out your ingredients and makes it easy to let your creative juices flow as you prepare delicious, healthy meals for your family to enjoy. It allows you to feel inspired and productive, two essential ingredients for a healthy kitchen.
Functional Layout
Another key ingredient to healthy living is your kitchen layout. A kitchen that blocks the traffic flow and feels cramped with people bumping into one another will quickly hinder any ambition for making healthy food choices. Consider adding these things to your kitchen layout renovation list:
- Good traffic flow
- The work triangle
- Open floor plan
Traffic flow is a critical part of the design planning phase, as it determines how easily the family can interact in the kitchen together. No one enjoys getting pushed against the counter while prepping for dinner because someone needs to get through. Ensure that there is sufficient space between the counter and your island for people to move around. Another critical feature in a functional kitchen layout is the work triangle. This dictates the amount of space between the appliances, such as the refrigerator and stove, and the sink. These are the three main areas of cooking in the kitchen, and they should be within close proximity if you want to make meal prep easier. Fewer steps between these areas means less mess and more time saved, plus fewer accidents from turning around on someone or burning a person with a hot pot. Connection is an important element in the home, especially in the kitchen, as we like to stay involved with what’s going on with our family. However, a closed kitchen can make us feel secluded. Open floor plans are a popular option for homeowners who want to cook while staying connected. It’s easier to stay motivated to cook healthier meals for your family when you’re surrounded by them while cooking. A good kitchen designer can help you create the perfect layout that inspires you to be healthy in the kitchen.
Good Kitchen Appliances
A delicious meal can be ruined if you have faulty appliances or those with poor functionality. No one looks forward to cooking on a stove that doesn’t work properly or using a microwave that is outdated. This can even extend to the type of faucet or refrigerator you have. Storing the fresh ingredients used to make those healthy meals requires a suitable location and the right temperature, but if you have an old refrigerator or one that lacks sufficient storage, you will become frustrated. Consider upgrading to one that has sufficient room for all those nutritious ingredients. A good stove can also do wonders, not just in cooking your food evenly, but in motivating you to want to do it. You can weigh the options between a standard four-burner stove and a six-burner stove with a griddle option. Perhaps you prefer gas over electric; the choice is yours. The kitchen sink matters, including the faucet, as most of your prep work is done there, such as rinsing vegetables. Select one that is easy to turn off and on, as you may have hands that are covered in olive oil or something else. Another good faucet option would be a nozzle that streams or sprays, a sprayer is perfect for rinsing salads or dirty dishes. Your kitchen appliances matter when cooking, so invest in ones that will make the job of cooking healthy meals easier for you.
Organized Kitchen Design
Knowing where everything is makes any task easier to accomplish, and the kitchen is no exception. Nothing nixes motivation like a disorganized kitchen; a healthy kitchen is one that is organized and has a place for everything. Things most used in a healthy kitchen include:
- Spices
- Cutting boards
- Pots and pans
- Baking sheets
- Cutlery
- bowls
These items should be easily accessible and have a designated area. Spices will almost always be needed near the stove, so consider designing cabinets with roll-outs where you can place your favorite spices. Cutting boards and baking sheets are neatly tucked away in cabinets with dividers. Adding deeper drawers to your lower cabinets makes storing pots and pans effortless and simple to put away when done. Kitchen organization is essential because it reduces stress, allows you to find everything needed for a healthy dinner, and makes it easier to put things back where they belong. A healthy kitchen is one where you can find things when needed and keep it that way. Our design team is experienced in helping our clients create a kitchen that perfectly suits their home’s needs.
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Walker Woodworking 