Get that Kitchen out of the Corner!

Have you heard the saying "The kitchen is the heart of the home"?  Chances are, if you are in any way connected to the world of kitchen design, the answer is yes.  And while that is true, I'd like to argue that the statement "The kitchen is the hub of the home" may be even more fitting when it comes to truly functional kitchen design.

We usually see kitchens in a corner of the home... which accommodates the standard U-shape or L-shape layout well and usually allows the kitchen to be adjacent to 2 other activity areas.

But think about how you use your kitchen.  Doesn't it make sense that your kitchen be closer to many activity areas in your home?  Enter the idea of the kitchen as a centrally located hub, like on a wheel.  And imagine all the "spokes" that could extend from that central kitchen.  A kitchen located in the center of the home, if planned correctly, could allow you to be equally connected to all of these separate spaces (and more):

• Dining Room
• Family Room
• Pantry / Butler's Pantry
• Mud Room
• Exterior Door (for carrying groceries in)
• Bedrooms (easy access to morning coffee)
• Office space (where kids might be doing homework)
• Laundry Room
• Separate bar area (for entertaining, keeping traffic out of the main working kitchen)

Note the kitchen rendering above.  I proposed moving this kitchen out of the corner, and doing so makes it so much more accessible from all over the home.

This isn't always possible in a remodel situation, but is a definitely possibility if planning a new home, and I strongly encourage it.

For more information, read this article and this article by Ellen Cheever.