Kitchen Design Tip: Zoning

In designing a kitchen, there are several important considerations to make in relation to the layout that will ensure that your kitchen is well organised and everything is located to maximise convenience and minimise frustration.

You can create zones in your kitchen that suit you and how you use your kitchen. Zoning is a system where you group things together that relate to the area or task in which you’re using them. By zoning areas in your kitchen, accessing everything becomes much more efficient and you will reduce time spent walking back and forth to get the things you need.

Different zones that you can incorporate into the space include:

• Cooking zone: pots, saucepans, cooking utensils close to cooktop and oven.
• Baking zone: baking trays, muffin trays, oven dishes, trivets close to cooking zone and food prep zone.
• Condiment zone: cooking oils, sauces, marinades, herbs and spices, salt & pepper nearby the cooking zone.
• Food storage zones: fridge and pantry where ingredients need to be accessed – try to keep close together and close to food prep zone. Also includes containers for storing dry/cold foods – keep these in a separate drawer close to the food prep area.
• Food prep zone: chopping boards, bowls, sharp knives, baking paper, cling film, alfoil near cooking zone – can have more than one – and position bin/compost bin here too for removing food scraps.
• Small appliances zone: toaster, blender, mix master, thermomix and other regularly used appliances easily accessible, hidden away if preferred, with power points handy and near to a food prep zone.
• Serving zone: plates, salad bowls, serving dishes, cutlery, placemats and table cloths near where meals are collected and close to cooking zone and a food prep zone.
• Tea & Coffee Zone: kettle, tea pot, coffee machine, cups, mugs, tea, coffee, hot chocolate, marshmallows, sugar in a designated area convenient to a power point and close to fridge/sink.
• Alcohol zone: wine, spirits, glasses, cocktail ingredients, ice buckets close to fridge/wine fridge
• Cleaning zone: washing detergent, dishwasher tablets, sponges, cleaning cloths usually under the sink. The dishwasher and bin are also part of the cleaning zone, so proximity of the bin/dishwasher is important to consider too. Tea towels and paper towel can be stored here too or with placemats.

Designing and organising your kitchen layout is an essential part of the design process for me, ensuring that the spatial planning is efficient and functional, and you get the most enjoyment out of your kitchen as possible.