Tips and Advices - A day with a Kitchen Consultant (Part 2)

Milo’s day out with the kitchen consulant continues....

Okay, I can see you are back to know more about my day. Initial planning questions done, the in-depth aspects became more and more interesting. Are you ready to go?

The Work Flow Chart

You do remember I told you about the sequence and flow of work in a kitchen, right?

I know what you’re thinking... It’s all about basic activities in every kitchen --preparation, washing, cooking and storing! What other flow could be there! I had the same question too! So did our client. “The design has to make for the smooth integration of these basic activities,” explained JSK. “A good kitchen design ensures that one does not have to retrace the steps too often while performing normal cooking activities!”

That answers your doubt.

Okay, so there were a few points to be kept in mind:

1. Smooth functioning of activities without much to and fro.
2. No doors en-route to interrupt the flow.
3. Make the sequence of kitchen work, logical and economical.
4. Ensure minimum distance between work areas (platforms, sink, cook tops) and storage areas.
5. Oragnise clutter.

Once you understand these points, it’s rather easy to make a rough sketch of a design of sorts in your mind.

The Layout

Did you know that there are six basic types of kitchen layouts? With distinct features of its own, each design can function efficiently within the given space and size.

You kitchen consultant will be the best person to tell you which one you should pick. However, you must know what these layouts are.

The U shape:

1. Ideal for a large space.
2. As the name suggests, platforms run on three sides, forming a U.
3. Gives a lot of work and storage space.

The L shaped:

1. The platform runs along two perpendicular walls.
2. Very common in many parts of India, and cities like New York.

The Straight Line:

1. All the work area is set against a single wall.
2. Most suited for narrow spaces.
3. Looks sleek.

The Galley:

1. Work platforms on either side.
2. It is an ideal layout in terms of efficiency, for many.

The island:

1. Requires a lot of space.
2. The island can also be used as an informal dining area.
3. Works well in a commercial kitchen.

The peninsular:

1. Good for a large space.
2. It has a unit free on three sides.
3. One side is perpendicular to the wall or to the other kitchen units, which can be used as a breakfast counter.

That brings us to more important aspects like lighting, ventilation, storage and others. See you soon with more on these aspects in our part 3.

I’d love to hear from you...

Give me your comments, feedback, feedback and doubts, and I’ll get back to you...

                                                                                                                                                                            Milo

Tips and Advices - A day with a Kitchen Consultant

Kitchen designing is no child’s play. It involves meticulous planning, understanding needs and identifying wants, discovers MILO.**

I spent an entire day with a kitchen consultant. Just to understand what his job exactly entails. At the end of the day I was wiser, enriched and already had a plan in mind for my own kitchen.

I walked in just as JSK (The kitchen consultant - he does not want his name revealed!) was getting ready for his new assigment. He was visiting his client who wanted a designer kitchen. I joined him.

What followed was a complete run down of wants, needs, habits and lifetysles before a design could be conceived.

Here is the first part of the series...

MILO

PLANNING

A good design of kitchen must consider the family’s lifestyle, their eating habits and entertainment patterns. JSK first asked his client these questions:

1. What is your budget?

You have to keep a budget in mind. It’s important to then decide on the amount and kind of structural work, materials to be purchased, as also the appliances that need to be installed.

According to JSK, the ideal budget while making your your kitchen should be anywhere between 5 to 7 per cent of the value of your property.

2. What is your family structure?

Type: Nuclear, single person, a couple, or a joint family. This determines the storage requirements.

Age: Requirement change according to the different ages.

3. What is your storage pattern?

Some people buy and store for a full year, while others do their monthly purchases. Depending on your style, the shelves, cupboards and storage units have to be designed.

4. How often do you have guests over?

Don’t brush tis off as being a weird question. It has an important bearing on the design. This will determine the kind of appliances in your kitchen, the size of the refrigerator, kind of storage, counter area, and so on.

Once these basic questions were answered JSK had a fairly clear idea of what his clients wanted. The next few important aspects of information concerned the sequence and flow of work and the layout.

Watch out for these two aspects, soon...

(To be continued)

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** Milo is HAW’s mascot writer, who makes it his business to find his ways into people’s homes, heads and hearts to quench his thirst of knowing everything there is to know about  homes, real estate, properties, laws, designing, interiors.... Well... everything to do with homes!

Look out for his views, interviews, opinions and stories!

The Frozen Sea and Land Around

Black sea often gets frozen due to the sub zero temprtatures in that region. The scene is a spectacular one as the gushing sea stands still as if following the commandment of a higher order!

Here are some stunning pictures, and they really make an impact on you, you might want to invest in property near by. Just for info, the Black Sea borders six countries -- Turkey, Bulgaria, Romania, The Ukraine, Russia and Georgia.

These pictures below are the coast off Odessa, the third largest city in Ukraine.

Very close to black sea, in Odessa, are fabulous apartments for sale as well as rent. Odessa boasts of providing several options to invest on residential real estate.

First, the fab pictures...

Black Sea frozen on the coast of Odessa

Odessa and Real Estate In Ukraine

Odessa and Real Estate In Ukraine

The city of Odessa, is said to be very different from most cities we know. With a nightlife that claims vibrancy, beautiful beaches and museums, one can safely say that this city is meant to be enjoyed completely. 

Reports say that real estate prices are now faling in Ukraine, making it the right time to invest in apartments. There are hoards of just completed residential houses, and also several under construction ones!

Ukraine has seen a real estate boom ever since the Orange Reveloution, way back in 1994. It has seen a lot of foreign investments in real estate in recent times, too. Ukrainian property can also be bought through some real estate agencies without the buyer's physical presence, through online services. Nevertheless, buyers, especially of expensive property, prefer to make the deal in person.

However, as is the case with real estate purchases in any part of the world, the buyer must excersice caution before finalising any deal. Thofough research is required to be done. Not just that, it’s important that foreign investors keep all necessary documents in order and take extra care and precaution before buying property/ renting property or even giving out own property on lease.