5 Rules to Break in Kitchen Design – Breaking Rules to Create Perfection
The kitchen is the heart and soul of every home. I feel so privileged to have been trusted with the design of many kitchens over the years. They have all varied in sizes, requirements, and uses, but one thing remains the same – families will always gather in this space.
So what makes a kitchen design stand out? What are some non-negotiables to the success of kitchen design? And what design rules can be broken?
In this article I’m going to take you through some of the common kitchen design rules and explain when to break them. Let’s take a look at 5 Rules To Break In Kitchen Design!
1: Short Island
It’s really easy to fall into the trap of following what countertop slabs are available, and allowing that to govern the size of the kitchen island.
In reality, the island needs to be the appropriate size for the space it’s occupying. Sometimes this means an interesting shape, or even creating an island that’s longer than most slabs that are available.
When I designed a recent kitchen, I looked at multiple options for how to structure the island and work zone. I contemplated two islands, but the layout that served this family the best was one single island that is 20’-6”!
It’s the longest island of my career, and it turned out beautifully. Instead of randomly putting two countertop slabs together, I decided to bookmatch the island pattern. This created an intentional design within the space which adds to the sophistication of the design.
2: Clearances
There are lots of rules online about minimum clearances between cabinets and surfaces.
Most guidelines state that clearance between an island and wall cabinets needs to be at least 48” wide. This is a great benchmark, but sometimes it’s ok to change it up, especially in older homes. I’ve gone as slim as 36” (shhh) and as wide as long as 54”.
Many of the homes I work in were built in the 1920’s-1990’s and have a slightly compressed footprint. In these homes, I’ve found that 42” clearances can be a nice sweet spot.
When planning the clearances, it’s important that conflicts in opening appliances don’t exist, and it’s critical to use a counter depth refrigerator. This doesn’t work well if someone is in a wheelchair, but otherwise it can function beautifully.
3: Pendant Lights
Most people believe that an island or peninsula requires at least two pendant lights. Pendant lights can be beautiful, but they aren’t the only way to light the kitchen island.
Sometimes one large light is a better option. We love capturing the structure of the countertop below with a large light that fits the space proportionately.
4: Singular Work Zone
Often all the cooking activities are dedicated to one specific area in a kitchen. This may work for many families, but not all.
In this kitchen, there are multiple work zones. This is helpful so that several family members can work effectively in the kitchen at one time. Produce prep can occur by the sink while ingredient organization can happen closer to the refrigerator. The stove and cooking zone is centrally located for ease of use, and is near other appliances and work stations.
5: Single Sink Light
Traditionally, lights over a kitchen sink have been singular. This is a functional way to approach the building code requirements, and there’s nothing wrong with this solution.
Sometimes, there’s a desire to change things up and get creative!
We’ve been specifying multiple sink lights lately and loving it. Lighting can add such a great architectural feel to a space. Plus, it feels more intentional in some instances. The lights can be wall mounted, like in this example, or ceiling mounted. So fun!
We’d love to know what you think about these kitchen rules! Have you broken any of them? Let us know!
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