1. A Brooklyn Townhouse
The mistake:
The ground floor of this townhouse in Brooklyn was very cramped, with no smooth flow and the kitchen located in an odd place.
The solution:
Using our Layout Review Service we optimised the floor plan to accommodate the needs of the family, with open plan living, spacious flow around each room and efficient access to the garden. We placed the kitchen in what could be seen as the ‘worst’ part of the plan which actually works out right in the middle of the home – exactly where a kitchen should be!
2. Functional zones in a kitchen
The mistake:
A student from our Kitchen Masterclass wanted to add a butler’s pantry to her kitchen, giving her a separate clean-up zone. However, this would vastly reduce the kitchen work zones.
The solution:
We suggested eliminating the butler’s pantry and instead, consolidating the functional zones to give generous areas with views from the lovely windows. The four zones in the fresh plan (which should be in every kitchen) are the work zone, tall utility zone, clean up zone and prep zone.
3. The importance of flow paths
The mistake:
As the hardest working room in the home, the kitchen needs clear flow paths to ensure it runs efficiently. A student in our Kitchen Masterclass shared her plan – the original layout had no clear flow paths and included pass through windows, which actually shorten the whole kitchen and create unnecessary corners.
The solution:
We refined the layout, moving the dining table to the left for a clearer path and suggesting an oval shape to soften the angles of the room. We consolidated the work areas and replaced the pass through windows with glass doors to give unrestricted access to the outdoor dining area.
