This article is continuing with earlier,How To Design Your Kitchen To Fit Your Life - Part I.
Another safety issue in the kitchen concerns children. Make sure that pot and pan handles are turned inward so that interested little ones do not pull them off the stove. Putting child proof handles and hooks on all kitchen cupboards, especially ones that hold cleaning fluids and chemicals, is vitally important. Try not to place candy or cookies over top of ranges. This will reduce the attraction of kids who would think nothing of climbing on the cooking surface to receive their afternoon snack.
By following some of these simple strategies, your kitchen can be a safe and relaxing place for both you and your family.The following steps when designing for safety.
- Use proper lighting. Good general lighting, supplemented with proper task lighting that is clearly focused on a work surface, can greatly decrease your chance of injury while preparing a meal. Also, the lighting should not produce any glower or shadows on the surface.
- Use slip resistant flooring. Falling with a hot casserole or a sharp knife in your hand can have serious costs. A slip resistant material on your floor, such as matte finished wood or laminate, textured vinyl or a soft glazed ceramic tile, will do the trick. If you select tile, try using a throw carpet with a non spin out backing for added safety measures, especially around areas that get wet.
- Keep a fire extinguisher handy. I recommended that a fire extinguisher be visibly located near a room exit, away from cooking equipment and 15"-48" above floor.
- Keep electrical switches, plugs and lighting fixtures away from water sources and wet hands. Building system require that every electrical receptacle be grounded and protected with ground fault circuit interrupters, which shut off the room's electric current if there is a power surge or if moisture is present.
- Consider appliance lock out options. Many of today's electrical devices, mostly ranges, ovens and dishwashers, allow you to "lock out" little hands so no one can use them when you are not in the room. This can be done either with lock out covers or a programmed lock out system.
- Regulate water temperatures and devices. Install valves with anti injury devices that prevent water temperature from rising to dangerous levels, or buy pressure balanced valves that balance hot and cold water. Valves also are available that can be pre programmed to your desired temperature setting.
- Find a safe cooktop. Avoid being overcooked by steam from boiling pot by staggering burners on your cook top or have one straight row of burners. And never choose a unit with control along the back of the electrical device, controls should be along the side or in the front.
- Use the space safely. Think about how traffic will flow through the kitchen and make sure no one will interfere with your space when cooking. Locate microwaves 24" to 48" above the floor to avoid reaching to recover food. Slide out trays and bins in base cabinets make storage items more available so you do not have to bend. And lastly, avoid sharp corners on the ends of counter tops.
Family lifestyles have changed in recent years. In adding to family members sharing in the food preparation, the kitchen has become a social center. Often, friends and guests who drop by to visit the cook, join in the cooking process. In order to meet these changing lifestyle patterns, kitchen design has also go forwarded. If you are building a new kitchen, or remodeling your old one, that it is important to evaluate your needs and consider how many cooks use your kitchen.
It is not necessary to have double sinks or work location since only one person is using each item at a time. A single cooking center which includes a microwave and range will probably be sufficient.
Finally, there is the question of walkways. Extra space should be allowed so that two cooks can pass each other without interference. Allowing 48 to 54 inches of space from barrier to barrier will enable two people to pass each other with bodies parallel. A distance of 60 to 64 inches would allow enough room for true walking.
As you can see, settling in your kitchen for two cooks requires more than just adding extra counter space.
The design of your kitchen may be traditional or modern, casual or formal, high tech or homey whatever be a sign of your style favorite. Because the cabinets, counter tops, and electrical devices consist of the major components in a kitchen space, you will want to decide what your overall style will be before choosing them. If you are worried about combining looks with practicality, many designs try hard to blend traditional looks with modern conveniences. A generously proportioned kitchen with traditional materials and up to date facilities provide evidences to be both stylish and practical.
