Using Countertops to Create Kitchen Work Zones

Page 1 of 2 ( 1 2 )

Busy lifestyles mean that many families are solution-driven. The key to contemporary design is to find a way to do it all in one room. One solution is to “zone” the kitchen. Homeowners are no longer tied to the traditional kitchen countertop. They’re taking advantage of today’s innovative marketplace to create a “mix and match” approach that gives them the utility they need with the aesthetics they want. Kitchen countertops provide surface for meal preparation, cooktops, dining, baking and more. Creating Kitchen Activity Zones Today’s zoned countertops are true task masters. Some get a daily workout as the center of busy family meal preparations or cleanup. Others are essential spaces for baking or fresh food preparation. Some serve as showpieces. Yet others have become one-stop home-office tops with room for phone, computer, and work space for parents or kids. By creating activity zones with counters of appropriate heights and materials, the traditional matching countertop look is disappearing from the kitchen. Even backsplashes, which always used to match the countertop, are part of the new mix and match. There’s a new rule of thumb in kitchen planning and design — “The richer the mix, the better,” says Ginguei Ebnesajjad, manager of Product Styling and Development, Dupont Surfaces, Corian and Zodiaq. Customers are selecting mixes of colors, textures, and surfaces to meet their individual needs. No More Uniform Counters As with the rest of the home, the kitchen has become part of a design fusion, with more visual interest and more complexity. That trend is showing up in furniture-style cabinetry and customized countertops, distinguishing each area by its surface material and function. The center island has become standard in any new kitchen layout. It can function as a food preparation, dining, or homework station. Counter peninsulas also do service for baking, dining, and food preparation. Countertops are available with various surfaces, at varying heights, and with insets and additions to match any task. Countertops can be deeper than standard or built to include leg space for desk and dining areas. Defining the task and applying creativity are the two skills required when designing today’s multi-tasking kitchen counters.

...Continued - Page 1 of 2 ( 1 2 )
Next Page >