The Best Country Kitchen Layout Ever

Weigh the Needs

• A country kitchen hosts multiple activities beyond the basic food preparation and cleanup duties. The best kitchen layout accommodates for these additional functions. Before attempting a design layout, the homeowner should consider her needs and expected uses of the kitchen, making storage and preparation space for such activities as canning and baking, storing food in bulk and growing and drying herbs and vegetables. Storage space is prime real estate in any kitchen, but a country kitchen needs a roomy pantry or multiple cabinets for large cookware, storage boxes, bulk items and more. Also, the country kitchen needs a functional and comfortable area in which to sit, where mother can hull the peas or guests can chat with the cook over a cup of hot tea. Most country kitchens have a wooden dining room set or small cafe table with benches nestled into a cozy corner of the room. If the kitchen is exceptionally large, a rocking chair or small wooden settee are inviting additions.

The Work Triangle

• No matter how large the room, the most efficient kitchen layout embraces the kitchen "work triangle." The National Kitchen and Bath Association defines the kitchen work triangle as "the distance between the three primary work centers" situated "ideally between 12 and 26 feet in total length" with each leg measuring 4 to 6 feet. The primary work centers in the country kitchen include the cooking, or range area, the primary sink area and the refrigerator area. Maintaining these three centers in close proximity with no barriers helps to prevent the tiresome and constant traveling from one center to another during the most common kitchen activities. Since most country kitchens tend to be large and the work triangle may seem like a cramped section within a large space, smaller work centers can be inserted into the kitchen design. A small prep sink next to a dishwasher creates a miniature cleaning station, and a marble countertop can serve as a baking center.

Materials and Design

• The country kitchen makes good use of natural materials, such as wood, stone and brick. Some of the most exceptional designs include a large brick or stone fireplace, lending credence to the kitchen as the "heart of the home." Some country kitchen designs include a stone shelf within a hearth for baking bread and cobblers over an open fire. Cabinets are best left in their natural hues or in simple designs and painted white. Beadboard ceilings in white, embellished with vintage light fixtures of cast iron and frosted glass, evoke memories of an older era of simple living. Large windows beaming natural daylight illuminate the room, lending a cheery warmth and plenty of light by which to work.

Plan for the Future

• An exceptional country kitchen meets the present and future needs of the homeowners. This type of planning, which accommodates for disabled or physically challenged occupants using the room, is called a "universal design." While the homeowners may see no need as yet for such planning, incorporating small components of universal design can save money, time and convenience in the years to come. Universal design for a country kitchen might include such features as a very wide, lowered countertop for wheelchair occupants, levers instead of knobs for doors, cabinets with pull-out shelves and wide doorways. A universal design is not merely for older people; younger people and people with slightly limited physical ability benefit greatly from the improved universal function and accessibility of the kitchen design.