Kitchens continue to change as new products are introduced to the market, new regulations affect energy and water consumption, and people change in their abilities, cooking preferences, and lifestyles. Therefore, a book on kitchen design needs to be updated periodically, and that is what the National Kitchen and Bath Association (NKBA) has undertaken in conjunction with Wiley publishing. Some of the changes include expanded information on sustainability and environmental issues and more information about universal design, including applications for a variety of users.
In this revised edition, we have maintained an organization similar to that of the original edition. We start with an overview of the history of the kitchen, including the history of research that has been conducted about the design of the kitchen. We also discuss current consumer trends.
We then continue with information about the infrastructure of the home and point out things to consider before the design process begins. The revised section on environmental concerns includes great information on building green and conserving water.
We next approached the design of the kitchen with the understanding that a key component of any designed space is the user, so we discuss universal design and ergonomics. Gathering information about the client and their home is a key first step to pulling things together and planning a great kitchen and is included in the next chapter. Sample forms are provided to assist you.
The next section covers kitchen planning principles and presents each of the NKBA Kitchen Planning Guidelines within the context of a step-by-step consideration of the tasks and activities that occur in the centers in the kitchen. Diagrams and illustrations help explain these basics, and information has been added to help you specify cabinets. We also expand on kitchen planning, including sections on dining, butler’s pantries, catering kitchens, outdoor kitchens, and outpost kitchens. The next chapter on mechanical planning continues to highlight some of the technical planning requirements related to systems in the kitchen.
An expanded section on universal design and accessible design provides an in-depth look at the NKBA Kitchen Access Standards and discusses how they can be incorporated into designs when required by the client. In addition, we provided ideas for designing spaces related to kitchens, such as planning centers, laundries, craft, hobby, and social areas. We also walk you through the process of developing the kitchen plan, based on client needs and planning guidelines.
We organized and presented this book as if we were talking to a new designer, just starting a career. At the same time, we offered information, ideas, suggestions and tips for the more experienced kitchen designer. We firmly believe we can all learn something new—as we certainly did in revising this book!
We included many drawings, diagrams, and dimensioned plans to aid you in understanding the concepts presented. We added and updated many photographs to show how the content is integrated into “real-life” settings and to spark ideas of your own.
There are many worksheets and checklists to use in your work and with your clients. Feel free to use them as is or to adapt them to be useful to you.
Our goal and hope continues to be that this book will help you to be a better designer—more creative and more knowledgeable. This is not the type of book that you read cover to cover. It is a book to be used!
We hope that we find this book on a shelf near your drawing board or computer. We hope this book will be in your studio, office, or showroom—wherever you are at your creative best. We envision a book that gets worn from your use, with your comments written in the margin and “sticky notes” coming out in all directions.
Enjoy design and making people comfortable and safe in their homes!