Kitchen design is a relatively new discipline in the scope of all history. Early designs were based mostly on ergonomics. The basics of design back then included storage for food, work space for food preparation, and shelves on the walls for cooking tools.
For many years kitchen design was slave to the whims of the architect. Kitchen standardization didn’t begin until the 1940s and only because of the emphasis on cost reduction in home building. Catharine Beecher was the first to propagate what is know as the kitchen work triangle. Basically, there are three essential functions of the kitchen: storage, preparation, and cooking. She recommended a natural arrangement of a triangle to make each area a vertex for the most ergonomically compatible design. Kitchen accessories have grown exponentially since Beecher making kitchens even more functional than she probably ever dreamed of.
These are some basic kitchen design configurations that are used in almost all kitchens:
Single file or one-way galley
This has all the elements of the kitchen along one wall and is typical in an area with minimal space.
Double file kitchen or two-way galley
This is just like a one-way galley except that there are elements of the kitchen on both sides of the walkway. There is the L and U shaped kitchens which occupy the space just like the letters appear along multiple walls. The most recent development in kitchens is known as the block kitchen or island kitchen in which the kitchen is very open and there is usually some kind of freestanding island whether it is a table or an entire stove and sink arrangement. There are also kitchens known as modern types in which the space is very informal and has an integration of geometric shapes and minimalist decoration.
The kitchen has continuously evolved over history and as technology increases we will likely see many more innovations over our lifetimes. So sit back and enjoy the ride of kitchen design.
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