WESTWOOD UNIVERSITYBasic Designing Secrets and Tips

DESIGN BASICS• Kitchens and bathrooms while having to be designed in a manner that makes them look beautiful, above all they must also be designed to be functional.

• As a designer it can be confusing because design rules are hardly ever straight forward do's and do nots.

• They can be easier classified as guiding advice that combines with building codes to create more functional and well thought out spaces.

• Kitchens and bathrooms are working areas within a home that are often designed poorly.

STORAGE• Cabinets are all about storage so it is important to keep storage requirements in mind when designing kitchens.

• Depending on the size of the family dinner ware such as plates and glasses requires between 48" and 72" of cabinetry most commonly around the sink and or dishwasher.

• These are guidelines and because of the enormous variety of kitchen spaces, we need to do the best we can with what we have to work with.

STORAGE AROUND THE STOVE

• Storage around the stove is critical as this is where a majority of the work in the kitchen takes place.

• Consider using Westwood's exclusive 3 x 10" pot and pan drawer bank as this adds an extra large drawer where most of the competitors can't do this.

THINK CONSUMER PRODUCTS• Small appliances and convenience tools are all the rage in modern kitchens.

• Things like bread makers require base economy cabinets in order to fit. Economy cabinets being full height door base cabinets help with functionality as well as reduce the over all kitchen cost.

• Even while you may not choose to purchase the many kitchen gadgets that are available it may serve you well to ask you customers what they own.

COOK FRIENDLY KITCHENS

• Again kitchens are highly functional and need to be able to perform to the requirements of those that use them.

• As a general rule you need 48" to 72" by the oven to store baking and cookware outside the pot and pan drawer bank.

PRICEY ACCESSORIES PAY FOR THEMSELVES

• While accessories like magic corners and "Lazy Suzan's" may seem expensive at first their cost must be divided over the twenty to thirty years the kitchen will be used for.

• From a cooks perspective the functionality of a kitchen can far out weight it aesthetics over time so the sacrifice may be justified to downgrade a door style or finish in order to make the kitchen work better.

SMALL KITCHENS NEED HELP• In kitchens where space always comes a premium cost, accessories always help make the cabinets more functional.

• Small kitchens can be optimized by using taller cabinets for storage and by equipping them with convenience items such as roll out shelves in order to make products easily accessible.

• Westwood can factory install and warranty any accessories in the Richelieu catalogue. It may not be cheap but in the end it is about designing and delivering functionality for the customers.

ISLANDS DEFINED• The ideal island measures 36" to 48" in depth and has a width of 36" to 120".

• The ideal between islands and other cabinetry is 42"-48" You can go with as little as 39" but it is not recommended and traffic flow will be noticeably less convenient. Less than 39" and you risk building inspectors not allowing the home to be habitable.

• We must also consider accessibility for handicapped individuals in the kitchens we design.

ISLANDS CONTINUED• To accommodate an Island a kitchen should be at least 13' wide.

• L-Shaped kitchens accommodate islands particularly well.

• For an island to be used as an eating area keep in mind that each person sitting at the island will need a minimum of 24" of space from side to side, less than that and people will be elbowing each other throughout the meal.

WHEN IS A DRAWER NOT A DRAWER

• NKBA rules dictate generally accepted standards in kitchen design.

• According to the NKBA rules anything less than 15" in width can not count as a drawer in kitchen design. This means 13 1/2", 12" and 9" drawers do not count.

• While this may not seem logical for space challenged kitchens the NKBA makes a valid point defining minimum tolerances for what can be justifiably defined as a drawer.

COUNTER TOPS• One of the major complaints from customers buying new kitchens, is the lack of countertops in their current kitchen, or poor countertop planning and utilization.

• Fridges should have a minimum of 18" of countertop beside them.

• Islands across from fridges are particularly useful for weekly grocery shops and putting food away.

• The material used can be critical to a healthy kitchen, granite must be sealed every two years, and is officially considered not food safe, and is illegal in commercial kitchens.

MONEY PITS• When designing vanities think in terms of overall costs.

• Logic might dictate to use a 36", 48" or 60" vanity but if you think in terms of counters it could cost a lot more.

• An even twelve inch increment vanity means a customer will pay for an additional foot of countertop because of the 1 1/2" overhang.

• Using a 33", 45" or 57" vanity saves money for the customer.

WHY 1 1/2" MATTERS• The case for 1 1/2" countertop over hangs.

• Sometimes we do things because we are told and don't know why until the benefits of what we are doing is explained.

• 1 1/2" countertop overhangs are great for hiding design mistakes and oversights.

• If you ordered a finished end and it got damaged in transit, or if you ordered a finished end left when it should have been right, or god forbid you forgot to order a finished end all together, now you can order a plant on finished and and the problem is solved.

16" TO 18" SAVES COST AND ADDS COMFORT

• The minimum requirement for spacing on either side of a toilets is 16".

• However if this is increased to 18" it can add to the comfort of the people who use it. Imagine first class on an international flight vs. WestJet.

• Allowing for this space reduces the cost of the vanity and countertops. Yes there is a bit less storage but if the offset is more comfort it may well be worth it.

THE GOLDEN TRIANGLE• In kitchen design the kitchen triangle links the three areas of greatest activity, namely: The Sink, The Stove, and The Refrigerator.

• Narrow aisles, inconvenient door swings and islands that cut off direct access to these key areas make kitchens less efficient and less convenient.

• When you are in the design stages, a few extra steps may not seem like much, but after a few thousand trips around a jutting island corner, you will feel quite different.

THINK GROCERIES• Great designers immerse themselves in much more than the outer design and look of the kitchen.

• They learn the psychology and mind set of how a kitchen works.

• They think in terms of the flow of cooking within the space, but also of important details such as how will the groceries be brought into the kitchen.

• Where will those groceries sit waiting to be moved into the fridge.

TALKING TRASH• Along with moving stuff into the kitchen you must also think about moving stuff out.

• You will want trash receptacles located close to an exterior door for easy disposal, or at least to have a clear path to the door from the trash bay.

• Today the environment is becoming a much larger part of the way we live and think.

• Composting is no longer terminology used exclusively by hippies, it is main stream, and thought needs to be put into how this process will be accommodated.

THE NEVER ENDING PROBLEM OF STORAGE

• There is never a time that a kitchen has TOO MUCH storage.

• The number one complaint customers looking for new kitchens have is either to little storage or ill thought out storage.

• Make storage an objective with as much importance as design.

• The secret of good kitchen design is that it must do well in many different competing areas: Design, Functionality, Styling, Storage, Efficiency.

OPPORTUNITIES TO MAKE MONEY

• Out of every dollar spent on a kitchen 25 cents is generally spent on the cabinets.

• This means that a $10,000 cabinet purchase, has the potential of developing into a $40,000 sale for the store.

BUDGETS DEFINED• The rule of 3%, 5%, and 7% applies to most kitchen renovations and new installations.

• 3% of the value of the home should be the cost of cabinetry, countertops and installation for a home where budget is the primary driving factor.

• 5% of the value of the home where budget is not the primary motive.

• 7% of the value of the home where design, style and functionality are the driving factors.

BUDGET PAY BACK• Of course customers budgets are as individual as the customers themselves but keep in mind putting in a perceptually cheaper kitchen than what the house deserves will cost you when you go to sell.

• Generally if the price of the kitchen is in the 3-5% range, you will recoup 100% of your cost when you go to sell.

BUDGET CONCLUSION

• House Value $300,000 = Cabinet & Countertop Budget = $9,000, $15,000, or $21,000

• House Value $500,000 = Cabinet & Countertop Budget =$15,000, $25,000, or $35,000.

• House Value $700,000 = Cabinet & Countertop Budget = $21,000, $35,000, or $49,000.