PLANNING SERVICE &WORK AREASService areas: Parts of homes that sustain all other areas.

Kitchens Center for meal preparation and cleanup. Newer homes typically have kitchens that are

open to the living , family, or dining rooms. More convenient for supervising or joining nearby

activities while working in kitchen. Also helps small kitchens seem larger

May have facilities for dining, laundering, or doing office work in addition to preparing meals.

Should have ample workspace and adequate storage.

Location Should be located near the service

entrance of a home as well as the dining area. If the family grills a lot, it should also be

located near the patio or deck. If family has children, they may want the

kitchen to oversee the outdoor play area or recreation room.

Should have access to the main entry and the living room.

Size The size of the kitchen depends on the

level of activity that will take place. The space needed for a couple that eats

out a lot would not meet the needs of a family with children who eat most meals at home.

Small kitchens range from 60 to 130 sq. ft.

Arrangement Extra space may be needed for eating areas,

laundry facilities, or a home office.

Work Centers Work center: is an area for performing

related task and storing the necessary tools.

Most kitchens have three basic work areas: Food preparation and storage center, Cooking

and serving center, and Cleanup center. Larger kitchens may have centers for

mixing, planning, snacking, dining, or laundry.

Food Preparation and Storage Center

Food preparation and storage center focuses of the refrigerator area.

Cabinets and counter space beside the refrigerator are a part of this center.

Wall and base cabinets are used for storing nonperishable foods, food containers, and serving dishes. It also stores mixing bowls, measuring tools, baking utensils, baking ingredients, and small appliances.

A counter at least 18” wide is needed on the door-opening side of the refrigerator for setting out supplies and preparing food.

Cooking and Serving Center Cooking and serving center concentrates on

the cooking surface. The focal point is the cooking surface.

Can be a freestanding range or a separate appliance installed in a heat-resistant counter.

Needs an exhaust system to ventilate the air.Should have at least 24” of counter space on either side to put ingredients and utensils needed for cooking.

Cleanup Center Cleanup center focuses on the sink area.

May include a dishwasher and garbage disposal.

Foods are cleaned, and dishes and utensils are washed.

When a dishwasher is present, it is usually placed next to the sink to connect most directly to the water source and allows easy loading.

The Work Triangle Work Triangle: the route that connects

the refrigerator, sink, and range. Should total no more than 22 ft. when

measuring from the midpoints of the three focal points.

Food is taken from the refrigerator, cleaned at the sink, and taken to the range for cooking. Leftovers are returned to the refrigerator.

Appliances and Cabinets Kitchen appliances come in a variety of types,

sizes, shapes, and colors. Cabinets can be custom-made or manufactured.

Standard wall cabinets generally range from 12 to 13” deep.

Standard size of base cabinets is 34 ½” high by 24” deep.

Cleaning products should be stored under sink. Lazy Susan can maximize corner-cabinet space.

Counters Prepared in made-to-order sections. Should be durable, easy to clean, and

nonabsorbent. Suitable materials: ceramic, metal,

wood, plastic, and stone. Plastic laminate countertops are the most

affordable.

Kitchens need plenty of outlets for electric appliances and lighting.

Kitchen Designs: U-Shaped Work centers form a continuous line

along three adjoining walls. One of the most popular kitchen layouts

and the most efficient. Advantages: It prevents circulation from

passing through the work triangle and provides ample cabinet and counter space.

Kitchen Designs: L-Shaped Work centers form a continuous line

along two adjoining walls. Most popular layout because it adapts to

a variety of room plans. In large rooms, this allows room for an

eating area. Advantage: prevents circulation from

interrupting the work triangle.

Kitchen Designs: Corridor Has work centers placed along two walls that

are divided by an aisle 4-5 ft. wide. Advantages:

A compact work triangle (but too long of a room will create an extended work triangle that requires too many steps.)

Can be located between two eating areas, an informing and a formal dining area.

Disadvantage: If the corridor is open on both ends, circulation through the corridor may interfere with the work triangle.

Kitchen Designs: One-wall Has all the appliance and cabinets

located on one wall. Often used where space is limited, such

as in an apartment or summer cottage. When not in use, it is often closed off by

a folding door. Least desirable layout because it has a

long, narrow work triangle with insufficient cabinet and counter space.

Kitchen Designs: Peninsula U-shaped kitchen with a counter

extending from one end of the U. Often used to separate the kitchen from

an adjoining family room or a dining room.

The peninsula can serve as a mixing counter, a cooking and serving center, a cleanup center, a counter for informal eating, or just additional counter and storage space.

Kitchen Designs: Island Has a separate counter unit that stands

alone. May be a variation of the U-shaped, L-

shaped, or one-wall kitchen. A clearance of 4 ft. should be allowed on

all sides of the island. The island divides the food prep area

from the rest of the room and can serve all the same functions as a peninsula.

Laundry Facilities May vary from a washer and dryer

tucked in a closet to a separate laundry room with plenty of floor and counter space.

Activities involved: sorting and preparing clothes for washing, washing by hand or machine, drying (air drying or machine drying), folding, ironing, and possibly mending.

Location Requires hot and cold water lines, a 240-

volt electrical outlet, possibly a gas line, and an outside wall for a dryer vent may limit the choice of locations.

May be located in the kitchen, mudroom, utility room, sleeping area, basement, or a separate room.

A good place for a laundry room is between the kitchen and bedroom area.

Laundry in/near the Kitchen Advantage: ability to supervise laundry

duties and other tasks at the same time while saving steps.

Disadvantage: may be lack of adequate space for folding and ironing.

Laundry in Mudroom Advantage:

Allows soiled clothing to be removed immediately rather than walked through the house.

If the household has a washer, but no dryer, close proximity of the washer to the service entrance is convenient for taking laundry outside to line dry.

Laundry in Sleeping Area Advantage: Since this is where soiled

clothes are removed and clean clothes are stored, it is very convenient to have the laundry in the sleeping area.

Disadvantage: Washer and dryer can be noisy, making this location less desirable to some households.

Laundry in the Basement Disadvantage:

Unless there is a laundry chute, extra time and energy is required to carry the laundry up and down stairs.

Doing laundry in the basement makes it difficult to combine that task with other household activities.

Size The more family members, the more

laundry, so more space is needed for sorting, folding, and hanging clothes.

Arrangement Equipment needed: sink or laundry tub,

the washer, and a dryer. Counter space is needed in the sink area

for pre-treating stains and in the dryer area for folding clean clothes.

Storage for laundry supplies is also needed.

Space should also be allowed for ironing and hanging clean clothes.

Basements Laundry facilities, a furnace or utility

room, a workshop, and storage are often located in a basement.

When part or all of the basement is used in a service capacity, an exterior entrance to the basement is helpful.

Moisture is a primary concern in basements causing dampness and humidity which can damage stored items in the basement and make the environment uncomfortable. This condition can be reduced by providing

proper ventilation and using a dehumidifier.

Insulating walls with moisture-resistant insulation also reduced the amount of dampness in a basement.

Garages and Carports-Location Should be located at the service

entrance so packages and groceries can be carried directly from car to kitchen.

Size & Design Garages or carports can be any size you

need them. The design should complement the

design of the house. Two car garage doors should be 16 ft.

wide and 7ft. tall.

Service Entry Service entry is a house entrance that

usually leads to the work area, often the kitchen. Groceries and laundry are brought in and

out of here. Family members tend to use this entrance

rather than the main/front entrance. Preferably opens into a mudroom or utility

room. Should provide room for taking off and storing

coats and other outdoor clothing. Prevents the tracking of mud and snow into the

house.

Special Purpose Rooms Special purpose rooms are separate

rooms dedicated to a single purples Home office, exercise room, darkroom,

library, sewing room, arts and crafts studio, hobby room, workshop, music room, greenhouse, and billiard room

Home Office The electric utility company can

determine if sufficient electricity is available for home office equipment by performing an energy audit.

A surge suppresser on every outlet that supplies energy to office equipment should be considered

Storage Approximately 10% of the space in a

house should be allowed for storage. When planning storage, plan first for the

larger pieces, then the smaller items. Space for a desk and conference table

should be planned first, followed by where the file cabinet and shelving would go.

Built-in storage: attached permanently to the walls, ceilings and floors. Usually require less space Limit furniture arrangement possibilities and

cannot be moved easily. Freestanding storage units:

Can be moved easily Range from small boxes to large wall units Cabinets, shelf nits, wall units, wardrobe

closets, trunks, and storage racks.

Adaptations for Special Needs Under cabinets, wheelchair footrests

need a toe space that is 6 in deep and 8” to 11” high.

Shelves should not be higher than 48”. Garage space that is 5 ft. wide is needed

next to the car for wheelchair users.