Pro tips for your project

A Kitchen Design Primer

At Old River Cabinets, we love all types of projects. But we have to admit that we have a soft spot for kitchens. Innovative products, cutting edge construction and smart design make each one a functional masterpiece.

When designing your kitchen, we'll combine your vision with smart design concepts that will let you get the most of the space.

Your personal designer will work with you to assign the five zones your new kitchen must contain. A well-designed kitchen not only makes your life a lot easier, but it adds significant value to your home. Here are the zones:

Zone 1: Storage of consumable items — food, drinks, paper goods, plastic wrap, foil — anything you have to restock on a regular basis.

Zone 2: Storage of non-consumables — dishes, glassware, linens, utensils and the like.

Zone 3: Cleaning and disposal. This includes sinks, disposals, trashcans, recycle stations and storage for related items.

Zone 4: Food preparation. You can't have a kitchen without an area to prepare food. It needs ample space for mixing, chopping and other food prep. This zone also keeps related items like bowls, knives, blenders and cutting boards at arm's reach.

Zone 5: Cooking. An efficient cooking area is a joy to use, with easy access to cookware and related items all in easy reach of ovens and ranges.

Our designers strive to reduce the "back-and-forth" on common kitchen tasks, utilize ergonomics to reduce fatigue, and optimize convenience in all zones. Families with children or disabled members especially will want to carefully plan for total access to all five zones. Old River Cabinets is experienced in incorporating convenience features for special needs.

A beautifully functional kitchen allows for reconfiguration to meet new demands. The Non-Consumable zone of the kitchen, especially, needs to be adjustable for constantly changing needs. The cleaning zone is one of the most critical design areas because it gets extensive use, day after day. Research shows that most people keep a kitchen for an average of 20 years, and 60% of home-owners realize too late that they did not plan for enough storage space.

What can be a design obstacle for many cabinet builders is a strength for Old River Cabinets: the corner cabinet. Let our designers impress you with solutions to maximize every inch of all of your corners. Also, remember to consider how many people might be working in the kitchen at the same time. Whether you're baking cookies with the kids or walking a friend through your favorite recipe, plan for effortless efficiency.

Finally, keep in mind that these design principles apply to bathrooms, offices, media rooms and closet systems as well.

National Kitchen & Bath Association