Kitchen Remodeling
Perfect-Kitchen-Design-Guidelines
February 21, 2013 | Emily
Source: NKBA Guidelines + Design
Door Guidelines
Door Entry
Recommended: The clear opening of a doorway should be at least 34 inches wide. This would require a minimum 2-foot 10-inch door.
Door Interference
Recommended: No entry door should interfere with the safe operation of appliances, nor should appliance doors interfere with one another.
Traffic Area Guidelines
Distance Between Work Centers
Recommended: In a kitchen with three work centers*, the sum of the three traveled distances should equal no more than 26 feet with no single leg of the triangle measuring less than 4 feet nor more than 9 feet.
Work Triangle Traffic
Recommended: No major traffic patterns should cross through the basic work triangle.
Work Aisle
Recommended: The width of a work aisle should be at least 42 inches for one cook and at least 48 inches for multiple cooks. Measure between the counter frontage, tall cabinets, and/or appliances.
Walkway
Recommended: The width of a walkway should be at least 36 inches.
Traffic Clearance at Seating
Recommended: In a seating area where no traffic passes behind a seated diner, allow 32 inches of clearance from the counter/table edge to any wall or other obstruction behind the seating area.
Seating Clearance
Recommended: Kitchen seating areas should incorporate at least the following clearances:
- 30 inches for high tables/counters with a 24-inch-wide by 18-inch-deep counter space for each seated diner.
- 36-inch-high counters with a 24-inch-wide by 15-inch-deep counter space for each seated diner and at least 15 inches of clear knee space.
- 42-inch-high counters with a 24-inch-wide by 12-inch-deep counter space for each seated diner and 12 inches of clear knee space.
Sink/Cleanup Guidelines
Cleanup/Prep Sink Placement
Recommended: If a kitchen has only one sink, locate it adjacent to or across from the cooking surface and refrigerator.
Cleanup/Prep Sink Landing Area
Recommended: Include at least a 24-inch-wide landing area* to one side of the sink and at least an 18-inch-wide landing area on the other side.
Dishwasher Placement
Recommended: Locate nearest edge of the primary dishwasher within 36 inches of the nearest edge of a cleanup/prep sink. Provide at least 21 inches* of standing space between the edge of the dishwasher and countertop frontage, appliances, and/or cabinets, which are placed at a right angle to the dishwasher.
Waste Receptacles
Recommended: Include at least two waste receptacles. Locate one near each of the cleanup/prep sink(s) and a second for recycling either in the kitchen or nearby.
Landing Area Guidelines
Refrigerator Landing Area
Recommended: Include at least:
- 15 inches of landing area on the handle side of the refrigerator, or
- 15 inches of landing area on either side of a side-by-side refrigerator, or
- 15 inches of landing area that is no more than 48 inches across from the front of the refrigerator, or
- 15 inches of landing area above or adjacent to any undercounter-style refrigeration appliance.
Cooking Surface Landing Area
Recommended: Include a minimum of 12 inches of landing area on one side of a cooking surface and 15 inches on the other side.
Microwave Landing Area
Recommended: Provide at least a 15-inch landing area above, below, or adjacent to the handle side of a microwave oven.
Oven Landing Area
Recommended: Include at least a 15-inch landing area next to or above the oven. At least a 15-inch landing area that is not more than 48 inches across from the oven is acceptable if the appliance does not open into a walkway.
Cooking Surface Guidelines
Cooking Surface Clearance
Recommended: Allow 24 inches of clearance between the cooking surface and a protected noncombustible surface above it.
Cooking Surface Ventilation
Recommended: Provide a correctly sized, ducted ventilation system for all cooking surface appliances. The recommended minimum is 150 CFM.
Code Requirement:
- Manufacturers’ specifications must be followed.
- The minimum required exhaust rate for a ducted hood is 100 CFM, and it must be ducted to the outside.
- Make-up air, fresh air brought inside to replace exhausted air, may need to be provided. Refer to local codes.
Cooking Surface Safety
Recommended:
- Do not locate the cooking surface under an operable window.
- Window treatments above the cooking surface should not use flammable materials.
- A fire extinguisher should be located near the exit of the kitchen away from cooking equipment.
Microwave Oven Guidelines
Microwave Oven Placement
Recommended: Locate the microwave oven after considering the user’s height and abilities. The ideal location for the bottom of the microwave is 3 inches below the principle user’s shoulder, but no more than 54 inches above the floor.
If the microwave oven is placed below the countertop, the oven bottom must be at least 15 inches off the finished floor.
Countertop Guidelines
Countertop Space
Recommended: A total of 158 inches of countertop frontage, 24 inches deep, with at least 15 inches of clearance above, is needed to accommodate all uses, including landing area, preparation/work area, and storage.
Built-in appliance garages extending to the countertop can be counted towards the total countertop frontage recommendation, but they may interfere with the landing areas.
The Wonders of Digital Remodeling
February 13, 2013 | Emily
When homeowners decide to take the big leap into remodeling their space, many experience second thoughts and anxiety about the dozens of decisions they have to make. Homeowners wonder, “Did I make the right decision in choosing that tile material?” or “Is this color scheme going to work in reality, not just in my head?”
Have no fear, Digital Remodeling is here! All the stress that comes from transforming a space can be erased with one click. With real life, striking renderings of your space, is has never been easier to explore alternatives and make decisions. At dRemodeling, we can compile a visual portfolio covering everything from the big picture to the miniscule details. We can generate renderings of the exact materials and colors to produce a view of a client’s “completed” project. With a photo realistic version of the client’s desired space in digital form, the project can be constantly tweaked and perfected with ease. Our lead interior designers and architects provide professional and extremely personable service in collaborating with customers on a day to day basis.
Digital remodeling cuts out the need for expensive rework and saves a significant amount of time. It also takes customer satisfaction to new heights, leaving them with a final product that they visualized from day one. Try out dRemodeling’s unbeatable digital remodeling service as a part of our free interior design consultation once you have signed with our company. Take your dream space and transform it into a reality through a simple, easy process!
Top 10 Reasons You Should Remodel Your Kitchen
March 6, 2012 | Jennifer 1
Kitchen remodels are always one of our top requests at dRemodeling. We take pride in all of our past Philadelphia kitchen remodel projects, and always look forward to taking on new kitchen remodel challenges.
Does your kitchen need an update? View these top 10 reasons you should remodel your kitchen to see if it’s time to remodel!
1. Your Kitchen Is Too Small. Need more storage space? Hate the cramped layout of your kitchen? Remodeling is a great way to update your kitchen and create more space. An experienced contractor can expand your kitchen to give you the look and the square footage you want.
2. More Products Than Ever. With interior design and home remodeling at the forefront of many company’s minds, there are more kitchen products than ever to choose from. Get a custom island, new cabinetry, the latest backsplashes, modern countertops and beautiful appliances in your kitchen with a great remodel.
3. Your Kitchen Is Outdated. If your kitchen is stuck in the 1960’s, it can really make your whole house look outdated. Updating your kitchen to a new design and layout will bring your home into 2012.
4. Huge Return on Kitchen Remodels. Kitchens are one of the few places you can see a huge return on investment with a remodel. Time and time again, a little spending in the kitchen can up the resale value of your home.
5. Improve Your Cooking. If you love being in your kitchen, you’ll most likely cook more often and enjoy the space much more. Improve your cooking, and your quality of life, by making a few adjustments to your kitchen with a quality remodel.
6. It’s a Quick Project. Hiring quality contractors that have experience with kitchen remodels means that your kitchen renovation will get done quickly and affordably. An average kitchen remodel takes just a few weeks at most.
7. You Can Save on Energy Costs. When you decide to upgrade, go with appliances and lighting fixtures that will cut down on your energy costs throughout the year.
8. You Just Want a Change. There is nothing wrong with deciding that the countertops you once loved just aren’t your style anymore. Make some quick adjustments to things like counters, backsplashes, flooring or cabinetry to instantly change the look of your kitchen.
9. You Want a Gourmet Kitchen. Have you gotten really interested in cooking? Do you have a lot of guests over and entertain in the kitchen? It may be time to upgrade your standard kitchen to a gourmet kitchen. Remodeling your current kitchen into your luxury dream kitchen will make you feel like a master chef.
10. Additions Are Necessary. If you once had no need for an eat-in kitchen, but now have a need for this extra dining space, you may want to remodel and make some additions to your kitchen. Other additions could include an island, a pantry, a wet bar and much more.
Remember, if you’re ready to give your kitchen a facelift, contact dRemodeling for all of your Philadelphia kitchen remodeling needs.
2012: New Year, New Home Remodeling Decisions
January 19, 2012 | Crystal Russell
It’s 2012. New year, new beginnings, new statistics and ideas for home remodeling projects.
There has been a significant and noticeable shift in preferences with regard to new-home purchases from late 2011 and into the fresh beginnings of 2012. This purchasing impact is a result of the struggling economy, still-shrinking construction market, and the need and desire for smaller homes.
According to the National Association of Home Builders, builders and contractors expect newly built homes in 2012 to average between 2,000 and 2,150 square feet by 2015. That is over 10% smaller than previously estimated desired home sizes.
To maintain the consistency of simplicity and small-size, luxuries will likely fade out in home remodeling and practicality will move in. Formal living rooms are going by the wayside, making room for much smarter and multi-functional home layouts.
In 2012, you can expect to see a lot more of those once-forgotten small spaces: eat in kitchens, and large social areas that can double as office space and entertainment rooms. There’s going to be a decrease in the interest for remodeling or even building dining rooms and great rooms; these simply will become unnecessary.
“Keep the following tips in mind if you’re thinking of investing in an addition or a significant remodel:
* Select a professional contractor with experience, knowledge of local codes and a good reputation for quality work.
* Before you finalize your remodel decisions, research the improvements that will likely bring you the highest return on your investment. A minor kitchen remodel should return more than 70 percent of its cost at resale, according to the 2010-2011 Remodeling Magazine Cost vs. Value Report. Adding a bathroom pays back more than 53 percent.
* During the latest housing boom, remodels were all about big and bold. Now there is less emphasis on luxury and more on practicality. Take advantage of that trend, and you’ll make your home more competitive at resale, and your dollars will stretch a lot further.”
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Kitchen Remodeling in Doylestown PA
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