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Make sure your casserole dishes are within easy reach (and where you need
them) by considering two important design ideas: zone design and universal
design.
Zone Design
You’re trying to rinse out your measuring cups. Your cooking cohort needs to
scrub the vegetables. As you bump elbows, you realize that kitchens aren’t
always made for multiples. Luckily, it’s not too hard to design your kitchen in
“zones.” It’s a practical (and increasingly popular) way to group common
activities together.
In lieu of the “work triangle” (a design approach based on the positioning of
the sink, refrigerator and range), consider the four zones of your kitchen:
food prep, cooking, baking, and cleaning. By identifying what you do in each
space, you’ll be able to determine the cabinetry and cabinetry accessories that
you need there.
Food Prep
This is where it all begins: In the food prep zone, you slice and dice your
way toward dinner. If your kitchen is spacious enough to accommodate an island,
the food prep zone would be well-placed there. It’s helpful to include a second
sink for rinsing fruits and vegetables, as well as a refrigerator drawer for
storing milk and eggs if your main refrigerator isn’t easily accessible.
Include:
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Butcher block pullout (if you
aren’t working on a butcher block surface)
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Drawer for knives
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Pullouts for mixing, measuring
and serving items
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Pullout trash center
Baking
The area built for fun, the baking zone is where cookies, breads, and
casseroles come to life. Aside from the appropriate countertop space and
material (marble slabs work best for rolling dough), you’ll need to keep a
number of supplies within easy reach. Include:
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Apothecary drawers for storing
small items like cookie cutters
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Bins for flour and sugar
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Tray divider rollout for
baking sheets and pizza pans
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Pulldown cookbook rack
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Drawers for rolling pins,
measuring cups, and teaspoons
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Easy-to-reach cabinet space
for heavy casserole dishes and mixing bowls
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Storage for oven mitts, pot
holders, and trivets
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Divided utensil storage for
spatulas and wooden spoons
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Pop-up stand for your mixer
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