How to Create the Perfect Cooking Space in Your Freestanding Kitchen

If you’re looking to create a perfect space for cooking, you don’t necessarily need a big kitchen—more important is one that embraces an intelligent, organized layout. 

From decluttering workstations to the position of your appliances and utensils, there’s plenty to consider when trying to design a kitchen for the budding home chef, but with a little help from Hugo & Blake, we can take you through some of the key things to remember. 

Cooking heaven awaits!

Make your workspace…work

When thinking about kitchen design, we often mention the idea of the magic triangle; the configuration and positioning of your refrigerator, workstations, and oven. In an ideal freestanding kitchen, your aim is to ensure that these zones are located in areas that make sense and work in perfect harmony with each other. 

Frequently-used utensils and appliances need to be kept in handy reach, while the journey from refrigerators to workstations and ovens needs to be unobstructed and clear. Think about your kitchen’s day-to-day use, and try to imagine what layout is going to best suit each culinary task. Everything needs to flow with a logical structure that works for you.

Surface sense

Work surfaces are a vital component of any freestanding kitchen. As well as aesthetics, it’s imperative that the material you choose for your worktops is practical, hard-wearing, and functional. Stainless steel is a popular option for its easy-to-clean properties, but we would recommend classic granite or marble for adding a touch of sophistication to your kitchen design. They are also extremely robust and perfectly suited for a hardworking home chef. 

Another excellent alternative is Dekton, a sintered stone engineered from raw materials that offer some unique benefits that make it an essential kitchen worktop choice; including stain resistance, UV protection, water resistance, impact resistance AND heat resistance.

Storage needs

To ensure cooking tasks are made super-efficient, it makes good sense to keep frequently-used ingredients, utensils, and cooking equipment in easy-to-reach, organized cabinets. Hugo & Blake can furnish your kitchen with a wide range of smart freestanding storage solutions to keep things in working order. 

Cook books, spice jars and casserole dishes can be kept on display in beautifully-crafted freestanding open shelves, while larger items can be neatly stored in deep drawers to keep work surfaces free of clutter. 

Freestanding pantries are also a hugely beneficial addition to your kitchen, as it gives you the ability to house a whole range of ingredients and foodstuffs. Just remember that organization is key when it comes to stocking your pantry. Keep rarely-used items at the back, while those ingredients that make regular appearances in your dishes…make sure they’re easily accessible.

The beauty of freestanding cabinets, of course, is that if the layout isn’t working for you, there’s always the option to rearrange and reconfigure!

Keep appliances handy!

Once again planning is everything. First consider the specific demands of your household and how each appliance can be best utilized for those needs. It might be the case that your large family requires additional appliances. A second refrigerator or freezer to accommodate batch cooking might be an option; or conversely, you might decide you need a smaller oven if your family has downsized. Perhaps you’d like to move your washing machine or dryer into a utility room to separate them from the main cooking zones.

With freestanding furniture, there’s plenty of scope to design your kitchen exactly how you want, and Hugo & Blake are always on hand to offer advice on the layout of your culinary hub.

That’s entertainment!

If you’re the type of home chef that likes to entertain and share the fruits of their gastronomic talent, a kitchen island can be a wise investment. A freestanding island gives you the chance to establish designated zones of cooking and entertaining. While you work your magic in the kitchen, guests can gather around the island and feast on your delicious offerings.  Kitchen islands also offer plenty in the way of smart storage and additional workspace. 

If you’ve got the room, we’d heartily recommend it!

How can we help?

A few clever design features can play an important role in creating a kitchen fit for a talented home cook. If you’d like any advice or guidance on freestanding furniture options, kitchen islands, or work surfaces, then please get in touch. Together, we can build your dream kitchen.