What did Thanksgiving look like in your home this year? Thinking beyond the good times shared with extended family, the post-turkey walks and anticipation for the next big gathering, did the meal itself function as well as it could have?
For many families, major events like Thanksgiving, Christmas or birthdays shine a light on kitchen frustrations that may be there year-round but really stand out during these bigger, busier gatherings, explains Spencer Dunstan-Adams, a project leader with MAC Renovations, serving the Greater Victoria and southern Vancouver Island.
“If you’re in the kitchen cooking for hours, those things that bother you during a normal meal are highlighted even more in preparation for a big meal,” Dunstan-Adams says.
“And whether the space is big or small, everyone uses the kitchen differently. If you’re planning a renovation, it’s about what your unique concept is and what works for you.”
Questions to ask yourself:
Workspace: Do you have multiple work areas, so someone can prep the stuffing while you’re basting the turkey? Does the floor plan let you converse with family and friends while cooking? Maybe there’s an island to set out plates, cutlery, and food as it becomes ready? Or perhaps you’d prefer a raised bar that also serves to hide some of the kitchen chaos on the other side.
Functionality: There’s a reason designers talk about the kitchen working triangle – fridge, stove and sink – that can maximize a kitchen’s function, Dunstan-Adams notes. After all, in a small kitchen, no one wants to maneuver the constant traffic jams of a tight workspace. Did your gravy burn while waiting for someone who was washing vegetables? Or did the door-swinging fridge door almost cause a turkey catastrophe?
Conversely, you don’t want to carry a heavy pot of boiled potatoes an extra 15 steps in a large kitchen just to reach the sink! “If the layout doesn’t work, the kitchen doesn’t work,” Dunstan-Adams says, also highlighting the importance of ventilation, cleanable surfaces and well-designed lighting – keys for a kitchen that works and that you can enjoy your time in.
Features: If you enjoy cooking or entertaining, do you have the right storage, such as a pantry with easy-access roll-out drawers, a tall, narrow cupboard for baking pans, or an appliance caddy to hide away stand mixers and other lesser-used items? Do you curse the deep corner cupboard every time you stretch for your stock pot? Or maybe you dream of a double oven, so the pumpkin pie could bake away at a lower temperature while the turkey roasts? “I’ve never heard someone complain that they have a double oven,” Dunstan-Adams points out. “It’s almost like having a second helper.”
Looking ahead: A kitchen renovation is an investment and not one you want to make again any time soon. With that in mind, it’s important to think about what your family’s needs will look like five or 10 years down the road – true whether you’re a younger couple anticipating children or empty nesters looking to age in place. “Acknowledging what isn’t working allows you to proactively plan a space that will,” Dunstan-Adams says. “In any renovation, we aim to build off of what’s working and remedy what does not.”
To make your kitchen dreams a reality, visit macreno.com or call the design team today at
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