This is how you turn the chaos into a cooking-friendly kitchen

Chloe Hines Chloe Hines
homify Industrial style kitchen
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Kitchens are a chaotic space as it is—we all know this to be true.  Whether you're cooking for one, cooking for a family of five or cooking for a dinner party, there are certain aspects of your kitchen that need to be functional and accessible in order to make it a truly cooking-friendly environment.

You have to think about everything from the accessibility to utensils, storage for recipes and cookbooks and simply clearing counter space.  This ideabook will explain the ways (and the benefits) of preparing your kitchen to become a cooking-friendly area for both you and your guests or family. This ideabook will also benefit those of you with any size kitchen—so don't think you need an incredibly large space to work with! 

This project should make you feel inspired and maybe even make you want to live healthier and entertain more!

Get rid of the stuff you won't need for cooking

First and foremost, you should think about decluttering and cleaning your space to start fresh! This should include making sure you're providing everything with a proper place and approaching your kitchen with a great organizational strategy.

Get rid of cookbooks, recipes, and decor and make sure only the essentials for cooking are at your fingertips.  This should include cooking utensils, fresh-potted herbs, and hand towels for constantly keeping a hygienic surface.

Clean and empty your counter

This goes along with the aforementioned section—clean and empty your counter. If you have wooden counters or counters made from natural materials, make sure that you're using the proper cleaning materials as not to prematurely erode the surfaces.

Not only will this give you more space to cook with, but it will (most importantly) provide you with a hygienic cooking area for food prep!  This task should be easy if you've decided where to move, place, or store all of the unwanted items.

Re-organize your shelves and cupboards

Geometry of aesthetics, FABRI FABRI Kitchen

Shelving and cupboards will make your life incredibly easier in your kitchen, as they probably already do with other rooms in your home!

Think about exposed shelving for placing plates, cups, mugs and bowls so you can easily grab them down when you're ready to serve the food hot and fresh.  Use cupboards for baking ingredients, spices and utensils that you don't find yourself using so often.  To properly make the most of your cupboard and counter space—always try to store items away that you're not using on a near weekly basis. Everything else should be hidden!

Think about corner storage options in combination with exposed shelving for a perfect place to store everything from recipe books to baking spices like seen here!

Bring more natural or artifical light if needed

We have always and will always propagate the need for great natural light in almost all areas of your home. Typically, kitchen design includes lots of windows (or just a few) or even better, doors that lead to the exterior, making your access to fresh herbs and vegetables readily available.

If you're not able to bring in a lot of natural light into your kitchen, this is fine! Consider lighting like pictured here that highlights under-cabinet areas off the dining room table.  It is especially beneficial to have spotlights over areas where you do the most food prep, like pictured here as well!

This kitchen is a similar example of how cleanliness and great lighting can bring a new attitude to your kitchen and make it a cooking-friendly affair!

Find a place for your recipes and books

Cook books and recipes are undoubtedly an important part of any kitchen and you'll want to be able to access them easily and in a hurry if you've forgotten ingredients or temperatures while cooking.

You also want to protect these items as they are valuable, so placing them in underneath cabinets or open shelves on either side of the stove/oven (as seen here) is the smartest way to store such items. Remember for safety reasons to keep all cook books and papers away from any area of your kitchen with heat and electric appliances!

Materials and tools must be reached easily

Lastly, make sure you have the easiest access to all the utensils and materials you could ever need while cooking and baking! Most homeowners like to use several small or large hooks to hold anything from cutting boards to measuring cups and kitchen scissors for opening packages and meats in a hygienic way.

If hooks aren't your style or you don't like the look of things hanging around, consider small shelves where everything is exposed like seen in this beautiful kitchen.  You will notice in the example that everything from baking spies to fresh herbs and knives are all readily available within a one-step difference of the stove and oven. 

Think that hooks can only handle smaller utensils and items? Think again and check out this example!

Has redesigning your kitchen inspired you to cook more? Tell us how by commenting below!

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