Kitchen Design Restaurant Ideas

Owners and managers of restaurants are constantly bombarded with new ideas, concepts, and plans for using their kitchen space wisely by reducing operating costs or increasing productivity. Appliances, gadgets, and space savers of all sorts may be tempting, but if you don't have a kitchen that is well planned in the first place, you may be throwing money away by purchasing them. The three basic kitchen-related costs (and the ways to reduce them) are:

1. Labor (increased productivity)
2. Utilities (increased energy efficiency)
3. Food (menu flexibility and planning)

What does kitchen design have to do with these costs? Careful space planning gives the restaurant owner or manager the best possible environment and tools with which to accomplish these three critical cost controls. In this chapter, we will discuss:

1. Trends in modern kitchen design
2. How to budget for the kitchen you want
3. Where to put your kitchen within your facility
4. How to create flow patterns that make the service system and work centers run smoothly
5. Food safety considerations when designing a kitchen
6. Guidelines for placement of equipment
7. The unique design needs of service areas and each part of the kitchen

Design refers to overall space planning; it defines the size, shape, style, and decoration of space and equipment in the kitchen. The layout is the detailed arrangement of the kitchen floor and counter space: where each piece of equipment will be located and where each work center will be. A work center is an area in which workers perform a specific task, such as tossing salads or garnishing plates. When several work centers are grouped together by the nature of the work being done, the whole area is referred to as a work section: cooking section, baking section, and so on.

It's smart to design the maximum amount of flexibility into any foodservice setting, and there are different types of flexibility to consider: multiple uses for equipment, and how that may impact the design of the work sections; mobility of the equipment within the kitchen space; operational flexibility and labor flexibility. Shortsighted decisions early in the planning process impede flexibility later. The natural tendency in kitchen design is to try to fit the equipment into the space available, instead of making the space work to fit the specific needs of the operation.

As foodservice professionals, we look at preliminary drawings of a space and notice its shortcomings:

insufficient electrical capacity, not enough room for adequate waste disposal, and the like. Instead of living with these problems, why not tell the architects what we require, and where we want it? If it's going to be your space, you must be aggressive about whether, and how, it can be made to work for you.

An important early consideration may be optimistic, but necessary nonetheless-and that is, the need for eventual expansion. In addition to your own square footage, look at whatever space is located next door.

Would it suit you if you needed to use it? Would it be expensive to modify? Would expansion be possible into that space without too much disruption of business? Even the locations of your building's exterior walls are important. If you're expanding into an existing parking lot, that is possible. If it's a garden area, you might be able to design an expansion that works with it, to create outdoor dining space. But if it's a street on the other side of the wall, expansion is simply not possible in that direction.

Small Kitchen Design Ideas

Small kitchen design ideas should you come up with a way to save as much space as possible while having everything you need in the kitchen. As stated earlier, a small island in a small kitchen design you can help save space when it comes to storage for pots and pans or utensils. If you are not financially able to work an island in your small kitchen design ideas, you can use the meat block the mobile cart. It is a good idea for prepping food or simply used as a buffet.

The basket is very reasonable, and can be stored easily by sliding right next to your sink. A small cage kitchen is also a good idea because it has been the withdrawal of a part as a storage drawer and a cutting board. A small enclosure also has a glass door at the top where some fine china plates and can be stored. Open plate rack can be built into a wall or placed as an extra.

The kitchen table can be placed in a small kitchen. If there is an island in the kitchen, you already save space. However, if you want a place in the kitchen to be able to sit down to a table you can nestle against the island. This will leave more space around the floor and workspace altogether. Additionally, you can customize your island into a peninsula by adding it to the end of the sink counter space.

This will open up the middle of the floor for you and give you unlimited access to the sink, stove and dishwasher. In order to preserve the kitchen and have a broader view, built in cabinets is another kitchen design ideas. Wall cabinets are in a location that is easily accessible, but they are not in the way or take any excess space. If you have a closet that has a space above them, a small basket can be used to store some loose items lying around taking up space counter.

Lighting can play a major role in the way your kitchen space can appear in size. Kitchenette not need fluorescent lights because they can squeeze a small kitchen. Each lighting that can be placed under the closet will not make the room look too bright or too small. Lighting should blend with the overall color and decoration to give the room a good contrast.

Equipment must be next to each other when you are designing a kitchen. This improves efficiency and prevents you from having to walk across the room to get from one tool to another. If you do not need a big fridge, you can buy a smaller, more one to save more floor space. There is a software design tool that can help you come up with design ideas for small kitchens and appliances. You can also get a great IDE from home improvement stores

Kitchen Designs Home Depot

Major Renovations

So it makes sense to update the kitchen, right? As a home staging coach, my answer is 'yes'. However there area a few things you need to consider:

• Renovating a kitchen is one of the biggest and most expensive ($30 - $60,000) undertakings you can do. Your family will be without the use of the kitchen for possibly months. Can you afford not only the cost of the renovations but the cost of eating out more, the cost of the emotional upheaval in the family home, the dust and chemical smells, etc, etc.?
• When you have completed the kitchen renovation will it match the quality of the other rooms in your home? If not, this may hinder the full value potential of this investment.
• Most kitchen renovations require professional advice and qualified contractors to do the job so that it adds value to your home, done poorly will be a deterrent. Remember you will need a building permit if you are doing major renovations.

Or, Minor Improvements

My advice to you is not to spend too much money on major renovations but make some minor improvements that will update the look of your home. These 'TOP TIPS' will help you get your kitchens looking great for selling no matter who your target market is.

You can make these changes yourself or hire a professional.
'TOP TIPS' Kitchen Improvements for Budget Conscious Sellers:

• Best Paint Colours in the kitchen are medium tones in yellows, greens and beiges; nothing too dark and nothing too light. Add some accessory colours such as reds, oranges and yellows in bowls of fruit, containers or floral arrangements.
• If your Lighting Fixtures are old then replace them. You can buy very current brushed nickel light fixtures for very reasonable prices at Home Depot, Ikea, Canadian Tire or Rona. The old brass plates just don't have the look home buyers want. If you have a sunshine ceiling paint out the wood colour the same as the ceiling - it diminishes it from being a focal point. You can also replace the glass with an updated look.
• Flooring does not have to be an expensive item for your kitchen update. Linoleum is inexpensive and works well in kitchens. Tiles are another good product; bamboo and cork flooring is currently popular in kitchens. Avoid using carpet in a kitchen.
• Counter tops don't need to cost a fortune to replace. You can purchase inexpensive laminates that will give you a great updated look. Countertops can also be resurfaced for far less than the cost of any new counter tops! And while granite is trendy it is costly and there are manmade materials like Corian? that are still less expensive and still luxurious.
• Cupboards can be painted; you need to prime them, sand and paint. You can even find melamine paints if you still have this surface cupboard! With the addition of new brushed nickel door handles you will have a great updated look. There are companies who will put in new cupboards while resurfacing the sides at 50% less than replacing cupboards and drawers.
• Sinks can also be inexpensive to replace. Stainless steel are the most popular right now. If you only have a chip check out the home hardware stores that carry small bottles of chip filler. Faucet taps can be another good investment -just make sure you get a new one that works with your existing hardware.
• Appliances need to be updated. Check for sales or almost-new appliance stores. Costco has some great buys as do many of the local big box home hardware stores. Stainless steel, black or white are the most popular for selling. If you have some chips in your appliances go to your home hardware store and buy a small bottle of chip filler for stoves and fridges.
• Kitchen Islands are popular as they can add some extra work space if you have the room to put one in. Ready-made islands can be purchased from many stores such as Ikea, Home Depot, Rona, etc. Caution: if there is not enough room, trendy or not, better not to buy one if it makes your kitchen look small!
• Kitchen Eating Area needs to be tidy, clean and inviting. The goal is to make each room in your home look spacious. Whether you have kitchen stools or table and chairs ensure this area is not cluttered with too many chairs. In staging "Less is More".
• Your Open House Ready Look - remove all the clutter and all of your personal items. Buyers don't want to see all the things that you need out on the counter for your everyday use. Now is the time to sort through what you really need to keep, give away, sell or throw out. Recycle where you can. Counter tops should be clear with the exception of a few accessories. Clean until every single thing sparkles in the kitchen. Sinks need to be spotless, no dishcloth hanging on the tap or on the sink counter; floors need to be 'clean enough to eat off'¡­Remove area rugs in the kitchen.

Keep the cooking smells to a minimum in the kitchen during a showing. No smells are better than bad smells! The smell of baking bread or cookies can be pleasing if not overdone. Fresh air and lots of light make for a great feeling in the kitchen.

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Article Source: EzineArticles.com