One thing we've learned along the custom kitchen design road is that there are Cooks and there are Bakers. Sure, there are cooks who bake, and bakers who cook - but more often than not, our homeowners are more dedicated to one camp than the other.
12 Tips for Designing a Baker's Dream Kitchen
Cooking puts the daily meals on the table, but baking puts those extra special smiles on your family and guests' faces. Hence, it's time to dedicate a blog to a ideas for designing a baker's dream kitchen.
1. Personalized Workflow
Before you start choosing the fun stuff, analyze how you use your kitchen as you bake and then work closely with your kitchen designer to create a personalized workflow.
2. Custom Countertop Heights
Depending on the type of baking you do most often, you may want to consider custom countertop heights to ensure you are completely comfortable whether you're standing and kneading or sitting down to ice 3-dozen cookies? Do you often have little helpers? A section of lower-countertops is a good idea to facilitate their baking tasks.
3. Sheet Pan and Baking Tray Storage
Eliminate the struggle and clatter when accessing sheet pans and baking trays. Use tray racks in a pull-out drawer for easy access.
4. Horizontal Pantry
Customized pantries are always nice but you can go one step further by creating a horizontal pantry drawer. Bins with airtight lids are easier to access when you need the basics - flour, sugar, brown sugar, chocolate chips, etc.
5. Open Shelving
We like adding open shelving here and there for accessibility and to break up cabinet faces. Bakers love them because they provide easy access to favorite mixing bowls and glass measuring cups.
6. Tech-savvy Features
We're sure you your share of favorite cookbooks and family recipes. These days, however, most of us access recipes online. Make sure your kitchen includes things like undercabinet mount stand for your tablet, hidden charging station and perhaps even a kitchen desk area so you can keep a close eye on the oven when working or catching up on emails and social media.
7. The Right Oven
The right oven. Obviously, the oven is a top priority, but there are so many different ovens to choose from. We recommend investing in higher-end models that offer additional features - like convection and steam options - so you can choose the baking/cooking modality that suits each recipe best.
8. Make That Two
If you have space for it, double ovens are a good choice. If not, remember that convection ovens distribute heat evenly and consistently, allowing you to bake more than one thing at a time.
9. The Right Countertop
The right countertop. Granite and marble have long been baker's favorites, but now there are new kids in town. Quartz and Corian countertops are both baker-friendly countertops that can accommodate rolling, cutting and direct heat without any fuss. Plus, non-porous surfaces are hygienic and there's no need to seal.
10. A Sink You'll Love
What do sinks and baking have in common? Clean-up. We recommend installing an undermount sink (so it's easy to swipe things from the countertop to the sink). Granite sinks are a gorgeous, integrated option - as are farmhouse sinks that are large enough to house everything until you're ready to wash it.
11. Slide-out Step Stool
We can install a built-in step stool in the bottom of your cabinets so you gain instant access to upper-cabinets when you need them.
12. Extra Bar Seating
Most bakers have adoring fans who like to sit at the ready for spatula licking and taste testing. Raised bar seating at the island or peninsula will keep them comfortable while they keep you company.
With today's kitchen innovating kitchen features and organization tools, bakers have the ability to design a kitchen that's built just for them. Schedule an in-home consultation with Kitchen Magic for free advice on how to design your dream bakery.
13. Using Trash Roll Outs to Store Flower and Sugar
Surely, you didn't think we wouldn't give you a baker's dozen tips! This last tip comes from one of our very own customers who happens to be a baker. She uses her trash roll out drawers to store her most commonly used ingredients—sugar and flower. Brilliant!
With today's kitchen innovating kitchen features and organization tools, bakers have the ability to design a kitchen that's built just for them. Schedule an in-home consultation with Kitchen Magic for free advice on how to design your dream bakery.
