Once you’ve taken the time to list the must-haves for your new kitchen, identify your motivation for deciding to create your dream kitchen, and establish your budget, the next step after all this kitchen planning is kitchen design. As you consider and select the best choices for your kitchen, be sure to envision the room’s whole space. You can do that easily by being mindful of the 5 integral zones that make up every kitchen.

The Preparation Zone

Perhaps of all the zones in the kitchen, it is the Preparation Zone that most homeowners dream of expanding. This is the space where vegetables are carefully chopped, pie dough is gently kneaded, and all the appetizers, entrees, and desserts for the family’s meals are prepared. It’s the space where utensils, small cooking appliances, and regularly-used seasonings and other pantry items are placed.

The Cooking Zone

From where all the wonderful culinary creations come forth, the Cooking Zone is the space where... the cooktop, the oven, the range hood, and/or the microwave secure their spot in the kitchen. It is here you might want to consider using deep pull-outs to allow for the convenient and hidden storage of pots, pans, cookbooks, and other bulky items.

The Cleaning Zone

Since many of the non-cooks often find themselves in the Cleaning Zone, it is important this space is given lots of attention and detail to make that daily clean-up chore a pleasant one. Here you’ll design the place for your sink, your dishwasher, and even the waste bin. In addition, the Cleaning Zone often encompasses a clever and convenient pull-out drawer for storage of dish towels and cleaning materials.

The Non-Consumable Zone

For all the items you use on a daily basis - utensils, cutlery, coffee cups, and drinking glasses, you’ll want a thoughtfully-designed Non-Consumable Zone. Here, the design often includes a pull-out space for the daily dishes in lieu of their traditional location in an overhead wall cabinet.

The Consumable Zone

The Consumable Zone is the space for all your non-refrigerated grocery items and the ingredients you use for cooking. Some of the design options for this zone include a walk-in pantry, a slide out larder, or a user-friendly drawer system.

If you’re not 100% sure about all the nuances you want for your kitchen (beyond your “must haves”), take the time to surf the Net, flip through zines, and explore model homes.