Homework, namely washing dishes and cooking, the hostess takes a lot of time and effort. To provide the family with an elementary dinner, she needs to do several dozen different movements - squats and bends, transitions from the sink to the refrigerator.
And if the planning of the kitchen was not organized correctly, then the physical costs of such work can be significant. How to avoid this?
Ergonomics of the kitchen: basic principles
The first step in creating an ergonomic kitchen is layout. No need to buy headsets just because you liked the colors of the cabinets. First you need to pay close attention to the functionality of the room, for which you need to take into account all the little things - from the characteristics of those people who will use this kitchen to the area of the room itself.
Such parameters as the color of the floor and walls, lighting, as well as the materials from which they are created are very important.
Lighting
In order to avoid fatigue of the eyes during a long stay in the kitchen, designers advise to abandon too bright light. It is better to equip several appliances in different parts of the kitchen than to use an exclusively central one.
The working area of the kitchen should be evenly and brightly lit (see the photo in this article), you can also create a separate light source here. An excellent solution in the dining area would be a lamp or sconce with a varying light flux to create a cozy atmosphere during a tea party or dinner.
Color
When planning kitchen ergonomics, special attention should be paid to its color scheme. It is mainly dictated by its general style. In this case, one must take into account the location of the light, and the entire layout of the apartment. So, in southern rooms it is permissible to use cold tones, while for northern rooms it is better to choose warm ones - yellow, beige, terracotta.
Decorating the kitchen in very bright colors is not worth it. For example, orange or red walls will eventually become irritating to the psyche. The best solution is to paint the surfaces in calm tones - white, beige, cream.
Floor
Ergonomics of the kitchen involves the presence of floors made of stone or ceramic tiles. Of course, such coatings as linoleum and laminate do not give up their positions, while the first is very easy to damage with various sharp objects, and the second is afraid of water. But the tile is very durable, it is not afraid of spilled water, terrible dampness and mechanical damage.
You can also create a combined coating of tiles and laminate. In this case, you need to lay a laminate on the main part of the floor, and tile near the sink and in the working area. This makes it possible to zone the room and at the same time solve the problem of practicality. At present, PVC tiles are often used as floor coverings, since they have advantages over tiles and ceramics.
Walls
Ergonomics of the kitchen from the walls require convenience and simplicity when cleaning. If you prefer wallpaper, then you need to choose washable, because with them you can easily remove all the impurities that appear when cooking.
Walls in the working area must be reliably protected with a kitchen "apron". At the same time, the most popular option is the material from the tile, although recently, more and more often glass "aprons" are installed here, which are decorated with drawings or photographs.
Furniture
When choosing kitchen furniture, pay attention to the size of the room, as well as the ability to install a headset for the benefit of the hostess of the apartment. A custom-made headset greatly simplifies the selection problem, since it makes it possible to take into account the characteristics of the room, as well as to design an ergonomic space.
Materials
Materials can be very different. The most beautiful, durable and expensive is considered a solid wood. It is resistant to various damages, almost not afraid of damp, non-toxic, environmentally friendly. Usually elite kitchens are made from the massif.
MDF is very often used in the manufacture of kitchen furniture. The material is environmentally friendly and quite durable. Often it is combined with chipboard.
Multiplex is a material from glued together layers of wood of various species. It is cheaper than an array, while it is convenient in operation and quite practical.
Particleboard kitchens are less durable and the cheapest. A chipboard covered with a laminate is easily damaged and is afraid of dampness.
Cabinets
Ergonomics of the kitchen involves the presence of comfortable and high-quality cabinets. All utensils are stored in them. The amount of energy expended depends on how their internal space is organized, at what height they will be located.
Recently, manufacturers have been trying to equip cabinets with all kinds of devices: sections, containers, baskets, pencil cases and pull-out dividers. This is all organized in such a way as to get easy and quick access to each of the items.
The doors of the cabinets to save space are made retractable, folding or folding, and not swing. In cases and floor tables, sections on casters, drawers and convenient shelves are placed. To increase the working surface of the cabinet, and tables are often equipped with special retractable boards.
You can also create a variety of kitchen designs. Loft style, for example, will look very advantageous in a room of any size. If you want a light design, then Scandinavian or rustic style will suit you.
Countertops
This is the part of the kitchen that is most exposed to various adverse factors - dirt, moisture, and shock. Therefore, choosing a worktop for an ergonomic kitchen, you should approach the process very responsibly.
The most popular materials for them are: ceramic tiles, chipboard, stone and wood. Sometimes there are metal worktops. The best choice is stone or ceramic. Such countertops are easy to maintain, durable, do not absorb moisture, are not afraid of damage and pollution.
Basic principles
Are you creating your own creative project? Kitchen planning is impossible without taking into account several basic principles of furniture arrangement.
- A working triangle that includes a stove, sink and refrigerator. The amount of time and effort that goes into routine homework depends on their location.
- A social factor that takes into account the number of people using the room.
- Functional zones, since their correct allocation also affects ergonomics.
Storage of little things
Starting the planning of the kitchen, it is very important not to make a mistake in size, therefore, before buying furniture you need to make careful measurements. Also, initially you need to determine what will be necessary, as well as what you can do without.
Ergonomics of the kitchen: furniture dimensions
When designing an ergonomic kitchen, it is necessary to take into account the size of the room. For example, a small kitchen in the "Khrushchev" is unlikely to be able to accommodate a set of various items with a dedicated dining area. Of course, the distance between the stove and the refrigerator will be small, and the hostess will not need to take many steps to overcome it. At the same time, a family of four is unlikely to fit in this kitchen at dinner.
In this case, the combination of the living room and kitchen can be the solution , giving the opportunity for interesting design solutions and additional space.
Types of optimal layout
In modern life, the ergonomics of the kitchen is very important. The basic principles of planning will be considered below.
Linear kitchen
This method is mainly used in small rooms (up to 9 m²). At the same time, all household appliances and furniture are installed along one wall. There may be a dining area opposite.
U-shaped kitchen
This is a variant of the angular layout, which involves the arrangement of all furniture in the form of the letter "p". In this case, a large room is required, since the U-shaped kitchen basically takes up a lot of space.
Corner kitchen
Such a layout is suitable for rooms over 9 m². In this case, the working area, which includes a refrigerator and stove, as well as the dining room are located along two walls, thereby forming an angle. Sometimes the dining area can be placed near the opposite wall.
Peninsular kitchen
The working area with this layout from the dining room is separated using household appliances or some kind of kitchen item. For example, a cutting table or stove often acts as a partition.
Island kitchen
This is one of the most interesting methods of planning the kitchen, when the dining area is carried out in the middle of the room. So you can organize a kitchen-living room with a huge area.
Even in the smallest room, if desired, you can create a comfortable and convenient atmosphere of the kitchen, the style of which will emphasize the taste of its owners, as well as facilitate homework, while saving the time of the hostess.