How to Design Your Kitchen Floorplan
You've flipped through a ton of magazines and poured over the designs in the stores and now you want to design your own kitchen. But how do you go about it? Start by creating your own kitchen floorplan. Creating a kitchen floorplan of your own can be a fun and exciting endeavor, especially if you're going to get the kitchen of your dreams. Does this Spark an idea?
Things You'll Need
- Measuring tape
- Pencil
- Graph paper
- Ruler
- Thin-tipped colored marker or pen
- Dimensions of appliances (stove, refrigerator, dishwasher, etc.)
- Dimensions of cabinets
- Dimensions of island (if you plan on using one)
- Construction paper
Instructions
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1
Measure the width and length of your kitchen.
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Write the measurements on the corner of your graph paper. Be sure to mark down which one is which so there is no confusion.
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Draw the outline of your kitchen on the graph paper using a ruler. One square on the graph paper should equal a specified number of inches. For example, if you have a 10x12 foot kitchen and each square equals 6 inches, you'll create a rectangular box that measures 20x24 squares.
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Add the details. Windows and doors in your kitchen should be measured and marked on your floorplan before placing appliances. Once you've marked the windows and doors with the pencil, mark them again with a thin-tipped colored marker or pen. The colored lines will make it easier to remember where things are in the room as you design your floorplan.
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Place your appliances. You can draw in your appliances using their dimensions on the scale you already made for the room. For example, if you have a 2x2 1/2 foot refrigerator and each square in your room equals 6 inches, you'll create a 4x5 square box to represent your refrigerator on your floorplan.
Although it can take a little more time and preparation, you also can cut representations of each of your appliances out of construction paper. To do this, use your ruler to measure the width of each square. If each square measures 1/4 inch and you have a refrigerator that measures 4x5 squares, your construction representation of the refrigerator needs to be 1x1 1/4 inches. This method creates more work in the beginning, but it can make the process easier. If you'd like to be able to play with your kitchen design and move things around easily to see how they look, go with the construction paper method.
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Once you have all your appliances placed, put in your cabinets. Standard cabinet heights vary by type of cabinet. However, most standard wall cabinets measure 12 to 13 inches deep, and most base cabinets are 24 inches deep.
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Add a sink.
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Finally, if you're planning to add an island to your kitchen, put it in, but remember, according to the National Kitchen and Bath Association, all walkways should measure at least 36 inches wide. If it's a workspace, like in front of the stove, the walkway should be 42 to 48 inches wide.
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Tips & Warnings
If you draw your appliances and cabinets onto your floorplan, don't forget to write down which one is which.
If you use the construction paper method, think about using a different color of construction paper for each item. This can make it simpler to differentiate between a specific appliance and wall or base cabinets.
When designing your kitchen floorplan, remember to take work flow into consideration when you place your appliances.
