Question

Write short notes on Types of kitchens. (any five points).

Name five popular types· of kitchens that modern homes can be proud of.

Answer 1

1. One Walled or Pullman Kitchens:
   
   1. It is found in small houses with little space for a kitchen.
   2. It has all three work areas placed on one wall in a row fashion.
   3. The homemaker moves from one end to the other for food preparation.
   4. No work triangle exists in this type of kitchen, but it can be made most efficient by planning the sink centre between the fridges and the cooking centre.
   5. This kind of kitchen is also known as Strip Kitchen.
2. Corridor Kitchen or Two Walled Kitchen:
   
   1. It resembles the strip kitchen but is a more practical and convenient model.
   2. The work counters are on both sides of the wall, facing each other.
   3. The storage and preparation centre is on one side, and the cooking centre is usually on the opposite.
   4. Its disadvantage is that it often allows family members to pass from one part of the house to another, which interferes with meal preparation.
   5. Though it forms a very good and efficient work triangle, it sometimes makes the space appear too narrow. The distance between the two parallel counters should be approximately 4 feet.
3. U-Shaped Kitchen:
   1. It is the most efficient kitchen arrangement in terms of work triangle efficiency.
   2. Three work centres on three neighbouring walls provide many continuous work counter areas.
   3. More than one individual can work at the same time. The two corner cabinets pose a little storage issue readily remedied with robust swing-out shelves.
4. L-Shaped Kitchen:
   1. This can also be regarded as a suitable kitchen layout.
   2. It leaves two walls empty for windows and doors, and the free corner is utilised for built-in storage or a dining area.
   3. Three work centres are placed on two adjacent walls and form an inverted 'L' shape.
   4. A carousel fitting cart be installed in the storage centre below the counter.
   5. The work triangle might become a little tedious if any of the counters are too long.
5. Broken U-Shaped Kitchen: 
   1. This provides a good space for working. It is similar to the U-shaped kitchen but is not continuous. One arm of the 'U' forms a pass-through counter, which can also be used for informal eating.
6. Island Shaped Kitchen:
   1. This is an extended version of the L-shaped or U-shaped kitchen with an additional work area in the middle.
   2. It needs a fairly large room. The top of the island-shaped kitchen can include a hob, or a sink, or it can simply serve as an extra work surface, probably acting as a breakfast bar.
   3. Gas, electricity, water pipes, or cables will have to be passed through the flooring to make it possible to have a hob, sink, microwave, etc., on the island.
   4. Most island-shaped kitchens are of standard height of 900 mm and are 1200 x 1200 in size.
   5. The smallest size of the island, however, is 600 x 900 mm. Depending on the space available, the island could have a curved or irregular shape, too.