A kitchen is a place in a house which has undergone a great deal of evolution in the history of housing and kitchen development. This ranges from the ancient open kitchens which had no means to freeze or thaw already cooked food. At that time food preparation started from scratch and food was cooked raw ingredients. It was before the mid-twentieth century that the concept of kitchen remodeling arose and it led to the development of more sophisticated, covered and equipped kitchens. This development also gave rise to the concept of precooked meals. It also changed the cooking styles and priorities of many people all around the world.
Although the development of these facilities reduced the cooking activities of many people, people’s interest in remodeling and maintaining their kitchens still remained. This ultimately led to the field of kitchen designing and remodeling. Designing an open kitchen has certain advantages. Such a kitchen design helps the cooks interact with the guests and cook at the same time. It might also prove to be a platform for creative cooks and chefs who could show their abilities and cooking performances to an audience. But for these kinds of kitchens, there may be some difficulty faced by designers in kitchen remodeling.
The most advanced and well equipped kitchen is named the Trophy Kitchen. This specific type of kitchen is highly equipped with expensive and sophisticated appliances. The prime objective of these kitchens might not be the actual use of all the appliances placed in the kitchen. These are predominantly meant for impressing visitors and projecting the social status of the owner. Usually these kitchens do not require much remodeling as they are already highly equipped and laden with expensive appliances.
Domestic kitchen remodeling is a relatively recent field. It is aimed at optimizing the work in a kitchen and it is related to upgrading the kitchen equipment according to the modern day requirements. There are various models represented for kitchen renovation and design. In this regard, Beecher provides an example of a model kitchen. The model kitchen was propagated for the first time and led to a systematic design of kitchens. All such designs are based on early ergonomics. The various design templates of these kitchen models include the construction of regular shelves on the walls and providing the cook with adequate work space.
Providing a spacious environment for cooking is essential in kitchen remodeling. I addition to this, dedicated storage areas are also required for various food items. In some of the kitchen models, for example those presented by Beecher, the cooking area and the part used for preparing and cooking of food is separated. Sometimes there are adjacent areas prepared for cooking the food. This makes the movement of the stove easier. Some researchers have provided guidelines on general household management, with specific reference to kitchen remodeling.
These ideas were later followed by architects and engineers all over the world who employed it in housing projects. Usually the most important requirements for any kitchen are the cabinets, sink, stove and refrigerator. The arrangement variations of the equipment decide the specific type of kitchen. For example, in a single-file kitchen, there is a single wall arrangement, while in the double-file kitchen there are two rows of cabinets, and the stove and refrigerator are fitted into opposite walls. Similarly, as the name indicates, L-kitchens are the type of kitchens in which arrangements are made along the two adjacent walls and a table is placed along the third wall of the kitchen.
