Cool Kitchens: Photos from Australia

The home plan has evolved with the changing lifestyle and requirements of the family. From large, joint families, where getting a bit of individual privacy was paramount; from the days of huge homes with a retinue of servants to look after all our needs; from seven course meals to one-minute microwaveable on-the-go fixes – life of people across the world has changed. Home sizes have shrunk; the kitchen has emerged from the far back of the home to a prime location, adjacent to the living spaces; the living-dining areas have merged, extending into the kitchen – thereby creating a large, open plan conducive for modern ways and also suitable for entertaining. 

The kitchen plan itself is interesting – shaping up as a one-wall kitchen; galley kitchen; U-shaped kitchen; G-shaped kitchen; and L-shaped kitchen; some of which also incorporate an island. The plan is based on a work triangle - a work-flow diagram made by drawing an imaginary straight line from the center of the sink (usually attached to the chopping counter), to the center of the countertop to the center of the refrigerator, and back to the sink. The right work triangle comes from such basic calculations: 

a.     the sum of the sides should not exceed 26 feet, with each side 4-9 feet long

b.      the work triangle should not cut through an island by more than 12”

c.      for optimum efficiency avoid other activities from cutting across the triangle

The uncluttered minimalist look also continues, with white as the preferred colour for the Austalian kitchen. But with the lesser segregation of spaces now seen, the trend is towards visually integrating the kitchen into the décor style and colour scheme of the living space. Popular choices are timber grains, black and grey – and matte remains the choice for finishes.  Laminates, marbles and glass remain the choice for counter-tops and cabinetry – for their versatile applications and easy maintenance. 

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