How I Got Started
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When I designed my first kitchen for myself in the mid-1980's, I couldn't find any information that was useful in planning. Everything that I read talked about a work triangle -- a pattern formed by the relationship of the refrigerator, sink, and stove. I knew from experience that such a triangle only works if you are one person cooking alone. In my kitchen, and in every other kitchen I know, other people are helping, talking, cooking, doing homework, reading the paper, cruising the refrigerator, or feeding pets while meals are being prepared. If kitchens are the heart of the home, how come only one person at a time can use them?

I started looking at restaurant kitchens, which are designed for multiple cooks and multiple tasks. As I began to understand the concept of zones, I started applying that idea to home kitchens. Since home kitchens don't have pastry chefs or sauciers, I concentrated on defining each zone in a more practical way. I called them Hot, Cold, Wet, and Dry. Each zone anchors an appliance or function (range, refrigerator, sink, food preparation/storage), and each begets its own storage and space requirements. As soon as I began thinking zonally, I began to recognize how to make kitchens that were truly functional and easy to use. Then when I began to look at ergonomics and height requirements, I saw how kitchens could be further customized for the comfort of those who use them. Finally, since beauty matters to me, I discovered how to cast all of this knowledge into pleasing designs that work with the space constraints, budgets, decor and passions of home cooks who want kitchens that work for them.

My book, Kitchens for Cooks (Penguin Studio Books, available at Amazon.com), details how to design a kitchen that really works for the people who use it.