The Kitchen

When we first were thinking of how the house should be arranged, we failed on planning the upper floor and the kitchen. We sent the data we had as simple drawings and a requirements document to W N. Their contracted architect, P e o   O s k a r s s o n, started to work with the data and produced a wonder. In return came a suggestion that had solved all our problems, particularly the disposition of the bedrooms and upstairs in general.

However, we were not completely happy with the kitchen. We spent quite a few days remaking the kitchen drawings and came out with a kitchen that suits us. We want a handy kitchen:

• All things should be easily accessible in all cabinets. Hence no corner cupboards.
  
• There should be plenty of surfaces for vessels, trays, cutting-boards etc.
  
• It should be possible to cook and wash up at the same time.
  
• We want plenty of light in the kitchen (daytime daylight and evening work light)
  
• It should not be apparently visible if the kitchen is a mess.
  
• It should be possible to cook a lot of food at the same time
  
• The floor should be comfortable to walk on.
  
• If you do a slight mistake with a glass, it shouldn't necessarily break.
  
• The kitchen fan should not make a noise such as the one in the turbine hall of T h e P o r j u s   P o w e r p l a n t (see p 10).

The house manufacturer and the general contractor both pinpointed that we should have a H T H kitchen. The most apparent advantages with this supplier were that W N has a cooperation with H T H and that the kitchen can be delivered along with the house kit. Additionally, L M R (the general contractor)'s staff has a long experience of H T H kitchens and can probably make a very pretty mounting of the kitchen.

Two times we have visited the kitchen supplier's main store south of S t o c k h o l m. Together with H T H's designer and salesman, we decided all details. He was not too inspiring, but that didn't matter as we had met an interior designer the day before. She assisted with color and material recommendations. I will return to her in a later post.

We have received two 3D images showing the kitchen, one from the south (from the living room) and one "virtual" from the north as if the north façade were gone. Here's the first image:

Compared to the kitchen in our former house, this one is smaller and more compact. The ceiling height is at least 30 cms greater, so we hope to be able to find room for most of the things anyhow.

As you can see, there are almost no corner cupboards. In the foreground, to the left, you see a corner cupboard that is opened from the outside of the corner. Hence, the corner's volume can be used in its entirety. To the left farther away, you see the dish washer located at the convenient height of 40 cms, to make loading and unloading more confortable (just like in the previous kitchen).

On top of the dish washer, there is a small owen that mainly is an owen but can also work as a microwave oven. Together with the main oven under the cooker hob, we have two ovens for cooking. Smart, isn't it? To the right of the fridge in the middle of the picture, you see a tall drawer that will work as a larder.

The freezer is far away to the right and on this side of the freezer you see the hood. The hood is very simple, but has a nice detail. The fan is upstairs on the roof, so it is supposed to be quite silent. Under the hood, there is a really cool German induction hob. It has four large squares (quarters) where you can put a pan anywhere, that is, there are no real zones. It senses where the pan is and induces there only.

We will have an an ambitious recycling sorting. However, there is limited space for sorting the things to be recycled, so we may have to the small containers to larger ones in the basement or in the garage.

Here's a view from the north:

In this pic you see the workbench that is nicely hidden by a wall and counter.

Have we missed something?