Looking around Display Homes I see a lot of island benches with waterfall ends.
Although I would agree that they can look very great there are some downsides that it is worth thinking about.
Less Flexibility
Most of us use an island bench as a casual eating area.
The waterfall end means that you will all end up facing the same direction rather than being able to look at each other sitting around the end.
You will also find it less comfortable to work of the waterfall end for food preparation. . . because your foot can’t go under the bench you can feel a bit to far from the bench.
Power Point Location
These days there are lots of electrical devices in the kitchen, coffee machines, toasters, kettles slow cookers etc even lap top and phoone chargers.
A convenient place for power points is at the end of the bench. . . but putting a double powerpoint in that waterfall end is really going to spoil the look . . . .under an overhanging end will make it unobtrusive but still convenient.
Cost
All that extra stone counter top and the labour in making a smooth join isn’t going to be cheap.
One compromise is to have a waterfall at one end of the island and an overhang at the end you want to use for casual dining.
One of the most expensive rooms in your new house will be the kitchen.
For the purposes of research I spent an hour looking through my local Bunnings.
Just concentrating on stainless steel double drainer sinks I found they stock over 20 different types.
Prices range from $118 right through to $1,553.
That’s 1300% increase.
Want a ceramic sink and you could double the cost again. . . . and that is just one small part of the kitchen.
You have got to select taps, counter tops, cupboards, cook tops, ovens, range hoods.
I’m not saying select the cheapest of everything . . . just remember the more you spend on the kitchen the less you will have to spend on the rest of the house, or you may finish up with an horrendous mortgage.
You may be out shopping for a new fridge to go in the new house
or
You may just want to check your existing fridge fits in the alcove in your new kitchen.
Whichever it is . . . . . Don’t forget to leave room around the fridge!
Ventilation
Both refrigerators and freezers work by extracting the heat from inside to a radiator coil on the rear of the unit.
If the air flowing past the coils is restricted the efficiency of the refrigerator will drop, and your power bills will go up.
I would recommend a space at least 25mm either side of the cabinet and 40-50mm behind and above the top of the unit.
Don’t then use these spaces to store trays, chopping boards, etc otherwise you are going to block that ventilation path.
I have heard of people installing an external vent behind a fridge mounted on an external wall. . . It seems like a good idea if you remember to shut the vent on hot days. (remember on a 30 + degree day the incoming air will be hotter than the air in the room)
Door Opening
To get drawers out of a Fridge or Freezer you normally have to open the door by much more than 90 degrees. (I have just checked mine and its about 135 degrees)
This means you may need more than the 25mm suggested above on the hinge side unless the front of the fridge projects forward of the alcove.
Built in Fridges
I’m not a big fan of built in fridges, but if you like them make sure that ventilation and door opening are fully considered before you buy.
Condensation, a minor inconvenience, or a major problem?
A little condensation on windows is easily dealt with, . . . . . . but heavy condensation in poorly ventilated corners can lead to mould damaging your walls, ceilings, or even your clothes.
Why does Condensation Occur
Condensation in a building occurs when warm air, containing water vapour, comes into contact with a cold surface.
As the air cools it can’t hold as much water vapour so the excess changes into liquid water which is deposited on the cold surface.
The water usually appears as surface condensation as water droplets or water film on cold surfaces, typically windows.
Condensation occurring on cold walls and ceilings is a major issue as it is when mold problems start. Of particular risk are wardrobes on an external wall as there is a cold surface and a lack of ventilation.
Sources of Water
Here are five main sources of water vapour in the home
People –A typical adult will lose around 0.8L/day of water, half from skin evaporation, and half from breathing.
Bathrooms –Not just the obvious showers and baths, its also those drying towels and bathrobes
Kitchen – Kettles, Pans, dishwasher, and the microwave will add water vapour
Un-Flued Combustion – Portable Gas Heaters, Gas Hobs, Bio Ethanol Heaters, even Candles, all emit water vapour into the room as they burn.
Laundry – Unvented Tumble driers, Airing Clothes.
Evaporative Cooling – Because it is mainly used in summer less of a problem, but can be an issue on cold nights.
Preventing Condensation Damage
Action to prevent condensation damage involves looking at both insulation and ventilation.
Insulation. Additional insulation in walls or ceiling will keep those surfaces warmer which will reduce the risk of condensation damage in most rooms .
Ventilation In bathrooms and kitchens the more moisture laden air means that insulation by itself will not be enough. The moist air needs to be effectively extracted to prevent condensation being an issue. (Although I have previously posted about Heat Loss due to Ventilation some ventilation is needed throughout the house)
Role of Double Glazing
Double glazing is often suggested as an answer to condensation however this is not really the case. As the windows are now less cold there is less surface condensation on the windows, so it looks like the issue has gone away. The problem is that without removing the moisture laden air the risk of condensation on walls and ceilings is increased.
See this link to find out why I prefer a separate Extraction fan in the Bathroom: 3 in 1 Bathroom Heaters
To keep moisture out of the insulation materials see this link: Vapour Barriers
Understandably there is a lot of talk about Bush Fires at this time of the year…….. but did you know that in a typical year there are around 13,000 domestic fires in Australia.
There are also around 80 deaths a year which fire brigades describe as preventable!
Causes
The top causes according to the NSW Fire Brigade are:
Cooking Equipment – Why not invest in a fire extinguisher and fire blanket for your new house?
Appliances – There appears to be a rise in tumble dryers fires so make sure you keep that lint filter clean.
Heating Systems – If you are going for a fire or wood heater a bigger hearth is safer. For things like fan heaters make sure you keep them free from dust.
Faulty wiring – Hopefully this shouldnt be too big a risk for your new house with modern Earth Leakage Circuit Breakers (ELCB’s).
Air conditioning/ Refrigeration – Don’t forget to clean any filters and occasionally vacuum the back of the fridge and freezer.
I see a lot of island kitchens in display homes and when visiting friends……..one thing that puzzles me is that they all have the sink in the island unit.
In my opinion it’s better to have the cooktop on the island (like the above photo) and the sink under a window, or wall, for the following reasons:
If you are having friends round for a meal, or even just talking to the family, you will be facing them while you cook.
Because of the extra pipe distance to get to the island bench it generally takes a long time for the hot water to get to the mixer.
Washing pans, or peeling veggies, are tasks where you don’t need to concentrate so its nice to look out of the window.
One problems is you will have less choice when it comes to range hoods, and perhaps need a more powerful model for the same effect.
If you really want a sink on the island, have the main one elsewhere but have a smaller sink at one end of the island. You will probably only need cold water to this sink but make sure you have a high outlet, so its easy to fill pans with water.
Although we have a study in our house most of the organising the household, paying our bills, writing letters and using the laptop happens on the kitchen counter. So do we really need the study?
If I was going to build again I would probably look to organise the kitchen area differently and set up a ‘Mission Control’ next to the kitchen bench. This would consist of a filing cabinet, with some shelves on top for:
A computer printer.
A rack of filing trays for printer paper, and envelopes.
A stand for bills to be paid.
A cordless phone charger (perhaps with mobile and Skype there is now no need for the cordless phone!)
A cup with some pens and pencils.
A phone point for the wireless router.
I would also want a drawer near the counter for sticky tape, more pens, blue tack staples, paper clips etc. Next to the filing cabinet would be the shredder which could then be emptied into the kitchen compost bin.
All this would save the cost of having the study and be far more convenient for the everyday paperwork around the house.
The only trouble with this idea is you could be too close to those jars of tempting biscuits! . . . . . (See this link: Is Modern Kitchen Design Making Us Fat?)
If you had a Mission Control what would you want in it?
