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Kinsey Pocchio
Mrs. Corbett
AP Literature
6 November 2011
Senior Project Paper
Americans eat three meals a day, every day. Usually, at least one of these meals is
prepared in their own kitchen. Since food is such an important part of human development and
health kitchens are considered one of the most important rooms of the house. This is why, no
matter where a person lives, there will be a kitchen. Kitchens take a lot of work to be made
perfect and a kitchen designer must not only know how much kitchens have evolved over the
years but kitchen measurements, kitchen accessories, color, and lighting are all factors they must
keep in mind throughout the kitchen designing process.
People throughout the world are gaining interest in kitchens and kitchen design. Kitchens
are considered one the most important rooms of the house because as Rossbach states the kitchen
is where “the family’s nourishment is prepared…in the ancient Chinese tradition from which
Feng Shui is derived, that room is associated with wealth” (qtd. in Gerber 74). Interior decorators
and kitchen designers spend time studying Feng Shui because people are gradually accepting the
Chinese belief that proper Feng Shui makes people feel healthy and live better lives. Back in
medieval times fat lords were considered to be wealthier and better off than others, this further
proves that the kitchen is a room associated with wealth. John Bredemeyer stated on behalf of
the Appraisal Institute that “the kitchen has evolved from a room where food is prepared to the

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hub of the house…a kitchen expansion is one of the best ways to increase your property value”
(“Six Cures for the Small-Kitchen Blues” Garskof 63-65). A kitchen expansion if one of the best
ways to increase property value due to the fact that more people today buy their homes for the
kitchen rather than for some other room. Kitchens also provide a lot of property value because of
the large amount of time individuals spend perfecting their kitchens. “Explorations and research
have centered on creating kitchens that are flexible and maximize efficiencies for both
“housewives” and workingwomen and men” (Schneiderman 17). Flexible kitchens are essential
in everyday life because multiple people need to be allowed to cook in any kitchen. It is also
important to maximize efficiency in kitchens because people want to be able to cook a meal as
fast as possible in today’s society as opposed to how kitchens used to be.
The kitchens of today are a direct reflection on many decades of evolvement and large
amounts of technology; kitchens have evolved a lot over time. “Long before the European
colonists arrived, Native Americans had cooked on open fires or hot stones. The colonists
brought the idea of a more permanent hearth within a specific room; the kitchen” (Irvine 534).
The kitchens that are in America today are not necessarily “American”; they come from
collaborations of different types of kitchens from different groups of people. “Early American
manor houses, especially in the South, usually had separate kitchens, often connected with the
house by a covered way or porch” (“Kitchen” 1). Once the colonists came to the New World the
kitchen made a major evolvement, it moved inside. At this time, however, kitchens were still so
unimportant that they were not considered part of the actual home. Stephen Crafti explains that
“In the victorian period, the kitchen…was the “back of the house”, or even located in a detached
building.” and that “While the kitchen’s status moved up a few notches over the next couple of
decades, it never came close to competing with the formal rooms of the house” (6). Kitchen

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evolvement was not an important thing in the colonial and Victorian periods. Crafti, however,
did explain change was going to come soon. The largest development of kitchens happened in
the late 1900’s.
Although kitchens did become more important once to colonists came to America they
still have lots of room to evolve throughout the 1900’s. “With the building of larger houses, the
kitchen became a separate room” (“Kitchens” 1). With the advancement of technology houses,
and kitchens, became larger. As the kitchens became larger they became a separate room of
everyday houses. Crafti states that “while the 1950s kitchen heralded a new wave of domestic
modernity, [the kitchen] still remained separate from the informal living areas of the
house….however, there was a service hatch, which allowed meals to be served into the adjacent
dining areas” (6-7). The introduction of the service hatch shows a bridge developing between the
kitchen and the family. The more the people acknowledged their kitchens the more developed
the kitchens could become. Crafti also stated that “in the 1950s, with the explosion of new
kitchen appliances, the kitchen progressed to being a showpiece for modernity” (6-7). Due to the
introduction of new kitchen appliances people became more interested in developing their
kitchens. This is due to the fact that new appliances made it easier for people to cook in their
kitchens, making them more user friendly. With the start of a new decade kitchen evolvement
continued at a surprising rate.
The late 1900s affected the design and layout of kitchens everywhere. Crafti further
explains that “the 1960s saw a bridging of the kitchen and informal meals area” (6-7). This is the
first time in history that American kitchens joined with the family eating area. This shows
cooking becoming a part of people’s everyday lives. “As women entered the workforce the
division between the kitchen and the dining area became less defined” (Crafti 6-7). Due to the

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fact that women were the biggest users of kitchen it is not surprising that once they stopped
being at home as much the kitchen became even more important to the home. This is due to the
fact that men had to start helping their wives in the kitchen. “By the last quarter of the twentieth
century, kitchens were designed on an open plan, where not only cooking but also family
activities…took place” (Irvine 536). The twentieth century shows a final collection of aspects
from other kitchens over the years. The kitchen in the twentieth century is the heart of the home
and the place that all family members come together to enjoy each other’s company and eat.
Considering the fact that kitchens are incredibly important to everyday life it is understandable
that so much work goes into kitchen design.
Knowing how to design kitchens is an art; and the best way to master any art is to start
with the basics. “A distinct cleanup center, mix center, and cooking center are the basic building
blocks of a good kitchen layout” as stated by Sam Clark, kitchen designer and author (Goudiss
1). The basic building blocks are the things every kitchen must have in order to function
properly. Without these things people will have much more stress when cooking than if these
guidelines are followed. “In addition to a sink, cabinets, and refrigerators, many [kitchens] have
a dishwasher, trash compactor, garbage disposal, and smaller appliances” (“Kitchens” 1). While
certain things are required to have in order to make a kitchen work well other things are needed
to make life for people easier. Many people believe appliances are the most important aspect of
kitchens because they aid some much in cooking. Another basic of kitchen design is the
“triangle”.
Kitchens designers must keep specific measurements in mind when putting a kitchen
together. Maria Goudiss states that “the triangle is an imaginary line from the sink to the cook
top to the refrigerator and back to the sink. The sum of all the distances should be no more than

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[twenty-six] feet, and each leg of the triangle should be no less that [four] feet or more than
[nine] feet” (1). The triangle is an important aspect of kitchen design because if objects are too
close together people will have no room to maneuver. Also, if a kitchen is spread too far apart
cooking will take long. “Any entry door should not interfere with appliance doors and appliance
doors should not get in the way of each other” (Goudiss 1). If appliance doors and too close
together both will not be able to be opened at the same time. Not being able to open two doors at
the same time can slow down cooking momentously. Catherine Beecher and Harriet Beecher
Stowe stated that “half the time and strength is employed in walking back and forth to collect
and return articles used” (Schneiderman 4). If not for the “triangle” people would still have
complaints similar to those of Beecher and Beecher Stowe. The “triangle” eliminated a lot of
issues in kitchens. Another complaint most kitchen owners have is the lack of counter space.
With most kitchen appliances being invented every day people are losing important space
in their kitchens. “Being integral to open-plan living areas…storage is often concealed.
Likewise, the fridge and pantry are often tucked away behind a door” (Crafti 6-7). Having
storage concealed saves counter space and makes the room look a lot more open. Refrigerators
take up so much room that it is important that they get put in a part of the room that they are not
in the way. Josh Garskof states that “if [a] kitchen is skimpy on counter-tops, create extra
space…with a sturdy counter-height worktable. Get a table with locking wheels and roll it
against the wall when it’s not in use” (“The Three-Figure Kitchen Makeover” 50-53). More
counter space would help any cook in their effort to prepare a meal. A table that is easy to move
would make a kitchen easy to walk through during the day while still giving the family cooks
more room to work when needed. Garskof also says “free up existing counter space by mounting
small appliances under the cabinets. Since microwaves are giant space hogs, consider installing a

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built-in-and-vent combo over the stove” (“The Three-Figure Kitchen Makeover 50-53). While
appliances such as microwaves are helpful in cooking they take up valuable counter space. That
is why it is important to find ways to hang appliances out of the way. There are also ways to save
space throughout the rest of the kitchen.
People can choose to either find ways to save space or completely redesign part of their
kitchen. Megan Kaplan explains that “space expanding tricks [include] raising the ceiling a foot,
enlarging the existing windows, and adding two more for natural light” (89-90). If windows
allow enough light in they can open up a room. A higher ceiling also gives people more room to
breathe, making the room feel completely different. “A corner booth is a practical space saver in
a small kitchen” (Bartolomeo 112). Just like putting a refrigerator in a tucked away part of the
room putting places to sit in corners can add a lot more room to a small kitchen. Also, booths do
not require stools which can sometimes get in the way in a kitchen. “Opt for backless stools, and
they can be tucked almost entirely under the counter” (“Six Cures for the Small-Kitchen Blues”
Garskof 50-53). Backless stools are the best option for kitchens if they are going to be placed in
the center of the room. This is to ensure people have enough room to walk around kitchens
comfortably. Another important aspect of kitchens is the color.
If the color of a kitchen is not right it can make a kitchen feel dark and gloomy. Suzanne
Gerber says that color “makes cooking easier and whether natural or artificial has a huge
influence on mood” (74). The idea of color ties back with the idea of Feng Shui; color can have a
huge impact on people’s moods. After all, no one wants to sit in a darkly painted room. Gerber
goes on to say “white represents purity and should be the main color of a kitchen…avoid
excessive black…and red” (74). Painting a kitchen white will increase to room’s overall appeal
immensely. Being in a black or red room will make the people in it have feelings of depression

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and anger. “To open up space, choose white trim and airy wall colors like dove or slate gray, and
keep windows free of full-length curtains” (Kaplan 89-90). Full length curtains in a light colored
room will have the same effect as if the room were painted dark. With shorter curtains people
will be allowed to see outside and the light of the sun will brighten the room even more. Lights
are also extremely important for when the sun cannot light the kitchen up.
Any cook with concur the without direct lighting cooking becomes an unnerving and
exasperating task. Suzanne Gerber advises that “Overhead beams are associated with friction or
separation, so don’t install them over dining tables or stoves” (74). If the lights used for cooking
are hung over the dining table they could ruin the entire feeling of the room and if they are hung
over a stove they could cause the cook to get major headaches. This is why people must be
careful in where they hang lights in their kitchens. Gerber also says that the stove “should always
face outward, so the cook won’t be startled and burn herself. If your stove faces a wall, you can
mirror the backsplash or use polished steel to reflect oncoming visitors” (74). If someone were to
scare the cook while he or she was cooking it could lead to a disaster. This is why most stoves
have polished backsplashes as described by Gerber.
Kitchen design is not an easy task which is why most people who want to design a
kitchen hire a professional to help them in their endeavor. In order to be good at designing
kitchens one should know what the basics of a kitchen are, measurement ideals, kitchen
accessories, good colors to paint a kitchen, and the right kind of lighting to use in each part of a
kitchen. All of this is influential in designing the perfect kitchen.