Architectural Design Essay Example

can be an expensive project, and before you choose to create an opulent formal setting, consider how frequently you will use it.

If the dining room is pressed into service regularly for Sunday dinners, dinner parties, and holiday gatherings, it may be well worth it to seek professional advice, whereas if it is to be a usual or less frequently used room, your personal preferences may be all the design consultation you need. Accessibility One often overlooked consideration when designing dining rooms is accessibility. Naturally, there should be easy access to the kitchen, and if you plan on extensive entertaining it should be accessible to other gathering areas as well ( living room, home theater, etc. . Furthermore, the dining room should be near a bathroom for convenience. Not only does a dining room need to be accessible to other parts of the house, but it should be roomy enough that guests do not need to vacate their chairs o let other people pass or to retrieve dishes from a cabinet. Furniture The first consideration for dining room furniture should be the number of necessary chairs. Nothing will destroy a carefully designed dining room more quickly than importing folding chairs when extra seats are needed.

Table size is also a factor: be sure to leave at least 24 inches of clearance around the perimeter of the room (while the chairs are in place around the table) to allow guests to move about freely. Additional furniture in a dining room is a matter of personal preference. Many people choose to incorporate china cabinets into the dcore to highlight fine china and crystal, and a wine rack

would certainly not be out of place. When adding these extra pieces, however, always consider the available space and whether they will make the room uncomfortably crowded.

Lighting Lighting is a crucial consideration when designing your dining room. Guests should have adequate light to appreciate the food without squinting, but the light should not fixtures in dining rooms, and they can be purchased in a variety of designs and styles to match any level of formality. When choosing lighting fixtures, take into account the residence of natural light: if you plan on hosting dinner parties, avoid western-facing windows that would focus the setting sun into your guests' eyes. Inspiration Everyone needs some inspiration as they delve into some form of interior design.

Sites like Home Decor Exchange and George in the Box offer slideshows that feature gorgeous dining rooms in a variety of styles. In addition, check out this Youth video of beautiful dining rooms.. Extra Dining Room Details While the simplest of dining rooms can be designed after considering only basic elements, multi-functional rooms with decorative accents add personality and flair to he overall effect. Multiple Functions If you plan on hosting a variety of different functions - dinner parties, brunches, luncheons, etc. You need to consider flexibility in your dining room's interior design. An expandable table, for example, can be adjusted to suit different party sizes, and an interior window with access to the kitchen can serve as an admirable buffet station. Decorative Accents Accents in a dining room should be kept minimal so that they do not need to be frequently rearranged to accommodate different meals. A centerpiece is the most common

choice and can easily be coordinated to suit different holidays or events.

Take care, however, that nothing on the table is so tall or bulky that it obscures guests sitting across from one another, a problem that will stunt conversation and enjoyment no matter how gorgeous the decoration. 10 Kitchen Design Considerations Posted by Danville on 4 August 2011, 11:17 am For a lot of people, getting a new kitchen is one of the most exciting parts of building a new log or timber home, and considering how much time we spend in them, it's not surprising. Because it's such an important space, planning the kitchen is worth the time and research it takes to ensure that it functions comfortably and efficiently.

Keep these ten considerations in mind as you plan your kitchen. 1. Cabinet Height Whether you are 7'-0" or 4-5" the cabinets need to fit you. Base cabinets are 36" standard height, but most manufacturers can modify the height if necessary to make it comfortable for you when you are in the kitchen working. Wall cabinets also come in various heights, so make sure that you can reach the shelves. Even if you go with a standard height you can lower or raise the placement of the cabinets to accommodate your height. 2.

Appliances Everyone knows the standard kitchen appliances: range, refrigerator, dishwasher, but here are many more appliances out there. You can go with commercial size appliances if you have a family the size of a football team or you can get apartment size appliances if it is Just one person. There are also warming drawers, steamers, and a variety of specialty

products that you can choose from. Just make sure you get what you need and want. 3. Storage The biggest reason people remodel their kitchens is for more storage. As you are your five mixers?

How much food storage do you need? Do you want a special place for Grandma's china? If you can make a list of exactly how much you want to store ND why, when you are designing your space you can make sure that nothing is left out. 4. Function Just because your new kitchen is pretty doesn't mean that it functions well. Make sure it works for your family lifestyle. If you entertain a lot, space for everyone to help, or having the kitchen open to an adjacent room, would be ideal. If your family eats in the kitchen, make sure there is a place for them to sit and stay.

Also, keep things you use on a regular basis close at hand. If you have to go to the pantry every day for your cereal bowl, you won't be happy. See how you use your space now, and sake notes of where things could be better . 5. Layout As you design your new kitchen you are going to hear a lot about the work triangle. The work triangle is a set distance between your sink, refrigerator, and range. The National Kitchen and Bath Association (NAB) has specific guidelines that you can follow to create an efficient triangle. Keep in mind that you want to have those distances relatively short.

You don't want to have to walk a mile to your sink when you need to fill a pot

for the range. 6. Style You probably have an idea of what you want your new kitchen to look like, but not everyone does. The style of your cabinets can make a big impact. If you want to have a more contemporary look, try slab or shaker style doors. If you want a more traditional look, raised panel doors will achieve it. Color also plays a key part here. Darker colors can feel more modern, while a painted white kitchen can be more country. Keep in mind that you want something that won't feel outdated in five years. . Hardware Cabinet hardware is Jewelry for the cabinetry. It can be big and shiny, or simple and understated. It can also help you say your cabinetry is modern or traditional. Cabinet hardware is not a requirement. Just think about who will be using the kitchen on a regular basis and what works best for them. Also, if you are going to live in this house far into your golden years, make sure you pick something that will work for aging hands. Handles or pulls are better than knobs. 8. Counter-tops The countertops options on the market today are far too numerous to list.

As you are assessing products make sure that they fit your needs. Do you want to have to seal the product annually? If it scratches, can you fix it? How do you clean it? Most manufacturers list all of these answers on their websites, or a professional can direct o to the best product for your needs. Budget plays a big part of most decisions. Can you afford to have granite or would

a look-a- like be k? 9. Space requirements Everyone would love to have a huge kitchen - one that everything you ever wanted can fit into and is the talk of the neighborhood.

Ask yourself if you are willing to take space from adjacent rooms to make your dream kitchen. If not, maybe Just a new layout can make the space feel bigger, or pushing the wall cabinets to the ceiling will give you the extra storage needed. 10. Extras hard to choose what to pick. Crown molding is the most popular addition. You can also add columns to your island or faux door panels to the end of the cabinets. All of these options can be a beautiful addition, Just make sure that they fit into your budget as well.

The most common kitchen layouts include the one-wall kitchen, the galley kitchen, the U-shaped kitchen, the G-shaped kitchen, and the L-shaped kitchen-?some of which can also incorporate an island. Read on to find out the pros and cons of each option, as well as some tips for coping with the layout you already have. DINING ROOM A dining room is a room for consuming food. In modern times it is usually adjacent to he kitchen for convenience in serving, although in medieval times it was often on an entirely different floor level.

Historically the dining room is furnished with a rather large dining table and a number of dining chairs; the most common shape is generally rectangular with two armed end chairs and an even number of UN-armed side chairs along the long sides. KITCHEN A kitchen is a room or part of a

room used for cooking and food preparation. In the West, a modern residential kitchen is typically equipped with a stove, a sink with hot and cold running water, a refrigerator and kitchen cabinets arranged according to a dollar design. Many households have a microwave oven, a dishwasher and other electric appliances.

The main function of a kitchen is cooking or preparing food but it may also be used for dining, food storage, entertaining, dishwashing and laundry. Kitchen Planning Guideline 1- Door Entry Recommended: The clear opening of a doorway should be at least 34 inches wide. This would require a minimum 2-foot 10-inch door. Kitchen Planning Guideline 2: Door Interference Recommended: No entry door should interfere with the safe operation of appliances, nor should appliance doors interfere with one another. Kitchen Planning Guideline 3:

Distance Between Work Centers Recommended: In a kitchen with three work centers*, the sum of the three traveled distances should equal no more than 26 feet with no single leg of the triangle measuring less than 4 feet nor more than 9 feet. When the kitchen plan includes more than three primary appliance/work centers, each additional travel distance to another appliance/work center should measure no less than 4 feet and no more than 9 feet. Each leg is measured from the center-front of the appliance/sink. No work triangle leg intersects an island/peninsula or other obstacle by more than 12 inches.

A major appliance and its surrounding landing/work area form a work center. The primary sink, and refrigeration storage) form a work triangle. Kitchen Planning Guideline 4: Separating Work Centers Recommended: A full-height, full-depth, tall obstacle* should not separate two primary work

centers. A properly recessed tall corner unit will not interrupt the workflow and is acceptable. *Examples of a full-height obstacle are a tall oven cabinet, tall pantry cabinet, or refrigerator. Kitchen Planning Guideline 5 - Work Triangle Traffic Recommended: No major traffic patterns should cross through the basic work rearing.

Kitchen Planning Guideline 6: Work Aisle Recommended: The width of a work aisle should be at least 42 inches for one cook and at least 48 inches for multiple cooks. Measure between the counter frontage, tall cabinets, and/or appliances. Kitchen Planning Guideline 7: Walkway Recommended: The width of a walkway should be at least 36 inches. Kitchen Planning Guideline 8: Traffic Clearance at Seating Recommended: In a seating area where no traffic passes behind a seated diner, allow 32 inches of clearance from the counter/table edge to any wall or other obstruction behind the seating area.

If traffic passes behind the seated diner, allow at least 36 inches to edge past. If traffic passes behind the seated diner, allow at least 44 inches to walk past. Kitchen Planning Guideline 9: Seating Clearance Recommended: Kitchen seating areas should incorporate at least the following clearances: 30 inches for high tables/counters with a 24-inch-wide by 18-inch-deep counter space for each seated diner. 36-inch-high counters with a 24-inch-wide by 1 5-inch-deep counter space for each seated diner and at least 1 5 inches of clear knee space. 2-inch-high counters with a 24-inch-wide by 12-inch-deep counter pace for each seated diner and 12 inches of clear knee space. Kitchen Planning Guideline 10: Cleanup/Prep Sink Placement Recommended: If a kitchen has only one sink, locate it adjacent to or across from

the cooking surface and refrigerator. Kitchen Planning Guideline 11: Cleanup/Prep Sink Landing Area Recommended: Include at least a 24-inch-wide landing area* to one side of the sink and at least an 18-inch-wide landing area on the other side.

If all of the countertops at the sink is not at the same height, then plan a 24-inch landing area on one side of the sink and 3 inches of countertops frontage on the other side, both at he same height as the sink. The 24 inches of recommended landing area can be met by 3 inches of countertops frontage from the edge of the sink to the inside corner of the countertops if more than 21 inches of countertops frontage is available on the return. *Landing area is measured as countertops frontage adjacent to a sink and/or an appliance.

The countertops must be at least 16 inches deep and must be 28 inches to 45 inches above the finished floor to qualify. Kitchen Planning Guideline 12: Preparation/Work Area Recommended: Include a section of continuous countertops at least 36 inches wide by 4 inches deep immediately next to a sink for a primary preparation/work area. Kitchen Planning Guideline 13: Dishwasher Placement Recommended: Locate nearest edge of the primary dishwasher within 36 inches of the nearest edge off cleanup/prep sink. Provide at least 21 inches* of standing or cabinets, which are placed at a right angle to the dishwasher. In a diagonal installation, the 21 inches is measured from the center of the sink to the edge of the dishwasher door in an open position. Kitchen Planning Guideline 14: Waste Receptacles Recommended: Include at least two waste receptacles.

Locate one near each of the cleanup/prep sink(s) and a second for recycling either in the kitchen or nearby. Kitchen Planning Guideline 15: Auxiliary Sink Recommended: At least 3 inches of countertops frontage should be provided on one side of the auxiliary sink and 18 inches of countertops frontage on the other side, both at the same height as the sink.

Kitchen Planning Guideline 16: Refrigerator Landing Area Recommended: Include at least: 15 inches of landing area on the handle side of the refrigerator, or 15 inches of landing area on either side of a side-by-side refrigerator, or 15 inches of landing area that is no more than 48 inches across from the front of the refrigerator, or 15 inches of landing area above or adjacent to any undercount-style refrigeration appliance. Kitchen Planning Guideline 17: Cooking Surface Landing Area Recommended: Include a minimum of 12 inches of landing area on one side of a cooking surface and 15 inches on the other side.

For safety reasons, in an island or peninsula situation, the countertops should also extend a minimum of 9 inches behind the cooking surface if the counter height is the same as the surface-cooking appliance. For an enclosed configuration, a reduction of clearances shall be in accordance with the appliance manufacturer's instructions or per local codes. (This may not provide adequate landing area. ) Kitchen Planning Guideline 18: Cooking Surface Clearance Recommended: Allow 24 inches of clearance between the cooking surface and a protected noncombustible surface above it.

Code Requirement: At least 30 inches of clearance is required between the cooking surface and an unprotected/combustible surface above it. If a microwave hood combination

is used above the cooking surface, then the manufacturer's specifications should be followed. Refer to manufacturers' specifications or local building codes for other considerations. Kitchen Planning Guideline 19: Cooking Surface Ventilation Recommended: Provide a correctly sized, ducted ventilation system for all cooking surface appliances. The recommended minimum is 150 CFML.

Code Requirement: Manufacturers' specifications must be followed. The minimum required exhaust rate for a ducted hood is 100 CFML, and it must be ducted to the outside. Make-up air, fresh air brought inside to replace exhausted air, may need to be provided. Refer to local codes. Kitchen Planning Guideline 20: Cooking Surface Safety Recommended: Do not locate the cooking surface under an operable window. Window treatments above the cooking surface should not use flammable materials. A fire extinguisher should be located near the exit of the kitchen away from cooking equipment.

Kitchen Planning Guideline 21: Microwave Oven Placement abilities. The ideal location for the bottom of the microwave is 3 inches below the principle user's shoulder, but no more than 54 inches above the floor. If the microwave oven is placed below the countertops, the oven bottom must be at least 1 5 inches off the finished floor. Kitchen Planning Guideline 22 - Microwave Landing Area Recommended: Provide at least a 15-inch landing area above, below, or adjacent to the handle side off microwave oven.

Kitchen Planning Guideline 23: Oven Landing Recommended: Include at least a 15-inch landing area next to or above the oven. At least a 15-inch landing area that is not more than 48 inches across from the oven is acceptable if the appliance does not open into a walkway. Kitchen Planning

Guideline 24: Combining Landing Areas Recommended: If two landing areas are adjacent to one another, determine a new minimum for the two adjoining spaces by taking the longer of the two landing area acquirement and adding 12 inches.

Kitchen Planning Guideline 25: Countertops Space Recommended: A total of 1 58 inches of countertops frontage, 24 inches deep, with at least 15 inches of clearance above, is needed to accommodate all uses, including landing area, preparation/work area, and storage. Built-in appliance garages extending to the countertops can be counted towards the total countertops frontage recommendation, but they may interfere with the landing areas. Kitchen Planning Guideline 26: Countertops Edges Recommendation: Specify clipped or round corners rather than sharp edges on all counters.