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Zoning: The key to achieving a practical and stylish kitchen

zoning a practical stylish kitchen

Want to make the most of your kitchen space? Whether you’ve decided upon getting a new kitchen or not, making efficient use of your space and ensuring the setup is as practical as possible is always worth doing. Obviously, this task is easiest when you’re planning a whole new kitchen design and have the entire space to play around with, but some simple changes can still be made to existing kitchens to enhance their use.

At Kitchen Design Centre, creating multi-zone kitchens is just one of our specialities. We think about practicalities, style and your personal needs to create a kitchen that both works and looks good too. An open plan kitchen is always a good place to start when zoning, as it makes everything relatively easy access and creates space for you to play around with designs a little bit. One major aspect of design behind zoning is the work triangle – which keeps appliances and the work areas associated with them together, resulting in the most logical use of your kitchen.

What is the work triangle?

In essence, it’s the placement of the sink, hob and refrigerator. With these crucial aspects sorted, worktops, cupboards and furniture can be placed around the kitchen to complement the layout. These three main players – sink, hob, and fridge –need to be positioned fairly close together to ensure efficiency of floor space as well as your time and energy.

The zones created by these three main players are cooking, washing and storage – so it’s important to ensure that all related appliances and furniture are placed within those zones too; for example, the dishwasher near to the sink, the food storage cupboards near to the freezer and the microwave and toaster within the same area as the hob.

For large open plan kitchens, it’s best to keep these three core areas of the kitchen separate from the socialising spaces and the dining zone – you don’t want to be walking through guests to pop dirty crockery in the dishwasher now do you?

Defining your zoned kitchen

Once you’ve mastered and understood how the work triangle will fit into your kitchen design, you can begin zoning the rest of your kitchen by following these simple steps.

  1. Define the zones – Decide what you want from your kitchen, list them and discuss with your designer. Whether you want laundry space, living space or both, your designer will be able to help you zone these areas in the most logical way.
  2. Use colour – Blocks of colour can highlight the separate areas of the room. For example, a chic white functional kitchen can be complemented with a soft wood breakfast bar or an island featuring a pop of colour. This will show a distinction between the practical and social areas of your space.
  3. Divide space with a statement piece – At Kitchen Design Centre we’ve had colour changing LED walls, and huge iconic islands. These statement features have all served a purpose to identify different spaces within the kitchen.

To find out how we could help you achieve that practical and stylish kitchen for your home, visit us at one of our designer showrooms.

What must-have zones would you want in your kitchen? Tell us in the comments below or tweet us @ModernKitchens.

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Introducing Beth Ainsworth to our Blackburn showroom. Beth brings fresh ideas and plenty of enthusiasm to kitchen design. Off the clock, I’m most likely in the gym.

We’re passionate about tailoring our designs to fit your lifestyle, so whether you want a space to entertain or a family-centric kitchen to spend quality time together, our designers know exactly how to make your dream kitchen a reality.
When you book an appointment, you’ll be introduced to your personal kitchen designer, who will sit down with you in our dedicated meeting space to discuss what you want for your dream kitchen. Then, when you’re happy with the final design, they’ll become your dedicated project manager as they oversee every aspect of the installation, guaranteeing exceptional customer service as we deliver the kitchen of your dreams.
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If you’ve been dreaming about a new kitchen, there’s never been a better time to make it happen. From timeless designs to modern family spaces, now is the perfect opportunity to save on the kitchen you’ve always wanted.
Visit our showroom or link in bio to get in touch to find out more.
AS SEEN ON GEORGE CLARKE’S BEAUTIFUL BUILDS: FROM DATED LAYOUT TO DREAM ENTERTAINING SPACE

When Katherine and Andrew purchased their property, they always knew a full renovation would follow.

With both the outdated kitchen and untouched garden requiring significant transformation, the project soon became part of Channel 4’s George Clarke’s Beautiful Builds – it was an opportunity they felt perfectly aligned with their vision for the property.

While searching for a local kitchen specialist, Kitchen Design Centre immediately stood out thanks to its long-standing reputation, glowing customer reviews and welcoming showroom experience.

The brief focused on creating a sleek, contemporary kitchen that would feel open, social and highly functional, while complementing the wider architectural renovation of the home.

The finished design delivers a beautifully balanced space that combines clean lines with luxurious detailing.
One of the standout features is the striking worktop design. The waterfall edge peninsula creates a bold focal point within the room, while the continuation of the material across the side panels introduces a seamless, premium aesthetic.

Functionality was equally important throughout the design process, with carefully considered storage solutions and high-quality appliances helping to simplify everyday living. Among Katherine and Andrew’s favourite additions is the Neff oven, praised for both its versatility and pyrolytic self-cleaning function.
The completed result is a sophisticated contemporary space that completely transforms how the home looks, feels, and functions, perfectly reflecting Katherine and Andrew’s original vision from the moment they moved in.

More details in our bio
The kitchen isn’t just a place to cook — it’s the heart of the home.

At our Kitchen Design Centre, we believe your kitchen should be the centrepiece of your house, where style meets functionality and every moment matters. From morning coffees to family dinners and everything in between, your kitchen is where life happens.

That’s why we design spaces that bring people together — beautiful, practical, and tailored to you. Whether you’re dreaming of a sleek modern look or a warm, classic feel, we’re here to help you create a kitchen that truly feels like home.

Visit us today and start designing the heart of your home.
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