FROM THE HOMEOWNER:
“John and Lynn Hammerschmidt were a real pleasure to work with on our interior remodeling project, always polite and always keeping us informed. On top of that, the Hammerschmidt crew and subcontractors were professional and thorough.“
The Layout Dilemma
When we began remodeling this Mountain View home, the kitchen had more than an outdated appearance—its layout made everyday cooking unnecessarily difficult. The existing configuration created traffic bottlenecks and made it hard for more than one person to work comfortably in the space at the same time.
One of the biggest challenges was the cooktop located on the island. The person cooking often competed for workspace with someone using the nearby sink. Across the kitchen, the double ovens and refrigerator were positioned directly opposite the end of the island, creating another point of congestion.
The refrigerator also sat prominently in the sightline from the adjoining living area, making the kitchen feel more visually disconnected from the rest of the home.
The Transformation
As part of the whole-house remodel, we completely rethought the kitchen’s layout to improve both its functionality and its connection to the surrounding living spaces.
The first priority was relocating the major appliances. We moved the refrigerator, cooktop, and ovens into a continuous bank of cabinetry along the kitchen perimeter. This opened the island and eliminated the primary traffic conflicts, allowing multiple people to cook and work comfortably without constantly crossing paths.
In the new configuration, we installed the refrigerator out of the living area’s line of sight, creating a cleaner, more cohesive transition between the two spaces.
Once we resolved the layout, we turned our attention to the finishes. Rich, dark wood cabinetry brings warmth and depth to the kitchen, while a cream-colored herringbone tile backsplash adds subtle pattern and contrast. Hardwood flooring completes the timeless palette and visually connects the kitchen with the rest of the home.
The Final Look
The result is a kitchen that is as functional as it is inviting. The improved layout gives the homeowners room to cook, gather, and move comfortably through the space, while the warm, classic finishes create a timeless look designed to be enjoyed for years to come.
How to Design a Kitchen That Works for More Than One Cook
The traditional kitchen “work triangle”—placing the refrigerator, sink, and cooktop within easy reach of one another—has long been a standard approach to kitchen design. And while it can work well for a single cook, today’s kitchens often serve many purposes. They are gathering spaces where multiple people may be cooking, cleaning, grabbing a snack, making a drink, or simply passing through—all at the same time.
Designing a kitchen that works for more than one cook means thinking beyond the work triangle and considering how people move through the space.
- Create distinct work zones. Think of the kitchen as a series of work zones: food preparation, cooking, cleanup, and beverages. Separating these activities allows several people to work simultaneously without competing for the same countertop, sink, or appliance.
- Be Strategic About Appliance Placement. Not every appliance needs to be part of the primary cooking zone. The refrigerator, for example, is used by everyone—not just the cook. Positioning it where family members can grab a drink or snack without walking through the main cooking area can significantly reduce traffic.
Likewise, placing ovens and other frequently used appliances away from narrow passageways helps keep circulation paths clear.
- Give Everyone Counter Space. A kitchen designed for multiple cooks needs more than one workspace. Spreading countertop space throughout the kitchen lets two or more people chop, assemble, serve, or prepare food without crowding one another.
- Pay Attention to Clearances. An oversized island may look impressive, but bigger isn’t always better. If the island leaves too little room for someone to pass behind a person working at the sink, range, or dishwasher, it can actually make the kitchen less functional.
Good kitchen design considers not only the size of each element, but also the space between them.
- Remember: You Don’t Always Need More Square Footage. Sometimes the solution isn’t adding more square footage. Relocating an appliance, reconfiguring an island, widening a circulation path, or simply making better use of existing floor space can eliminate bottlenecks and dramatically improve how a kitchen functions.
- The Goal: A Kitchen That Moves With You. A well-designed kitchen should accommodate how people live—not force them to work around the limitations of the layout.
When you consider circulation, work zones, appliance placement, and clearances from the beginning, multiple people can cook, clean, grab a drink, or move through the room without constantly crossing one another’s paths.
The best kitchen isn’t necessarily the biggest one. It’s the one that works beautifully for everyone who uses it.