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An office kitchen can make or break a workplace. A badly designed kitchen will invoke frustration and irritability, affecting mood and hampering productivity. A kitchen that is functional, comfortable and elegant, meanwhile, will elevate staff, encouraging relaxation and communication. To help you create the latter, we’ve put together a list of five important things to consider when designing or specifying an office kitchen.
A resource often limited in workplaces, space is an incredibly important consideration for any designer or architect. This is particularly true of office kitchens, which often serve multiple users simultaneously. As such, it is essential to ensure the area can accommodate several people at once. This can be done by maximising kitchen counter space with appliances that can be installed under the counter. Consider layout carefully: staff should be able to access microwaves, water taps and countertops without getting in each other’s way.
Office kitchens are busy places. This means the space must be designed with efficiency in mind to ensure it can be utilised smoothly and successfully. Queues and crowding not only frustrate users, but they also waste valuable time, diverting workers’ attention from more important tasks.
A free-flowing, functional space will improve the efficiency of a kitchen, which can be maximised with the instalment of useful appliances. The primary function of any office kitchen is providing a place to prepare hot drinks and food. Replacing kettles with instant boiling taps means no waiting around for water to boil and is, therefore, a simple way of streamlining kitchen use. Installing dishwashers averts crowding around sinks and multiple microwaves will avoid queues to reheat food.
Long-term expenditures are important considerations for any business. As such, the economical use of energy and water should be high on your list of priorities when designing or specifying. Wasting energy or water is not only tough on the company purse strings but also negatively impacts the environment. You can avoid wastage by installing efficient appliances. Dishwashers are more ecological as they use less water than hand washing, while they are also more hygienic and time efficient. Boiling water taps save water and energy by avoiding overfilling of kettles and maintaining water temperature rather than always heating from cold.
Office kitchens face heavy daily usage. So, if they are not built to last they can end up deteriorating, unable to function properly. As such, it is important to choose high-quality, hardy materials and reliable appliances which are more durable. Maintenance plans will also help lengthen the lifespan of kitchen equipment.
Functionality isn’t everything. As with the family home, the office kitchen should be a central hub – a warm inviting space that comforts and encourages healthy communication. Therefore, an attractive and ergonomic design is vital. Stylish features, a calming colour scheme and a sense of space all work to create an environment that is enjoyable to spend time in, relaxing busy minds and elevating moods.
Office kitchens should be streamlined and stylish while providing staff with everything they need to replenish and recuperate. Functionality and reliability are aspects we pride ourselves on. So if you are a designer or specifier, get in touch and find out what Billi has to offer when it comes to helping you design an office kitchen space.