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Positioning The Kitchen
Of course most of us do not have the luxury of designing a new house and placing the kitchen in the ideal position. If this is the case in your house, don’t worry, there are certain remedies that can take care of this.
Ideally the kitchen will be in the back of the house, at least behind centerline. In any case, it’s better if you don’t see the kitchen immediately upon entering the house as this can portend digestive, nutritional, and eating problems. Having the kitchen at the entry point can also mean that guests will come over and eat and then leave immediately, and such a placement can also encourage the inhabitants to eat all the time.
If your kitchen is in the front of the house, try hanging sheer or beaded curtains over the kitchen door. Or, install louvered doors. Another idea is to provide something eye-catching across a hall or in a vestibule nearby. That way, attention is diverted from the busy kitchen.
Kitchen Layout
It is very important for the cook to be in a “commanding position" when at the stove. The cook should be able to clearly see the doorway without turning away from the stove. Renovating a kitchen so this is achieved can be particularly challenging. Many modern kitchens have the stove facing the wall. Some Feng Shui consultants recommend an easy solution: hang something reflective, such as a mirror or glass splashback behind the hob. The reflective surface can be any size, but the bigger it is, the more powerful the correction will be.
For a more dramatic solution, consider installing a cooking island. Placing the stove in a central island allows the cook to see the entire room, including the doorway. Beyond the Feng Shui benefits, a cooking island is practical. The wider your view, the more you’ll be able to comfortably talk with dinner guests or keep an eye on the kids as you prepare the meal.
Cooking islands have become a popular trend in kitchen design. Many people want their kitchens to flow into an open space that includes a living and dining area. Designing a kitchen around a cooking island will help keep the cook involved in whatever is happening in that space, whether it’s entertaining before-dinner conversation or hearing about a child's English homework.
Feng Shui-inspired kitchen design dovetails with the contemporary trend toward group cooking. Instead of isolating the cook in an enclosed area, families and guests often gather in and around the cooking space and participate in the meal preparation. Also, busy working couples use dinner preparation as an important time to catch up and unwind together.
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