Solved! 12 Of The Most Common Dilemmas In The Cook Zone

Tricky corner cupboards? We solve 12 of the most common quandaries in the cook zone

- Sue Wheeler

The modern kitchen is the hub of the home; a multi-tasking space in which we eat, meet, cook, entertain and even work. So we need it to work hard for us. Yet sometimes there’s that one design flaw that niggles us each time we reach for a platter or baking dish. Here, our kitchen design experts help us solve those tricky problems we’ve been leaving on our to-do list for far too long.

1 THE DISHWASHER DOESN’T FIT THE KITCHEN DESIGN

Solution: An integrated dishwasher that continues the profile of your cabinets gives your kitchen a sleek, high-end finish and is the most desired solution. Yet, a more budget-friendly option is to hide it in a cupboard, or “position it where it’s less noticeable”, explains interior designer Lisa Santamaria of Santamaria Design. A semi-integrated dishwasher with a visible control panel – as in this Jillian Dinkel Designs kitchen – is a sleek and convenient solution as it lets you operate it without having to open the door.

2 TOO MUCH BENCHTOP CLUTTER

Solution: When you’re struggling to find space to slice an onion, interior designer Fiona Austin of Austin Design says you need to ask yourself: what’s on your bench from habit and what’s there through necessity? “People are emotionally attached to what they have on the show,” she says. “They have lots of bowls of this and that, but you just need one fruit bowl and maybe a smaller one for garlic.” To prevent this precious space from becoming a dumping ground, she suggests adding a basket somewhere to corral day-to-day clutter.