The Limits of ‘Inspo’ > How Critical Thinking Helps Consider the Practicality Of Inspiration from Pinterest and Instagram

There are BAZILLIONS of inspiring images on Instagram, Pinterest, and other platforms that inspire, look great, and get your creative juices flowing when considering your new Kitchen. But thinking through the practicality of some of these photos is important to be able to  know whether they are indeed ‘good’ - or at least if they’ll actually work for you.

At the beginning of all full Design projects (and some Consults), I request - and love seeing - imagery on what home cooks love, what they’re drawn to, what’s important to them and what they need in their new Kitchens as we begin the design process. Sometimes they’re just passionate about ‘the vibe’ the photos represent - other times they’re adamant that this is THE IDEA to create the most beautiful, useful Kitchen for them. The former has an inherent flexibility that is easy to work with, the latter can be more difficult. Unfortunately much of what we see isn’t necessarily what actually WORKS in real space or in how we physically cook..

Here are a few examples from inspo I’ve been sent recently.

EXAMPLE : 

1. The Beauty of Symmetry - Sink to Stove

We love symmetry - it makes sense to our eyes. Often that is seen when Designers put the Sink (and tall faucet) immediately across from the stove (with backsplash). But it isn’t always practical for use of space.

1. Issue : The Sink and the Stove are the two busiest ‘Appliance’ centers where we tend to stand and work for lengths of time, vs quick walks to Fridge/Freezer, Food Storage, Dish Storage etc. As such, they don’t work best being too close.

2. Solution : Try embracing asymmetry! It’s beautiful, far more interesting to the eye (when well-balanced), and definitely more functional for the space. If the Sink across from the Stove (Cooktop) is insisted upon, leave at least 4’-6” to 5’-0” [1.4 - 1.5m] clearance between them for 2 people to stand, and 1 more person to walk between without bumping as required.

1. The Hardware Placement

With the delightful move from doors and shelves in our cabinetry, to mostly drawers (HELLO to not digging into the back of static shelving!), more door hardware is necessary. But where to put it? At the top? Near the top? In the middle? Aesthetics too often rule over practicality here.

1. Issue : A Client wanted the pulls exactly in the middle of each (large) drawer per a beautiful photo they had found. That forces the user to bend at least 4” lower than necessary at the two lower drawers, which over time or on long cooks can be UNnecessarily hard on your back and knees. 

2. Solution : Pull should be as close to the top of the drawers as possible to reduce strain on the body. If they can’t be at THE top, ie a finger pull style, at least keep pulls within 3” of the top for shaker styles, 2” for flat styles. For consistency, similar to the ‘middle pull’ desired above, try to keep all pulls the same distance from the top for horizontal pulls, from the side for vertical ones.

1. The Spice Pull-Out

I’m sent photos of these tall pull-out drawers next to the Range ALL.THE.TIME. The problem to me is obvious, but thankfully there are also solutions.

1. Issue : HOW to keep numerous spices and utensils close at hand without being seen? Clients love to bring photos of these Pull Out drawers, however to access or even see the bottom, one has to bend, contort and angle the head. Often these items are needed WHILE cooking, so this isn’t efficient, quick at hand, comfortable, or easy on your joints.

2. Solution : If insisting upon this style, I suggest having a two-drawer system where the top pulls out separately from the bottom for visibility. But for serious home cooks, definitely also keep a beautiful jar on the counter with most-used utensils so they’re quick and easy to grab exactly when needed, so that any drawer unit doesn’t need to be used as often. The majority of us use the same 4-6 spices the most - keep them on a luxurious marble tray on the counter. Seeing is using!

A certain amount of critical thinking needs to accompany sparkly and shiny ideas in photos. Some ideas work great JUST AS SHOWN! But often they need to be tweaked for your specific needs, or changed completely for practicality. Kitchen function often hits or misses in the small details. Our time and energy in the Kitchen should be focused on making great meals for our loved ones, not wasted on unnecessary tasks.

Our downloadable book on ‘30 Challenges & 60 Solutions’ more practical approaches to Kitchen design  is coming soon. Be sure to sign up HERE for our newsletter to be the first to know once it’s out! In the meantime, we are available for 1.5h Consults on your project - book yours HERE.