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The kitchen is often referred to as the heart of the home. It’s where we nourish our bodies, engage in conversation and set to-do lists for the day ahead. Designing a functional, calming kitchen is crucial for a successful start to the day, increasing productivity and reducing stress for everyone in the household.
In this blog post, we’ll explore key design features that can help you create a peaceful and efficient kitchen morning routine, from decluttering your countertops to incorporating ‘multitasking heroes’ such as a boiling water tap.
A breakfast pantry, designed to your specific needs and routines, can be extremely handy. It can accommodate your entire morning routine, including a high-end coffee machine, a toaster, ample storage for everyday dishes, and an array of cereal options for the little ones. Even better, once you’re done, you can simply shut the doors and conceal all the mess and clutter until it’s time to tidy up again.
“Getting the shelf spacing right in bespoke storage solutions can maximise the room you have. Large, deep cupboards with integrated worktop space are ideal for storing appliances you may not want to display on your kitchen work surface. The easy-to-reach middle section of your kitchen pantry is perfect for heavy jars and food containers. We recommend using dividers or shorter spacing to keep foodstuffs separate so you can see everything you need at a glance.”
Creative Design Director, Tom Howley.
Intelligent features that promote efficiency are essential for busy households. Quooker taps are packed with innovative technologies, saving space on your worktop, time, water and energy. With the rise in multifunctional living, we’ve seen a demand for boiling water taps. Stephen Johnson, MD of Quooker UK, shares some of the benefits of choosing a Quooker tap, including ways it can speed up your kitchen morning routine.
How can a Quooker tap speed up your morning routine?
We live in a world where people want things delivered at speed. On average, we spend four months of our lives waiting for the kettle to boil; not so with a boiling water tap, which instantly delivers the exact amount of boiling water needed. You’ll be surprised to discover how versatile a boiling water tap is in the kitchen – your morning cup of tea or coffee will be delivered instantly, and so will your porridge and soft-boiled eggs.
Are boiling water taps safe for young families?
Safety around boiling water taps is an ever-present concern for customers. At Quooker, we’re constantly shining a light on the features that make our taps much safer than kettles. All Quooker taps boast sophisticated state-of-the-art, child-safe handle systems that will never automatically dispense boiling water. With a patented double push and twist mechanism, boiling water is safely dispensed following a quick and deliberate motion. While in use, the user is alerted by the glow of a red-light ring around the handle base.
Quooker taps dispense boiling water as an aerated flow, rather than a solid jet of water, meaning water feels hot but not scalding to touch, should any accidental contact occur. As the tap is fitted into your work surface, out of reach of children, unlike a kettle, there is no risk of tipping over and dangerously scalding the user. The double-insulated casing also prevents heat from escaping, and ensures the tap is not hot to touch when in use, unlike a kettle, which presents a far higher burn risk.
What are the sustainability benefits of having a boiling water tap?
Boiling water taps offer impressive water-saving results. Overfilling the kettle is one of the most common mistakes people make in the kitchen, resulting in the unnecessary boiling of water. Water that is left in the kettle is often re-boiled – an unhealthy practice that makes the minerals in the water very concentrated – or tipped down the sink, wasting a huge amount of water and energy every day. They deliver water-saving benefits by instantly providing the exact amount of boiling water whenever it’s needed, whether it is for a single cup of tea or a large pot.
Unlike the energy-guzzling kettle, all Quooker taps use very little electricity and give staggering energy-saving results. Thanks to its sophisticated state-of-the-art tank technology, it takes very little energy (just 10 watts) to keep the water in the tank at 110°C. Water only starts to boil when the tap is turned on, and the temperature of the outflowing water drops to 100°C. While the water is coming out of the tap, fresh water immediately flows into the tank to replace the exact amount extracted, ready for the next use. There is no unnecessary boiling or wastage of water.
When you’re up before sunrise or are met with a gloomy day, having sufficient lighting in the kitchen is essential. To ensure that the busiest part of your day is well-lit, consider placing task lighting under or within cupboards to illuminate crucial kitchen areas. Additionally, you can install sensors on your pantry doors so that lights will turn on automatically when you open them, providing illumination for small appliances and your favourite breakfast items.
Adding a kitchen island can quickly transform a chaotic family kitchen into an organised and welcoming hub. This versatile feature maximises storage and seating options, particularly if wall space is limited. When designing your island, it’s crucial to consider both its internal and external dimensions. Various aspects of your kitchen design, such as banquette seating, kitchen stools, or a bespoke table, can influence your island’s shape. You can customise your island with flexible storage solutions, bookshelves, power sockets, deep-pan drawers, integrated bins, and more, catering to the demands of modern family living.
“Bar stools are perfect around the kitchen island where you can indulge in your morning coffee, enjoy an informal breakfast with the family or raise a glass with friends.”
Creative Design Director, Tom Howley.
Having smart storage can be a game-changer when it comes to streamlining your kitchen morning routine. By keeping frequently used items easily accessible and organised, you can save valuable time and reduce stress. A few simple changes, such as using drawer dividers, labelled containers, and hooks for utensils can make a big difference. Additionally, vertical storage space with shelves or hanging racks can free up counter space and create a more efficient workspace. By incorporating intelligent storage solutions into your kitchen, you can start your day on the right foot and make mornings easier.
“How many minutes are lost weekly looking for essentials in drawers or cupboards? Bespoke inserts provide a beautiful space to neatly store the things you use most often, like cutlery and cooking utensils. When everything is in its own area, you can reach for it instantly.”
Creative Design Director, Tom Howley.
By organising and cleaning your kitchen little and often, you can stop daunting piles of mess, preventing unnecessary obstacles and stress, even in the busiest family kitchen. You’ll be surprised at how much you can get done in 10 minutes. Here are a few daily tasks to help keep the kitchen calm and clutter-free:
Be inspired by some of our intelligent storage solutions in our brochure, or experience our designs first-hand in one of our nineteen showrooms.