How I would design my dream kitchen as an interior designer and health coach
With my original career background being in interior design, and within the last few years focusing more specifically on kitchen design (and even kitchen organizing), I’m always pondering how to best address a client’s project so it can be a space that is functional and pleasing to them. Layering on my expertise as a HMI Wellness® health coach, there are a lot of ways I would personally design my own kitchen using what I’ve learned and integrating my healthy lifestyle.
Whether our clients decide to go 100% plant-based or not, our goal as HMI health coaches is to encourage our clients to encorporate more whole foods into their diet. Juicing and supplements are great additions to a healthy lifestyle, too. And with that, comes the need for certain storage and space for certain food prep work. Add in a busy work schedule or a lot of time out of the house, and creating a functional kitchen that helps you efficiently plan and prep your meals can make a big difference in your day-to-day life.
Sometimes, if we’re in a situation where renovating or moving is not an option, we have to work with the kitchen layout we have in the best ways that we can. That might be labeling and grouping certain items together for quick access, creating more countertop space and a system to make prepping more of a breeze, adding organizers or roll-out drawers into cabinets for more functionality, or cleaning out and reorganizing the pantry and refrigerator.
When it comes to my own personal routine, here are the things I would prioritize when designing my own kitchen.
Designing for daily habits
With a lifestyle that incorproates as many fresh and whole foods as possible, you want to have a kitchen that makes that easy and fun. Regular healthy eating habits for me would include things like juicing, making smoothies, brewing teas, and having easy meals ready at my fingertips (more on that in the next section). I envision part of my kitchen setup to have a whole “drink bar” type area - but instead of alcoholic drinks, make it healthy but still flavorful and enjoyable! An area where tea blends and the tea pot are, where the blender is, where daily protein shake and other flavored drink ingredients are stored, and where pretty mugs and glasses are on display. It even might include a little bar fridge filled with pre-prepped juices and drinks ready to grab. Supplements are also stored and organized here in a way that helps to remind me take them.
Designing for meal prep
Being plant-based can require a lot of chopping and dicing. Whether its veggies for salads, stir fry’s, or roasting, or fruits for snacking or smoothies and juices, having nice countertop space and good cutting boards and knives is essential. And with that also comes the need to soak and clean that produce before you chop. Having a system, whether its soaking it in your sink or in several large bowls, straining it, and then prepping it, and the right setup, can make that process quicker and easier. For me, I envision perhaps a large island with the sink in it, a trash and compost bin nearby for produce scraps, knife drawer, and plenty of countertop space to spread out.
Designing for optimal storage
From pantry staples including but not limited to things like beans and grains and nuts and flours, to fridge and frozen foods, things like mason jars and leftover/to-go containers, all your everyday cookware, to all the little appliances that come in handy, planning out your storage is key. For me, that would look like a pantry area or cabinet that contains appliances such as my Instantpots, rice cooker, crock pot, and toaster oven. Then I would have a food area for items like rice, beans, canned items, and other foods. I can’t forget having a spare freezer as well to store frozen fruits and veggies, pre-prepped meals, and more. My freezer foods come in handy for the nights that I’m coming home from work looking for an easy dinner that can go right in the toaster oven.
Having a functional kitchen space can help your healthy habits stick and go a long way. Are you needing some help making better use of your space and developing healthier habits? You can find my coaching information here and set up a discovery call to learn more!