Don-Pierre de Plume wrote: Assuming you have a similar concept in mind for your Cambodian house: I would go with plain white benchtop surfaces, at a glance you can see if it's clean (or not). Wildlife and meat particles will hide in patterns or dark surfaces, especially an issue in tropical countries (if you want to stay healthy).
Counter color is a matter of personal taste and preference. I have had ladies swear by white, because it is easier to see the dirt, and others prefer the exact opposite for the same reasons. This granite selection in my kitchen definitely hides the dirt. That is fine by me, as I use a metal scraper and I also wash fastidiously with soap and bleach. My counters in Cambodia have been poured and painted concrete, as well as tiled. I have no clue yet what I will do in this regard, however, if I did an island, I would like the whole thing in butcher block I think. I am also tempted to go somewhat commercial otherwise. This would not preclude a stainless steel counter. What I like about Cambodia is I can do whatever I want, whereas here, in the west, there are certain protocols and expectations one feels pressured to live up to. (also for resale) I don't need or want a high-faluten house or show off kitchen. Just something what works well for me/us, and I desire a simpler life.
That is a very good point, and I have wondered about these nuances, as in other things like beds. Most beds there are not elevated with feet, but are fully enclosed under. In my current kitchen, I have some open space above the fridge wall, but the other (stove wall) has a bulkhead above. It is easy enough to do. But, when you have higher ceilings, as in 10', its a lot of space to fill. I suppose, the ideal would be a smaller 12" bulkhead, and then push the cabinets up to there. However, there are costs to consider, and one would really not need all that inaccessible space, for sure. In the last house I rented here, there were little wall boxes above the counters, with no doors even, and nothing above. It was also fine.Don-Pierre de Plume wrote: Space between cabinets and ceiling is a bad idea for obvious reasons.
Don-Pierre de Plume wrote: Handles on drawers and cabinets is also an important point. They should be easy to operate and easy to clean. You might consider wide horizontally orientated handles or better still, profiled within the timber or auto-open on a light push. Round knobs are perfect transfer points for bacteria. Remember you are building in a tropical country where not everybody washes their hands (when they should).
Good points to consider.
I cannot design the house till I have the property. I do it in that order. I consider the position of the sun in the morning and evening, as well as other factors. That being said, I cannot design my kitchen until I have designed my house. After that, comes selections: Kitchen layout, appliance selections, cabinet style, counter-tops, colors, hardware. All these decisions are also influenced upon availability and costs.
I may consider a kitchen style reminiscent of the Pioneers. It looks more like separate pieces of furniture assembled together to create a working space. A cook stove, an icebox, a work surface and a dish cabinet. Some higher end cabinetry shops are trying to duplicate this look in their designs now. Anyhow, all that palaver to say, I am not so concerned about a functional kitchen design yet, and would even begin building a home without that finalized, as long as I knew, sort of, what was available to me as far as appliances and what I was going to have to accommodate, I could get my rough in's right, most specifically for sink drain (you can run water pipes virtually anywhere) and then later for electrical rough ins for Refrigerator, and any gas piping if any.