There are very specific building codes that apply to kitchen electrical outlets, the bulk of which are dedicated to keeping homes free from shortages, outages and electrical fires. In most cases, outlets will never be more than 24-inches from one another. You can use this basic rule-of-thumb to estimate how many outlets will be installed in your kitchen based on the perimeter wall/countertop measurements.
Convenient Chicago Kitchen Design: Think About Your Electrical Outlets
Even so, a well-planned kitchen goes above and beyond code requirements when figuring the number and locations of your outlets. Thinking about the big picture ahead of time will keep things streamlined, uncluttered and convenient for years to come.
Here are some of the questions we ask clients when determining the quantity, types and locations for planned electrical outlets.
Where do you brew your morning coffee? If you have the space, we recommend adding a coffee bar or breakfast station to your kitchen. A cabinet and/or drawer space - and a recessed area for your coffee pot or electric tea kettle - keeps the rest of your countertops more free and allows a natural spot for all the electrical outlets that power the accoutrement - from coffee grinders to milk frothers.
Are you okay with outlets in your backsplash? In many cases, your outlets will end up in the backsplash. While there are plenty of ways to help them blend in, some backsplash choices are pretty mucked up when you throw a double or quadruple outlet in there. Thus, you may want to consider moving some of the outlets from that wall behind the counter to hidden power strips mounted along the interior bottom-edge of the uppercabinets. It will keep your backsplash looking pristine (and makes cleaning it easier too) while providing more than enough electrical power for even the most complex of food prep or baking projects. Added bonus - this keeps small appliance cords up and out of the way of spills, flour and spice powder, water, etc.
How will you use your kitchen island? Your kitchen island and/or peninsula must have at least one outlet as per building codes (and you would want at least one anyway...) but the location of these outlets can be fairly flexible. We can put them under the interior edge of your raised bar, or in a sliding drawer in order to keep them less visible when not in use.
Could your family benefit from a charging station? Odds are, your family has a couple of smartphones, tablets and other electronics that need to be charged regularly. Rather than having these items scattered willy-nilly around the house, think about adding a dedicated charging station - often a pull-out drawer with outlets hidden in the back - where these gadgets can be charged out of sight. If you have the space, you may want to consider adding a bona-fide message center to your Chicago kitchen design.
Don't be powerless! Contact Kitchens & Baths Unlimited to ensure your Chicago kitchen design has enough outlets to go around.
