William Auerbach Vollmer

There is a growing and altogether proper tendency to treat the kitchen as an integral part of the house, which was almost entirely absent in English and American houses of early times; in fact, until within the last twenty-five years very little thought was attached to it. A century ago it was regarded advisable to have the kitchen occupy a separate building somewhat removed from the main building or located at a great distance from the dining or living rooms, ofttimes the whole length of the house. The principal reason for this was the primitive methods used in cooking and preparing foods which were very objectionable at close range. Odors, noises and unsanitary appliances made the kitchen a place to be abhorred and to be kept as far away as possible. The present-day intelligent methods of dealing with the kitchen, particularly in America, have effected a complete transformation in this old idea. Our modern successful architect of the home attaches great importance to the planning of the kitchen, with its adjoining pantries, closets, storage rooms, etc.; and rightfully he should, as it goes more towards making for the convenience, help and comfort of the up-to-date household than possibly any other feature of the home.

The modern English kitchen with its relation to the dining-room is interesting for comparison with those here in America, chiefly because the early English settlers constitute the original source from which we obtain our start in house-building. The English kitchen's adjuncts practically comprise separate departments, such as the scullery, larder, wood, ashes, knives and boots, fuel, etc. This condition naturally requires the employment of considerable help even in the smaller homes. On the other hand, the compactness so noticeable in American homes—requiring perhaps one-half the space, thus reducing the necessary help to a minimum and obtaining the maximum of convenience—has brought our kitchen to a standard, nearly, if not entirely, approaching the ideal. The American architect has based his idea for this compactness upon the same reasoning as is exercised in fitting up a convenient workshop, for truly a kitchen is the workshop of the house. Again, the peculiar custom of medieval times in placing the kitchen a considerable distance from the dining-room still survives in the English homes, while in American homes a marked difference has long prevailed. The kitchen here is usually placed as near as possible to the dining-room, only separated, if at all, by a china-closet, pantry, or butler's room.

The model kitchen has developed considerably from the higgledy-piggledy arrangement of Colonial times. Supplies are limited to the most necessary articles, and these stored away in a handy location

Such a kitchen de luxe is expensive, but not extravagant. The built-in range, tiled wall and floor, together with the open plumbing, give the highest degree of sanitation

Convenience, cleanliness and ventilation are three essentials that must be paramount in arranging the up-to-date kitchen and its accessories.

While there may be differences as to minor details, the principal features to be obtained in establishing a modern kitchen may be found in the various suggestions herein contained:

1st. The kitchen should be roomy but not excessively large. This applies to any size of house, as too large a kitchen is maintained at the expense of convenience and labor. An ideal size for a kitchen in a house measuring 25 × 50 (containing living-room, reception room, dining-room and pantry on first floor) would be 12 × 15 feet.

2nd. The general construction of the interior is of the utmost importance. The floor may be of hard Georgia pine, oiled, or covered with linoleum or oilcloth. As a covering, linoleum of a good inlaid pattern, while more expensive than oilcloth, proves the best and most economical in length of service. In a house where comfort is demanded regardless of cost, an interlocking rubber tiling is suggested. This flooring absolutely avoids noises and slipping and is comfortable to the feet, as well as being of an exceptional durability. Other floors of a well-merited character are unglazed tile, brick, or one of the many patented compositions consisting chiefly of cement, which is also fireproof.

The wainscoting, if adopted for the kitchen, can be of tile, enameled brick, or matched and V-jointed boards, varnished or painted; but in any event should be connected with the floor in a manner to avoid cracks for collecting dust or dirt. This is accomplished (when a wooden wainscot is used) by means of a plain rounded molding which is set in the rightangle formed by the junction of the floor with the wainscot. While seldom seen, because of the expense, a kitchen completely tiled or bricked on walls, floor and ceiling is indeed a thing of beauty and necessarily an ideally sanitary room.

The sink should have a drainboard space and be located where the light may fall directly upon it. The row of hooks for utensils saves much walking

The doors, window frames, dressers and other necessary woodwork should be plain, made of medium wood and painted some light color or enameled white; or finished in the natural state with a transparent varnish.

The butler's pantry should have an indirect connection between the kitchen and the dining-room. The two doors here keep out odors, noise and heat from the dining-room. The refrigerator is in the cook's pantry and opens out on the porch

The walls and ceiling, if not tiled or bricked, should be finished with a hard smooth plaster and painted three or four coats of some light color—light yellow, green, or blue making a very agreeable color to the eye. This manner of treatment permits the walls to be washed and kept free from dust and dirt, which latter is a disagreeable feature in the use of wall papers.

3rd. The proper installation of the various furnishings of the kitchen is worthy of much thought and consideration. Of all these, nothing is of more vital importance nor appeals more strongly to the household than the range. The size of the range is largely governed by the size of the house or the number of persons it is intended to serve. However, it is advisable to have a range not less than three feet square for a seven or eight-room house. It should be of a thoroughly modern style, with a hood over it, either built in or of sheet iron, an excellent provision for drawing away the steam and fumes of cooking. And, by all means, the range should be placed so that direct daylight falls upon it. Most present-day houses also have either gas or electric ranges installed in them and these should be near the coal range so as to confine all cooking to one part of the kitchen; and further, especially in winter when large gatherings are entertained, they furnish a combined service. Some large establishments, in addition to the range, are especially equipped with "warmers."

The modern kitchen may be neat and clean if all of wood, with V-matched boards varnished or painted. The space under the drainboard here for a table is a feature worth adopting. The cupboard over the shelf is also an attractive feature

The sink, being so closely allied in its usefulness to the range, should be placed near the latter and under, between or near windows, but never where the person using it would have his back to the light. It may be of galvanized iron, copper, soapstone or enameled porcelain, and provided with an ample draining-board; two being much preferred. If there is a special sink for vegetables required, it should be immediately adjoining the draining-board to insure compactness and convenience as well as economy in plumbing. The draining-board may be of hard wood or of wood covered with copper or zinc. The best are made of enameled ware similar to the sinks. Draining-boards of copper or zinc should be given only a slight slope to prevent the possibility of dishes slipping therefrom.

A feature of this plan is the sliding door connecting the kitchen and pantry. This may be closed when cooking is in progress and successfully keeps all odors from finding their way into the dining-room. Opposite windows provide a cross draft and excellent ventilation

The refrigerator should be built in or placed against an outside wall in order that the ice can be put in easily from without through either a small opening or window. If it can be avoided, the refrigerator should not be placed immediately in the kitchen, but rather in the entry, pantry or enclosed porch.

The kitchen of the small house which sometimes has no communicating pantry should have built therein dressers of such proportions as will accommodate all the necessary dishes, pots, vessels, bins for flour, sugar, etc., cutlery, and other things essential for obtaining the best results under the circumstances. A dresser of commodious size is always a blessing. The top portion, of plain shelves, should be enclosed either with doors or sliding glass fronts; the lower portion, first lined with zinc and enclosed with solid wooden doors so constructed to fit nearly if not airtight. If an exclusive pot closet is desired, it should be handy to the range and at the same time be under cover for sanitary reasons.

This German kitchen is a model of neatness and cleanliness in its white enamel furnishings. The cupboard provides space for china, the long shelf beneath being a great convenience, while the various bins and drawers provide proper places for everything

Frequently in a small kitchen a counter or drop leaves against the wall are substituted for a table, but in most kitchens a good-sized substantial table, preferably in the center of the room, is found indispensable. The table should have a smooth top that can be easily kept clean. Although costly, a heavy plate glass fitted perfectly with rounded edges makes a splendid top for the table.

The service part of the house, of which the kitchen is the central room, should fit together just as parts of a machine and form a unit in themselves. The pantries, store rooms, etc., should be placed so as to afford easy access one to the other.

In a house, which has two or more servants, a dining-room or alcove should be provided for their use. This may be a part of the kitchen or immediately adjoining, and merely large enough to seat comfortably the servants around a table.

A kitchen in a large country place that is equipped with every possible convenience, sliding doors, built-in refrigerator, clothes chute, dumbwaiter and a revolving drum between kitchen and butler's pantry. There is also provision made for a servants' dining-room, advisable wherever possible

The cook's pantry should contain cupboards in which are all the necessary paraphernalia for preparing pastries, puddings, etc., such as bins, bakeboards, crockery, pans and supplies, and should be lighted by at least one window.

The butler's pantry, or china-closet as it is often called—generally located and affording direct communication between the kitchen and the dining-room—is essentially a serving-room and should contain a sink with draining-boards, cupboards and shelves to accommodate the fine china, glassware and other requisites for the table. With such a plan the door between the pantry and kitchen may be either sliding or double swinging, but between the pantry and the dining-room, a noiseless double-swinging door. A slide, with small shelves or counters on either side, between the kitchen and pantry, for the passing of food and dishes, saves time and steps. It is well to have the communication rather indirect through the pantry to prevent in a measure the passage of odors or a direct view of the kitchen by those entering the dining-room or seated at the table. This can be partly accomplished by not having the communicating doors directly opposite each other.

The kitchen need not be large, if it is compact. In the house 25´ × 50´ the ideal size is about 13´ × 15´. A work table of this sort does away with many unnecessary steps, the lower shelf being a convenient place to put articles that are in constant use

The outside entrance to the kitchen should be so placed as to facilitate the delivery of provisions, preferably through an entry or an enclosed porch.

The laundry in many houses is combined with the kitchen or immediately adjoining, in which latter case it often serves as an entry and a place to store certain articles, such as brooms, buckets [126]
[127]and possibly the refrigerator. The very best plan is to have the laundry in the basement, with separate outside stairs. In such a case, a chute for sending soiled linen, etc., should run from the kitchen or pantry to the laundry.

The butler's pantry or serving-room should be equipped with a cupboard and sink in order that the finer glass ware can be stored and the more fragile articles be washed without finding their way into the kitchen

A rather unusual plan, in which great economy of space is made by building the service stairs about the chimney. The pantry is exceedingly well arranged in that it takes up no room from the kitchen or the dining-room

Plaster walls should be finished with a hard surface and given several coats of a waterproof paint. The shelves beneath the sink here provide a place useful and easily accessible

The kitchen should above all be well ventilated and have plenty of daylight. The necessary fumes and heat arising from the cooking should be taken care of in such a way that none of it is carried to the dining-room or to other parts of the house. This can partly be accomplished by the hood over the range, but plenty of fresh air is required. Generally in country homes, the living-rooms are given the southern exposure, so the kitchen usually faces the north. The best location is either the northern or eastern exposure, as the cooling breezes in the summer generally come from that direction, especially in this part of the country, and combined with the morning sun, make the kitchen cheerful and cool. If possible there should be exposure on at least two sides, opposite, affording cross ventilation as well as an abundance of light. All windows should be well fitted with screens in summer to keep out flies and other insects attracted by the odors of cooking.

The best artificial lighting is obtained by a reflector in the center of the kitchen, possibly with side brackets where necessary, as at the sink or at the range.

A very novel kitchen cupboard is this, with the shelf space in the doors giving almost a double capacity. The bread board slides beneath a shelf and is provided with handles

In a large house the service portion may be situated in a separate wing and if so the stairs should be in a small hall, centrally located and near the kitchen, especially the stairs to the cellar. This hall may contain a closet for brooms and a lavatory for the use of the servants. It it well not to have the stairway ascending directly from the kitchen, as it lessens the valuable wall space. The rooms directly over the kitchen can best be utilized in most cases for servants' sleeping rooms as they are often objectionable for members of the household, or guests.

James Earle Miller