Human culture has always centred around gathering, sharing food and conversation. These activities form a part of our daily rituals, not just in the home but in all parts of society, including offices and workplace environments. Just as the residential kitchen has evolved to become a multi-purpose space, so too has the office kitchen. It’s therefore not surprising that the kitchen has become an integral part of modern workplace design.

Krost, leaders of workplace product design, understand that an office is more than desks and chairs. What you may not know is their range of products and services also includes innovative kitchen solutions. 

Creating an office kitchen that feels like home is an expansion of human-centric, modern workplace design. It’s no longer acceptable for an office kitchen to have the bare essentials, and companies are recognising that offering their team members the comfort and ease they experience at home must be incorporated into good office design.  

In many offices, the kitchen serves as the first place of daily interaction with the rest of your team. Whether it’s pouring that first cup of coffee or whipping up a quick brekkie before the day starts, the kitchen is where the work day begins and plays an integral role in fostering a welcoming and comfortable environment. This homey atmosphere can significantly enhance employee satisfaction, promote a positive work culture and encourage team collaboration. 

Krost’s kitchen solutions 

Krost offer a range of products and design services that can form the foundation of a new kitchen, or integrate seamlessly into an existing kitchen space to enhance the sense of ease and a homey atmosphere, and have designed and installed multiple design scenarios for clients across Australia. 

From designing the perfect break-out space to creating a sense of cosy ambience with the right lighting and colour scheme, Krost’s range is designed to transform  a once sterile kitchen into a homely zone that employees look forward to spending time in.

Krost’s complete range of functional furniture can be integrated with the base elements of a kitchen, including cabinetry, benchtops and appliances, to achieve a layered and stylised aesthetic that is both comfortable and functional.

Additionally, Krost’s local manufacturing facility allows custom integration of design elements such as lighting and special feature materials which contribute to the creation of a warm, inviting office kitchen environment. Krost also has a wide network of local specialist manufacturers, fabricators, installers and designers, meaning that from concept design through to installation, the process runs smoothly. 

Key considerations for your office kitchen

• Focus on the user 
  It’s vital to do a thorough analysis of the user types of the space to ensure a human-centric design approach. Things to consider are: What functions do people want and need? When do people congregate? Where do they want to be when they’re taking time out from their desks?
  
  
• Consider the services
  Building on user analysis, it’s important to check if the appliances are suitable for the needs of the users. Is there enough capacity to enable multiple users at high-frequency times to ensure good circulation and time management? Is there adequate lighting — both functional and decorative?

• Seating for rest, relaxation and eating a sandwich
  Kitchens are not just dash-and-go spaces. Consideration must be given to the seating options and arrangement to allow the kitchen to be a multi-functional space. Does the kitchen need to integrate a lounge space? Is it a tableside eating space? Is it communal, is it semi-private, or does it need a hybrid work function with power and connectivity integration? Does the furniture facilitate the culture the office wants to create?
  
  
• Everything in its right place
  Storage is as vital in an office kitchen as it is in a residential setting. Efficient storage that is both functional but also decorative is an important design element that can help create a welcoming, residential tone.
  
  
• Practical, durable and sustainable
  Easy-to-clean surfaces that are commercial grade and fit for purpose are non-negotiables for an office kitchen environment. It’s also vital that materials and products support the sustainability goals of the business including the integration of responsible waste management and recycling features.

Small but perfectly formed

With 97 percent of all businesses in Australia being classified as small businesses, with 20 or fewer employees, the office kitchen may not occupy much more space than a designer kitchen in a large family home. 

There’s a knack to designing a kitchen that works well in a small footprint as well as meeting the needs of a small team. According to Carly Krost, it’s essential to prioritise quality over quantity and add personal touches to the kitchen environment that express the company’s culture. 

The best way to do this is often through custom kitchen design. Customisation — which doesn’t have to cost a fortune if done thoughtfully — maximises space efficiency and enables quality features such as integrated seating, storage and services, to be incorporated into a small space

Feeding the masses as an organisation grows

As businesses grow and evolve, it’s essential not to overlook the role that kitchens play as places not just for warming up lunch, but as warm, welcoming communal spaces for teams to come together in an informal, relaxed atmosphere. 

Larger organisations can reap the rewards of carrying out service analysis to ensure the appliance requirements are appropriate in terms of placement and capacity. It’s also important to conduct people movement analysis before considering any layouts as efficient layout and zoning can make or break a large office kitchen. 

Through including multiple seating areas, furniture styles and surface textures, the aesthetic of large scale corporate kitchens can become more akin to an open plan living space and less like a canteen. 

For Krost, it’s clear that clients are increasingly looking for office kitchens that not only serve functional purposes but also contribute to the well-being of their employees. Through the incorporation of technology, environmentally friendly materials, and considered multi-functional zones, the office kitchen is now seen as a flexible space that contributes to the heart and soul of a company.

Discover how Krost can elevate your office kitchen with their extensive range of joinery and kitchen design services