Kitchens are a staple of every home; they are places to spend time with your family, focus on your health, and, for some, experiment with new creations. Home cooks are abundant, meaning it’s more essential than ever to have a kitchen that reflects this passion. These are a few of the essentials home cooks should have when redesigning their kitchen.

Counter Space

Cooking is not just a time-consuming activity, but it is also a space-consuming one, too. Many home cooks realize too late that a lack of counter space prevents them from making the four-course dinner of their dreams. Everyone who wants to prepare food at home should ensure they have more than enough counter space in their kitchen, and if they don’t, that should be the first thing they add when renovating.

Double-Basin Sink

If you’ve never used a basin sink, you’ve been missing out. They provide plenty of space for scrubbing dishes and defrosting meat, making them the ideal options for a home cook. A double-basin sink is even better, as you can do more than one thing at a time.

Wall Oven

Have you ever reached into your oven and burned yourself? It happens often, and an easy solution is to replace your floor-level oven with a wall oven. Not only are they stylish, but they may also be safer. It’s much easier to reach into an oven when you’re reaching straight out, leading to fewer burns and more control over the food as you navigate from the oven to the countertop.

Large Cabinets

Home cooks are often stocking up on new spices and kitchen tools to try out. This is why it’s essential to have plenty of cabinet space to store everything. Lazy susans are a great option if you’re limited with space, as well.

Sizable Refrigerator

Just as you need cabinets to store dry ingredients, you need a refrigerator to store cold and frozen ingredients. Two-door refrigerators with a bottom pull-out freezer are a favorite of many, and with that much space, you should have an easy time storing everything you need for at least a week’s worth of meals.

Sufficient Ventilation

Cooking indoors can cause some negative side effects. Nearly everyone has set off a smoke detector at some point in their life, so it should not be a surprise that ventilation is important. There are other added benefits of upgrading your ventilation, including a decrease in lingering kitchen smells.

High-Quality Dishwasher

After the cooking is complete and you’ve eaten your meal, there’s a good chance that you have dishes ready to be cleaned. Instead of doing them by hand, try buying a sturdy dishwasher to help. Some cooking supplies cannot go in a dishwasher, but you’ll drastically cut back on the amount of dishes you have to do, regardless.

Cooking is a hobby for many and a necessity for most, so it’s essential to make sure your kitchen is up to the task. If you’re considering making your life a bit easier, add these features when you renovate your kitchen.