An efficient workspace for food preparation needs careful planning. Think about its location in relation to other activity areas, the type of food you prepare, the amount of people you cook for on a daily basis, and whether you need extra preparation areas for others to share the work.
How much day—to-day wear are your food preparation worktops subjected to?
Do you prepare several meals at home daily, or do you often eat out?
Do you cook for just yourself, for you and your partner, or do you have a family to feed?
Do you prepare food on your own, or does your partner or children share the work and space with you?
If children are involved in food preparation, would a low—level worktop be useful?
Do you cook with mainly fresh food that requires lots of preparation space, or a high proportion of convenience foods that require minimal preparation space?
Would you like worktops made from different materials to suit different cooking activities, such as a cool, smooth slab of marble for pastry-making?
Or, would you prefer the same surface material throughout the kitchen?
Are you a sociable cook and prefer facing into the room while you work?
Or, do you prefer facing the wall, or looking out of a window while you prepare food?