The kitchen is the most core space in the saying "golden kitchen, silver bathroom," and it is also where the most renovation regrets arise. This Skill organizes the essence of the kitchen special topic from the Xi'an Renovation Classroom knowledge base in reverse chronological order (newest first) into 24 reference articles, covering the full chain of pitfall avoidance from layout, plumbing, cabinets, countertops, sinks, storage, tile walls, lighting, doors, and reducing housework to safety and IQ taxes.
Core principles (remember these 5 first)
- Meeting functional needs is the baseline; do not be led astray by appearance-focused sales talk: glossy cabinet doors, no wall cabinets, cool-air fans, double sinks, quartz stone sinks... many "premium-feel" approaches are pitfalls; for daily living, prioritize function.
- Do not waterproof a dry kitchen, and do not leave a floor drain: having no floor drain is the correct answer; if waterproofing is done, water spreading into the living room is the real disaster.
- Plan it right once before renovation; do not rely on fixing it after moving in: custom work, dimensions, circulation, outlets, and built-in appliances should be settled early; later remediation is both ugly and expensive.
- Ordinary families should not force a fully open kitchen: use glass instead of walls + linked doors for a semi-open kitchen, which is both transparent and blocks cooking fumes; it is the optimal solution for most Chinese families.
- Do not take chances with safety: deadly operations, toxic tableware, heavy metal cookware—each one can be life-threatening; check them against the self-check list.
Quick reference by topic
- Layout and open/semi-open: chufang-ban-kaifang.md (semi-open kitchen), chufang-kaifang-houhui.md (regretting an open kitchen), chufang-zha-qiang-tonghtong.md (demolishing walls for openness), chufang-jinmen-jiushi-chufang.md (how to remodel when the kitchen is right at the entrance)
- Plumbing / waterproofing / floor drains: chufang-dilou-fangshui.md
- Cabinets / cabinet doors / ceilings / lighting: chufang-23-tiao-bukeng.md, chufang-10-ge-yihan.md, chufang-9-chu-jiawu.md, chufang-10-da-leiqu.md, chufang-ganjing-zhenxiang.md (reducing housework)
- Countertops / water blocking / drop-down aprons: chufang-23-tiao-bukeng.md, chufang-9-chu-jiawu.md, chufang-17-yang-zhishui.md
- Sinks: chufang-shuicao-5-fa.md (5 golden rules), chufang-daotaoxiaoshuicao.md (island small sink is a useless gimmick)
- Storage (tall cabinets/slim cabinets/vegetable-prep spots): chufang-gaogui-linghun.md, chufang-chaobao-gui.md, chufang-meidi-qiecai.md, chufang-10-ge-quwei-zuofa.md (10 interesting approaches)
- Tiles / walls / doors: chufang-23-tiao-bukeng.md, chufang-6-tiao-xuellei.md (large tiles crush small tiles), chufang-5-ju-guihua.md (5 lies)
- Safety (deadly/toxins/heavy metals): chufang-7-da-duoming.md, chufang-7-da-duwu.md, chufang-6-da-yinxing-duwu.md, chufang-zhongshu-jinshu.md
- IQ taxes / useless gimmicks: chufang-17-yang-zhishui.md, chufang-8-da-jilei.md, chufang-10-da-leiqu.md
How to use
When a user asks a kitchen-related renovation question (whether or not construction has already started), first locate the reference file by the topic above, then give advice based on the specific layout/budget. Key points:
- Give conclusions directly: first say "what not to do," then say "what should be done."
- If it involves renovation (knocking down walls, changing doors, converting an open kitchen to a semi-open one), be sure to remind them to first confirm whether it is a non-load-bearing wall and what the local gas ventilation policy is.
- When it involves safety (gas, cookware, tableware), use a self-check checklist format so users can troubleshoot by following along.
- Don't remove the AI flavor; use the "everyday living" tone of the Xi'an renovation classroom, speak plainly, and give practical, useful content.
Reference file list (24 articles, in reverse order)
- chufang-10-ge-quwei-zuofa.md — 10 Interesting Kitchen Practices (2026-08)
- chufang-23-tiao-bukeng.md — 23 Kitchen Mistakes You Should Not Make (2026-08)
- chufang-dilou-fangshui.md — Does the Kitchen Need a Floor Drain/Waterproofing (2026-07)
- chufang-ban-kaifang.md — Semi-Open Kitchen (2026-02)
- chufang-9-chu-jiawu.md — 9 Kitchen Mistakes That Keep the Housework Coming (2026-02)
- chufang-daotaoxiaoshuicao.md — The Kitchen Island Small Sink Is Useless (2026-01)
- chufang-5-ju-guihua.md — 5 Kitchen Lies You Must Never Believe (2026-01)
- chufang-jinmen-jiushi-chufang.md — How to Renovate When the Kitchen Is Right at the Entrance (2025-09)
- chufang-kaifang-houhui.md — Regretting an Open Kitchen (2025-10)
- chufang-10-ge-yihan.md — 10 Kitchen Regrets (2025-10)
- chufang-8-da-jilei.md — 8 Major Useless Kitchen Products (2025-10)
- chufang-7-da-duwu.md — 7 Major Kitchen Toxins (2025-09)
- chufang-ganjing-zhenxiang.md — The Truth About a Clean Kitchen (2025-09)
- chufang-zha-qiang-tonghtong.md — Knocking Down Walls for an Open, Airy Space (2025-07)
- chufang-7-da-duoming.md — 7 Deadly Kitchen Operations (2025-07)
- chufang-6-tiao-xuellei.md — 6 Blood-and-Tears Lessons from the Kitchen (2025-07)
- chufang-6-da-yinxing-duwu.md — 6 Major Hidden Kitchen Toxins (2025-07)
- chufang-gaogui-linghun.md — Tall Cabinets Are the Soul of Storage (2024-07)
- chufang-10-da-leiqu.md — 10 Major Kitchen Landmines (2025-03)
- chufang-17-yang-zhishui.md — 17 Kitchen IQ Tax Items (2025-08)
- chufang-zhongshu-jinshu.md — Cookware That Releases Heavy Metals (2025-08)
- chufang-chaobao-gui.md — Ultra-Slim Kitchen Cabinet (2024-11)
- chufang-shuicao-5-fa.md — 5 Golden Rules for the Kitchen Sink (2025-03)
- chufang-meidi-qiecai.md — The Amazing Trick When There's No Space to Chop Vegetables (2025-11)