In every kitchen, no matter the size or the style, there is something that designers and other professionals call ‘the kitchen work triangle’. Many believe that this triangle is the key to designing an efficient and functional kitchen. Read on to find out more about the kitchen triangle and how to consider it in your kitchen remodel.
What is the kitchen triangle?
The kitchen triangle is an imagined space that is connected by three key points: the stovetop, the sink, and the refrigerator. These are thought to be the most important points of the room when it comes to functionality. You need to be able to easily move from one point to the next when cooking, cleaning, or preparing food, for example.
How does this impact kitchen design?
The general idea is that the 3 points in this work triangle shouldn’t be too far from each other or too close to each other. Here are the figures that should be applied when considering this theory:
- No side of the triangle should be less than 4 feet
- No side of the triangle should be more than 9 feet
- The distance of the 3 sides combined should be between 13 and 26 feet
As well as this, your kitchen should be designed and laid out in a way that doesn’t impede the flow of this work triangle. So, cabinets, kitchen islands, and any appliances should not cut too far into the triangle in a way that disrupts the flow. And the room shouldn’t be designed in a way that means there is a lot of foot traffic going through the kitchen triangle.
This may sound like a lot to take in, but you still have freedom in terms of the positioning of these points and other areas of your kitchen, as well as a little freedom when it comes to the distances. Of course, they are not hard and fast rules you have to follow, but these guidelines can help you improve the flow and efficiency of the space.
You may even choose to break these rules depending on what you use the space for. Maybe other parts of the kitchen are more important to your flow, such as a seating area that is frequently used for meals or entertaining, particularly if you don’t cook much in your kitchen.
If you need help designing your kitchen or installing new countertops for your kitchen remodel, then contact Amanzi Granite for our design and installation services around Kernersville, Winston Salem, Greensboro, and High Point