25/06/2019
What Makes a Kitchen Layout Safe, Functional, and Efficient?
Short answer—a kitchen designer!
Long answer—there are many things to consider when designing a functional kitchen. More time is spent in the kitchen than in any other room of the home. In addition, the kitchen accounts for the greatest cost per area, so its design requires careful and detailed consideration. Here are just a few of many guidelines for building a functional kitchen.
The kitchen work triangle creates an efficient working space.
Work Centers. The main work centers of a kitchen are the sink, the cooktop, and the refrigerator. Together, they form the kitchen work triangle. In an efficient kitchen, the length of each leg of the triangle should be between 4 and 9 feet. The total of the distances between work centers should not exceed 26 feet. This principle also holds for a kitchen whose work centers are arranged in a straight line.
Traffic Control. No major traffic patterns should cross through the work triangle. Work aisles should be at least 42 inches for one cook, and at least 48 inches for multiple cooks. Walkway widths should be at least 36 inches. Doors and doorways should be at least 32 in. wide, and shouldn’t interfere with work centers.
Clearance. Vertical clearance space is important for usability and safety. There should be at least 15-inches between countertops and cabinets. Cooking surfaces and range hoods should have 24-inches of vertical space between them. In addition, kitchen seating areas should incorporate clearances between the tables/counter and the seats.
Landing Areas. The sink, the refrigerator, the microwave, and the oven all require a different amount of nearby or adjacent open countertop space. These landing areas are necessary for placing food items, dishes, or cookware.
Space and Storage. Differently sized kitchens require different amounts of countertop space and cabinet storage areas. For countertop spaces, a total of 158 inches of frontage is needed. The recommended shelf/drawer frontage for storage is 1,400 inches for a small kitchen (150 square feet or less); 1,700 inches for a medium kitchen (151 to 350 square feet); and 2,000 inches for a large kitchen (more than 350 square feet). Read: How much storage do I need for my kitchen?
Safety. Do not place the cooking surface under an operable window, or any window with flammable treatments or covers. A fire extinguisher should be located near the exit of the kitchen away from cooking equipment, and commercial cooking appliances should not be installed in residential kitchens.
