Good Kitchen Design - It will run you in triangles
Go to Newsletter Archives
A well planned kitchen makes even the least of chef's look good - at least in performing the task of meal preparation. The rule is that your kitchen should form a good work rotation between work stations. This is referred to as a "work triangle". If you draw a line between your range (stove), sink, and refrigerator, a triangle is or should be formed. This is where the "work triangle" term comes from. The work triangle, as a rule of thumb, should be between 12 feet and 24 feet when you add up the three legs of the triangle. Kitchens can be designed in many fashions and are seen in varying layouts. Basic kitchen designs include the U-shaped, peninsula, L-shaped, one-wall, Corridor, and Island. Below are examples of U-shaped and L-shaped kitchen designs and work triangles.
A well thought out kitchen design is efficient, inviting, and easily maintained. When preparing the layout, a designer must think in terms of function, traffic, and the location of equipment and appliances. In reference to function, we start with dividing the kitchen into 3 sections: the storage and mixing space, the preparation and cleaning area, and the cooking area. The storage & mixing area houses the refrigerator as its major appliance. This is also a good area to locate your pantry near. The sink and dishwasher is included in the prep and cleaning area while the stove, oven or range occupy the cooking area. Each area should have adequate counters for small appliances and work space.
Traffic flow is an equally important factor to deal with when planning your kitchen space. Nothing is worse than a kitchen that also acts as a hallway. If you have to travel through the kitchen's work space to get to another part of the house, you should consider another design option. The corridor designed kitchen which acts like a hallway, literally passing through the work space, is a good example of a bad kitchen. A Corridor kitchen is unsatisfactory, however, sometimes it is a necessary evil if space is limited in the home design. This is not to say that you cannot travel through the kitchen but, if traffic cuts through the area in which the work triangle exist, it disrupts the cooks work enviroment. Moving through the kitchen, away from the work area, is acceptable and good planning. Make sure your traffic lane is clear of the work area.
Regardless of how a kitchen is designed, top priority must be given to the planning of work space, efficency, and traffic. In terms of work space, be sure that appliances are located in the proper work stations as stated earlier. If work stations are properly thought out, this makes for a good work triange and efficient meal executions. Last but certainly not least, eliminate or minimize the flow of traffic through your kitchen's work triangle.
|
