Walking through the kitchen to get things from one area of the house to another causes confusion, congestion and at times mild to serious accidents. In the process of food preparation the work flows from refrigerator to cabinet, to the cleaning food if necessary, to preparing, to cooking and serving.
Understanding the basic principles of kitchen layout will help take much of the mystery out of the design process. One of the most basic layout principles is the work triangle that ensures Convenience and safety.
The work triangle is an imaginary line drawn from each of the three primary work stations in the kitchen - the food storage and preparation, cooking, and clean-up stations. By connecting these imaginary lines, one can assess the distance required to move to and from each area and thus determine how well the traffic will flow. Ideally, the sink should be between refrigerator and range.
To help avoid traffic flow problems, work triangles should have a perimeter that measures less than 26 feet. The three primary kitchen work stations which create the work triangle are:
Since the kitchen is one of the most active work areas of the home, it is important to select the right layout to complement your lifestyle and taste. There are five primary kitchen layout shapes - the U-Shaped, L-Shaped, Island, Corridor/Gallery, and Single Wall shapes.
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