Kitchen Layouts (June 30, 2008)

Posted on June 30, 2008 - Filed Under Guidelines, Kitchen Layout, Kitchen Styles |

Kitchen Styles - Layouts

Common Plans

The layout of your kitchen¡ªwhere you place your appliances, your countertops, and your storage¡ªwill determine how cook-friendly your kitchen is. Ask yourself:

• Will I have to walk far to get water to top off a pot on the stove?
  
• Will I have enough space to slice, dice, chop, and otherwise prepare meals? 
  
• Will I have room to store the olive oil near the stove or will I have to go across the room to get it?
  
• Will two or more cooks be able to work comfortably in the space without constantly bumping into each other?
  
• Will I be able to easily rinse dishes and load them into the dishwasher?
  
• Do I prefer a range or a separate cooktop and oven?
  
• Do I need a prep sink and a cleanup sink?
  
• Do I need an eating area in the kitchen?

Of course, if you¡¯re remodeling, the structure of your existing home will limit your layout options. You¡¯ll have considerably more flexibility the larger your space and if you¡¯re building a new home or adding on.

Common kitchen plans include:

(Wall , Corridor ,L shape ,Double L shape ,U shape ,G shape )

Space Planning Guidelines

Get into the nitty-gritty of kitchen planning by reviewing the 40 guidelines drawn up by the National Kitchen & Bath Association. Designers typically view the guidelines as a starting point rather than as hard-and-fast rules. Some may apply to your kitchen, while others may seem irrelevant. Don¡¯t get hung up on a guideline if you think there¡¯s a better way to address your needs. And expect tradeoffs¡ªmore cabinet storage for less window space, for example.

Be forewarned that the guidelines may go into too much detail for you, depending on how involved you want to be in the actual measuring and space planning of your kitchen. 
Highlights include:

• The contested work triangle. Designers all seem to have different opinions on the importance of the so-called work triangle. The NKBA defines the work triangle as an imaginary straight line drawn from the center of the sink, to the center of the cooktop, to the center of the refrigerator, and finally back to the sink. The triangle formed by these imaginary lines should total 26 feet or less, with no single leg of the triangle shorter than 4 feet or longer than 9 feet. The work triangle should also not intersect an island or peninsula by more than 12 inches. If the kitchen has only one sink, it should be placed between or across from the cooking surface, preparation area, or refrigerator. 
   
  Such exacting standards are meant to ensure that the cook won¡¯t be too cramped, have to waste steps, or be interrupted by other traffic through the kitchen. But the work triangle has been criticized for being too restraining for kitchens where another arrangement may be more appropriate, particularly in kitchens where more than one cook will be working. 
  
• At least two work-counter heights should be offered in the kitchen, with one 28 inches to 36 inches above the finished floor and the other 36 inches to 45 inches above the finished floor. The different countertops make the kitchen more convenient for cooks of different heights, for seated cooks, and for bakers who can more comfortably roll dough at the lower height. 
  
• Watch that no entry, appliance, or cabinet doors block each other when open. In a kitchen with an island, an appliance or cabinet door on the island shouldn¡¯t hit an appliance or cabinet door across from it.
  
• To improve the function and accessibility of the kitchen, include at least five storage or organizing items, such as rollout shelves, lowered wall cabinets, raised base cabinets, tall cabinets, appliance garages, storage bins, cutlery dividers, swingout pantries. 
  
• Microwave ovens should be placed so that the bottom of the appliance is 24 inches to 48 inches above the floor. But the final placement should be based on the cook¡¯s physical abilities. If a seated cook or a child will use the microwave, for example, it may need to be lower. 
  
• Windows and skylights should equal at least 10 percent of the total square footage of the separate kitchen or of the full living space that includes the kitchen.
  
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