Kitchen Design Problems

Create a plan before building or remodeling a kitchen to avoid major design issues.

A kitchen suffering from design problems can make cooking a frustrating chore. By first understanding the work triangle in a kitchen, you can avoid many common design problems.

Inefficient Work Triangle

The work triangle is the distance between the refrigerator, stove and sink that, when designed correctly, minimizes the number of steps a cook must take between each station when preparing a meal. If the distance from the sink to the stove to the refrigerator and back to the sink is less than 12 feet or greater than 27 feet, the kitchen is inefficient and work flow suffers.

Lack of Space

Lack of counter space between appliances and the sink can lead to mishaps when preparing meals. Lack of storage space is another cause of countertop clutter and frustration. Cabinets that extend to the ceiling add additional storage in small kitchens, and cabinet organizational systems use existing space efficiently.

Narrow isles crowd a kitchen, make it uncomfortable for mingling and can interfere with food preparation and cleanup. Each kitchen isle should be at least 42 to 48 inches wide.

Placement of Appliances

Appliance doors that open incorrectly are a common kitchen design problem. Refrigerator doors should open away from the sink or stove. Additionally, installing microwaves too high up can pose a hazard to short cooks who cannot easily reach them to remove hot dishes safely.

References

• Kitchen Bath Ideas: Checklist to Avoid Kitchen Design Problems
• Family Resource.com: Kitchen Design: Understanding the Work Triangle and Kitchen Layouts

Resources

• Kitchens.com: Kitchen Design