The best way to start planning a kitchen design is to consider the position of the basic elements; kitchen equipment, sink and refrigerator. The formula for a convenient and safe workspace between these elements can take the form of a continuous line or a closely related ‘work triangle’.
This sequence of work should be limited to a distance of 5 to 7 m (approximately 16 to 23 ft) and remember to include enough storage space for the materials and utensils you will use to prepare and cook food. Even if you only intend to make tea in your kitchen, you still need to examine the relationship in the space allocated between the kettle, the water supply, the tea and sugar, the cups, and the refrigerator.
Ultimately, however, your choice of work triangle is likely to be determined by the size and shape of your current kitchen and whether or not you like it.
The in-line design, comprising a wall with a run of at least 3 m and no more than 6 m (approximately 10-19 ft), where countertops intersect with the sink and stove, is probably the only answer for long rooms. and narrow. . A wall from a studio apartment would also be ideal, as it can hide the kitchen when not in use, behind hinged folding doors or a long, sectioned screen.
With its design origins aboard ships, smaller yachts, and airplanes, the galley kitchen has since been embraced in home interior design because it’s ideal for small kitchens, where every inch counts. The counters run along two parallel walls with the sink and stove on one side, with a counter between them, and the food preparation area and refrigerator on the other. The sequence is reasonably flexible, of course, even if the space between the elements is restricted. The aisle between the two counters should be approximately 4 feet (1.4 m) wide to provide easy access to cabinets and drawers below the counter.
An island layout is very traditional, reminiscent of huge country house kitchens or ‘under the stairs’ cellars of grand homes, where the center table is also a serious work surface for kneading cakes, icing mounds of freshly baked cakes or shelling peas at the same time. Cube. It’s still the preferred choice of many serious cooks who want lots of work surfaces. The additional central workstation can even incorporate a small sink for vegetable preparation and even a stove, although this could also require an extractor hood. It could also include a space that accommodates the more social side of the kitchen’s character: everyone is always drawn, like magnets, to where the busy cook is working, and a kitchen island is an ideal solution if friends or family like it. like to get together. to talk and eat together.
In L- and U-shaped layouts, the work triangle works between two or three walls, an arrangement that works equally well in a small or large room. However, keep in mind that no matter how spacious your room is, the triangle should still be contained within its optimal space. If you want to combine either alternative with a dining area, which can often work well, you will need to place the table carefully, to give it a feeling of space and comfort, while making sure not to interrupt or block your work. area with unnecessary obstacles.