Kitchen Triangle or Kitchen Zones

The kitchen triangle has been one of the standards of good kitchen functionality and design, connecting the sink, cooktop and refrigerator. The sum of these three should not exceed 26 feet, allowing you to move and work easily between the three areas. If the kitchen has one sink, it should be placed between or across the other two.

Kitchen triangle with sink and cooktop close – My Living Interior

For a long time, this was considered the best kitchen design. It doesn’t always fit with different designs like the galley kitchen or larger kitchens with more than one sink or kitchen island.

Open concept Sherwin Williams Conservative Gray Pier 1 – Pinterest

Kitchen Triangle – Relevant or Expired

The kitchen triangle is not perfect. Kitchens are getting bigger, often with more than three work spaces and more than one person cooking. Suddenly, the very practical kitchen triangle is no longer practical. If you have a household where more than one person shares cooking duties, or you have more than one sink, or a second kitchen island, the single kitchen triangle won’t necessarily make sense.

Kitchen Zones – apartment therapy

It could be time for a new set of kitchen design rules, with more than one triangle or a prep area in another room. 

Don’t Throw Out The Rule Book

Galley kitchen update – Pinterest

There are times where the kitchen triangle is the best design solution. Where someone buys an older home with an older kitchen, the kitchen work triangle is often the best design.

Small Galley Kitchen – Hunker

Even if the kitchen is updated or totally renovated, most of the time the new sink, refrigerator and cooktop end up in the same positions. 

Kitchen Triangle Evolution – Zones

The kitchen triangle is evolving into work zones. With larger kitchens, and open concept homes, the challenge has been to place appliances within a 26 foot triangular layout.

Kitchen Storage – Pinterest

With more appliances than ever before, should these go within or outside the triangle? Dishwashers, microwaves, additional wall ovens and sinks did not exist when many homes were built.

Culturally we are changing too. Guests never entered the kitchen, now that’s the only place to meet and greet. Cooking and socializing in the kitchen are now natural.

Generous work space – Real Livin

By creating work zones within your kitchen, you can maximize efficiency in a more generous work space. Now all the cooks, plus any guests will all be better accommodated to work and enjoy the space.

Storage – What You Need, Close to You

Storing items near this cooking work zone like cutting boards, knives and pots and pans and using the bench tops for prepping and setting down items will make life a lot easier. 

Kids’ Zone 

Its time to talk about people. If you have children and can accommodate an area where kids can do their homework, play and eat this will help you keep an eye on them and keep them safe around hot pans, knives and other dangerous items in the kitchen. 

Kids Zone – Instagram

Guests’ Zone 

If you have an open kitchen and like to entertain its important to have an area where you can multi-task, and that is nice enough, for you to chat to guests while you prepare food and drinks.

Somewhere for guests with glassware and storage – One Kind Design

A large island or peninsula is the place of choice. The counter shape keeps workers on one side and guests on the other. Its an unspoken barrier that keeps guests away from the work flow but involved in any conversation, while having a drink.

And so the guest zone is born. Place any items you need for serving and entertaining close by in cabinets with easy access.

Wider Aisles

One thing that is changing is the size of kitchen’s aisles. The recommended minimum aisle width is 40 inches, but if you have multiple cooks you might prefer closer to 50 inches.

If you have the space and entertain often, you could go as wide as 55 inches. If you go wider, you lose all the efficiency you have built into your kitchen and will more time walking than cooking.