1: Picture the sink, fridge and range making a “Work Triangle”. This triangle should be small enough to provide effective and convenient movement for the cook, but it also need to be big enough so 2 people can comfortably work in the kitchen without bumping into each other. The kitchen island and other protruding cabinets or cupboards should not intersect with the work triangle. A simple guideline is the total length of the 3 sides of the work triangle should be a minimum of 15’ and a maximum of 25’.
2: The kitchen’s gathering or entertaining areas have to be separate from the Work Triangle. This will allow the cook to do all the necessary preparations without the guests getting in the way. The guests can sit and enjoy appetizers and drinks. The gathering/entertaining area should have a clear view of the Work Triangle in the kitchen.
3: There should be accurate scale drawings of the appliance doors on the architectural drawings. They should show the swing of the fridge door(s), dishwasher and oven in their opened positions. Pull out trash bins along with other key operations should also be included on these drawings. There will be overlap with some of the operations, so it is important to control which ones do overlap. For example the dishwasher and oven door could have operations that overlap since they are often used at different times.
4: The linear relationship of the dishwasher, sink and trash are important. Keep the meal clean up sequence in mind for the kitchen design. In most households the sequence in order is clear, rinse and put dishes in the dishwasher. The trash should be closest to the dining room table or breakfast nook, and then followed by the sink and dishwasher in linear order.
5: The ergonomics of the kitchen must address more than simply cooking. One important design consideration that is not usually considered is how the residents enter the house and where they unpack their groceries. Placing the fridge and pantry close to the kitchen entrance and ideally close to a countertop will make for a kitchen that flows smoothly overall. To talk to our design experts please call us on (08) 9204 3575.