Kitchen Design Basics - Layouts & What to Avoid
Layouts
Prefabricated kitchen cabinets, and RTA (ready to assemble) cabinets are manufactured in relatively standard shapes and sizes. Please click here for a detailed description comparing the types of available cabinetry, characteristics, and pros and cons of each type of manufacturer or local custom category.
Regardless of the type of cabinetry used, kitchen layouts can be constructed in many different shapes and sizes, as illustrated in the following examples:
There is a basic concept in kitchen design called the “work triangle”, which originated in the 1940’s. This triangle is formed by drawing an imaginary straight line between the cooktop to the refrigerator to the main sink on the floorplan. The rule states that each leg of the triangle is to be between four and nine feet. The sum of the three legs is to be between 11’ and 26’. No leg of the triangle is to be impeded upon by a base cabinet by more than 12 inches.
There are also numerous, detailed guidelines stated through the National Kitchen & Bath Association (NKBA) related to the recommended amount of storage space, placement and minimums of counter space, and minimum aisleway clearances, among countless others.
Homes have changed and kitchens have evolved. Many feel the work triangle has become outdated as the kitchen is no longer a utilitarian place to prepare and consume food and to clean up. The size of kitchens has increased, and they have evolved into social spaces. Also, they are often used by multiple cooks.
A newer concept in design refers to thinking of a kitchen design as a group of “ zones” including food storage, preparation, clean-up, gathering areas, and sometimes a coffee bar or baking area, among others. There can also be other areas of the kitchen such as butler’s pantries or scullery kitchens incorporated into larger spaces.
In my opinion, the basic concepts of the triangle and “work zone” concepts can be simplified into following common sense and logic to design a kitchen. The best approach clients and designers can take is to imagine themselves using the space as best as possible. Think practical. Individualized homeowner wants and needs will then be balanced with the available cabinet sizes, aesthetics, proportion, scale, and budget.
There are several areas in kitchen design where compromising on guidelines is completely out of the question. These areas include, but are not limited to, matters of safety, proper function (especially clearances), and adhering to codes or zoning ordinances.
Good vs Poor Design:
An easy way to understand good design is to view and discuss poor designs, in which no rules nor common sense were applied. I collect poor designs in digital and print format. I cannot post them here, as I do not wish to get sued, however, below is a generalized often-repeated poor layout. Variations of this appear in kitchens of all price ranges.
Example #1 illustrates the range (cooktop) placed too far from the sink. The cook would have to carry a large pot with scalding hot water a large distance and step around the island to drain it in the main sink. Also, the range work area in this example has been placed in the main walkway through the house.
Poor Design Example #2 is a close reproduction of an actual kitchen highlighted in a former cabinet manufacturer’s literature.
The finishes of this are nice and complement each other. That’s about the only positive of this design.
Issues with this design:
*There is extremely little countertop prep space.
- The space under the window has cabinetry resting on most of the counter space.
- The cabinets and counter on the left of the design are utilized for dishes and glassware. It is shallow and not designed for prep work.
- There is only about six or nine inches between the cooktop and the sink. This is ridiculous. The user must walk around to the other side of the island for any prep work. There is no recessed toe kick space on the prep area of the island. It will be awkward to stand there for a decent amount of time.
*The sink is on the edge of the island. Water from the sink is certain to spill onto the side of the cabinet, damaging the wood.
*The dishwasher location is poor - on the side of the island.
*The homeowner paid a significant amount of money for a horribly designed kitchen which cannot possibly function well.
Design errors routinely found in current designs, encompassing all price ranges include:
1-Insufficient clearances to function properly.
2-Omitting an appropriately sized filler on an inside corner of a drawer cabinet and therefore the drawer cannot open because it hits perpendicular cabinet hardware or an appliance.
3-A single-cabinet plopped in the middle of a kitchen (I do not refer to this feature as an island because it is not an island; it is a single cabinet plopped in the middle of a kitchen), with or without the appropriate clearances, that are more of a hindrance to the flow of the space, not beneficial, and look ridiculous. Even worse is when one or two 12 inch deep wall cabinets are used to create an “island”. It’s just an awkward looking sliver in the middle of the room. Sometimes, the simple truth is – not all kitchens are able to accommodate an island as a feature. A future blog post will cover islands in more depth.
4-Ill-proportioned hoods (shrines) and “cave areas” built around 30” ranges or cooktops.
5-Similar to #4, there are often wood pilasters in the cave areas placed about 18”-20” deep flanking the range. These are resting on the countertop, with little to no space between the cooktop. This is a significant fire hazard. There needs to be a minimum of 9” of space from the cooktop to a combustible surface.
6-Placing a range or cooktop next to or very close to the sink. Prep space is needed on each side of the cooktop and sink.
7-Not accounting for the appropriate depth, width, or height of a common freestanding refrigerator.
8-Designing grossly insufficient seating width and leg room.
9-Leaving anywhere from one to nine inches of space above wall and tall cabinets in a design. Some people believe ambient lights will look nice above here. It doesn’t. It looks like your kitchen is wearing “reverse floods”. It looks like you intended to have the crown molding go all the way to the ceiling but “just missed” or ran out of money. It is difficult to access this small space. The only function it serves is collecting dust.
10-Placing a range or cooktop on the end of a cabinet run. It does not matter if this is what the homeowner requests, if they do not cook much, if they do not have small children, if this situation matches the former layout, if it is “only a flip house”, “only a rental unit”, how careful the homeowner is, or if the homeowner is trying to save money. Human beings will be living here and will have to deal with pan and pot handles sticking out into a walkway. The home is probably going to outlive the homeowner. It is a dangerous situation. There is always a solution in the design to avoid this negligent scenario. A good designer would look harder for the correct solution.
11- Similar to number issue #9, it is a common error to put a cooktop on a thin island with 1” – 2” of space on the back side of an island in the walkway. Again, it is a safety matter.
12- Placing drawers under eating bar overhangs
13- Placing ovens or microwaves too high so as a user would need a stepladder to use them.
Modern-day media of all types, television programs, and AI generated images are primarily focused on finishes and aesthetics. In reality, a very small part of kitchen design deals with coordinating finishes. Kitchen design is a highly detailed, technical process. Cabinets are ordered or site-built to fit an exact kitchen space. Everything in kitchen design is inter-twined and errors are oftentimes not easily rectified without a significant re-design, re-ordering cabinets, and quite probable costly flooring, countertop, or structural modifications.
I hope this information has given an overview of the types of designs available and what to avoid.
Future blog posts will not be this long!
Regards,
Karol Kaczmar
Owner/Designer
Fresh Start Cabinetry
Call or e-mail us today to get started on your project!
269-870-0065
info@freshstartcabinetry.com