The Work Triangle in Common Kitchen Plans

Work Areas

• Kitchen work areas (or work centers) reflect the primary activities that are carried out during meal preparation. The typical activities include food storage, preparation and cooking, and clean-up. Those activities are carried out at the refrigerator, range and sink, the locations that form the 3 corners of the work triangle. The sink is often considered the most important work area for the purpose of locating it in the kitchen, because it is involved in so many of the activities, from preparation to cleanup.

Distances Between Work Areas

• The distance from one work area to another is an important consideration for kitchen planners. Measurements are taken from the center front of each sink or appliance. The distance from the range (or cooktop) to the sink should be 4 to 6 feet, and there should be 4 to 7 feet between the sink and refrigerator. The distance between the range and refrigerator should be 4 to 9 feet. The minimum distance between an appliance and the cabinets on the opposite wall is 48 inches.

3- and 4-Wall Kitchens

• The work-triangle concept is easily applied to most 3-wall kitchens. In a U-shaped kitchen, the sink is typically placed between the refrigerator and range. A G-shaped kitchen is a 4-sided room with a door or opening on one side. The fourth side may be created by a counter that extends into the space rather than a full-height wall. U-shaped and G-shaped kitchens offer the option of placing the sink, refrigerator and range on 3 separate walls, with plenty of counter space between them.

2-Wall Kitchens

• An L-shaped kitchen includes 2 perpendicular walls, an arrangement that requires that 2 of the 3 triangle points share a wall. Adding an island to an L-shaped kitchen expands the options, as the range or sink can occupy the island rather than sharing a wall. Another common 2-wall kitchen is the galley kitchen. As there is seldom enough corridor space between the walls to permit an island, 2 of the triangle points must share a wall.

1-Wall Kitchens

• Apartments, condos and small homes may have a single-wall or Pullman kitchen. With only 1 wall, the sink, refrigerator and range must share that wall, which defies the triangle concept. The arrangement tends to function well, however, because the work centers are situated close to one another.