Is the Kitchen Work Triangle an Outdated Design Rule?
The kitchen paintings triangle has been the same old through which we measure properly layout and functionality. Whether you paid interest for your trigonometry class or now not, you likely knew the basics of the kitchen triangle. It connects the cooktop, refrigerator, and sink. According to guidelines from the National Kitchen and Bath Association (NKBA), no leg of the triangle ought to be much less than four ft or extra than 9 toes. The sum of the three triangle facets ought to no longer exceed 26 ft. In addition, no essential traffic patterns have to go with the flow thru the triangle.
But do those policies still apply?
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Kitchen triangles make prep paintings less difficult. Image: Sisoje/Getty Images
“Back in the 1940’s, kitchens tended to be small and appliances tended to be huge,” explains Erin Davis, lead clothier at Mosaik Design & Remodeling. “The concept advanced as a widespread guideline for growing a certain proximity and distance among the three important kitchen work web sites: sink, fridge and variety – and it is still applicable these days.”
According to Davis, the work triangle theory turned into designed to supply consolation and efficiency. It’s all based totally on how easily you could pass between those three predominant work areas.
Kitchen triangle dimensions are flexible. Image: cr8tivguy/Getty Images
“Within the fundamental ‘triangle’ shape – which could look very extraordinary in every man or woman area – there are a number of design alternatives that paintings well for typical kitchen appeal and practicality,” Davis says. “In truth, there’s no restriction to the attainable designs that keep the kitchen triangle intact at the same time as reflecting your personal fashion and flavor.”
Davis says it’s additionally important to take into account the area of your workspaces, islands and other kitchen capabilities. This enables to make sure correct drift and capability.
Relevant or old?
Multiple sinks make prep work less complicated. Image: hikesterson/Getty Images
Are the kitchen capabilities that Davis refers to clearly crowding out the want for a kitchen triangle? According to Elle H-Millard at the NKBA, one of the emerging key design trends is open-concept kitchens in contemporary kitchen designs. These include island prep stations with island bars and prep sinks. Galley kitchens also are coming round again.
“The kitchen triangle layout has misplaced recognition over latest years as it doesn’t continually paintings with every kitchen,” says Eric Gustafson, president of Pure Modern. “Many times, there isn’t enough area to set up a triangle kitchen – particularly in a galley style kitchen.”
Gustafson says the triangle isn’t important in an open idea due to the fact kitchen zones are a better answer. “Although the kitchen triangle can nevertheless be applicable in some cases, many kitchen designs are transferring far from that layout,” he says.
Older homes generally tend to have a triangle layout. Image: Sisoje/Getty Images
Where the kitchen paintings triangle still applies
Not everyone is of the same opinion that the kitchen triangle is obsolete. Eric Sztanyo, a realtor at Keller Williams and founder of We Buy NKY Houses – a Cincinnati and Northern Kentucky coins home buyer, still sees their price.“As a rehabber who buys many older houses with older kitchens, I find the concepts of the kitchen work triangle to still follow amazingly nicely today,” he says. “Yes, we can also purchase a residence and do a entire demo of the kitchen, but greater frequently than not, we become placing the portions again together in a way that still fits this time commemorated lifestyle.”
Sztanyo says the triangle layout works nicely when incorporating stainless-steel home equipment and a subway tile backsplash. “It seems properly. The strains are crisp. And maybe extra importantly, it’s green in a way with a purpose to keep the subsequent proprietor of the house glad for years to come,” he says.
The kitchen paintings triangle works for a few, however not all chefs. Image: dit26978/Getty Images
Finding the proper kitchen format for you
Lauren Smyth, interior dressmaker at Alturas Homes in Eagle, ID, consents. “The kitchen working triangle will constantly be famous considering the fact that it's far a popular inside the design enterprise and is set up this way to make meal prep and cooking clean,” she says. “There are other variances to this running triangle – for example, in the state of affairs of a linear kitchen format where the entirety is on one wall.” In this situation, she says, a unique configuration would paintings higher. “It would be ideal to have the sink inside the center of the wall with a few countertop space on both facet and the range and refrigerator at the ends of the ‘line’ so to speak.”
Ultimately, the kitchen triangle should be used as a guideline. That’s in line with Susan Serra, certified kitchen designer at Susan Serra Associates. “Many designers now feel that the maximum crucial standards for the kitchen design is the customer’s life-style,” she explains. “The fine state of affairs is while the fashion designer points out both pros and cons of equipment places, no matter policies to fulfill the particular aesthetic and useful desires of the client.”
What are your mind on the kitchen work triangle? Is your kitchen installation in this manner? Let us know inside the remarks.