As the holiday season gets closer (I know – it’s so soon!) and we all seem to gravitate more to our kitchens to prepare special holiday meals, now would be a great time to think about a new kitchen cabinet design.

Pay attention to how your kitchen works for you, and how it doesn’t.

Does your kitchen triangle work?

The lines between your refrigerator, sink and stove form a triangle. At least they do in a well designed and easy to work in kitchen. They aren’t too far away from each other, but aren’t too close either. You do need some room to spread out and work, after all.

Kitchen Triangle Guidelines

• No leg of the triangle should be less than 4 feet  or more than 9 feet.
• The sum of all three sides of the triangle should be between 13 feet and 26 feet.
• Cabinets or other obstacles should not intersect any leg of the triangle by more than 12 inches (30 cm).
• If possible, there should be no major traffic flow through the triangle.
• A full-height obstacle, such as a tall cabinet, should not come between any two points of the triangle.

Kitchen Cabinet Design Suggestions

• As measured between counter tops and cabinets or appliances, work aisles should be no less than 42 inches for one cook, or 48 inches for multiple cooks.
• A sink should have a clear counter area of at least 24 inches on one side, and at least 18 inches on the other side.
• A refrigerator should have a clear counter area of at least 15 inches on the handle side; or the same on either side of a side-by-side refrigerator; or the same area on a counter no more than 48 inches across from the refrigerator.
• A stove or cook top should have a clear 15 inches area on one side, and at least 12 inches on the other side.
• At least 36 inches of food preparation area should be located next to the sink.