Dear James: We have a moderate-size kitchen, but it still seems crowded at times. When we remodel it, how can we use the "kitchen triangle" conception to improve convenience? — Missy T.
Dear Missy: The family's epicenter in most homes is the kitchen. Even with a large kitchen, there can be many times when you find your kitchen to be too crowded and inconvenient to function well. Much of this has to do with the traffic pattern and overall design of the room.
Considering the kitchen triangle concept and the typical traffic patterns when remodeling a kitchen can make it more functional. Essentially, a kitchen triangle has three points: the sink, the range and the refrigerator. These three primary workstations make up the triangle workspace where people usually spend the most time when preparing food.
The idea behind the triangle is to design your kitchen so these items are close to one another. Try not to have more than 5-8 feet between the center point of any two of these areas. For a typical kitchen, the combined three distances should be less than 24 feet.
It is also important to plan for enough counter space at each workstation. Most people prefer to have at least 15 inches of workspace, but you may prefer a little more, especially around the range.
When you are deciding where to locate the appliances, keep the traffic patterns of your kitchen in mind. Since you already have an overcrowding problem while you are cooking, make sure you don't have a high-traffic area between the new sink and range areas. This may result in the same problem you currently have.
Another appliance you need to consider is the dishwasher. Sometimes it is nice to have cabinets and drawers within reach when you are working near the sink, but the dishwasher should really be closer. You will find having the dishwasher near the sink will allow for faster unloading.
One possibility when redesigning a kitchen is to add an additional sink. This one can be smaller, but still very functional. This other sink will come in handy, such as if one person is washing dishes and another person wants to be washing the vegetables. This extra sink will cut back tremendously on your close kitchen quarters.
If your current kitchen is too cluttered, however, this may add to the crowded feeling. To keep your new kitchen from looking cluttered, you can put a spice rack into a cabinet. Another option is to save one lower cabinet for your toaster, thermos, electric can opener, blender, etc.
The electrical outlets are another very important aspect of your kitchen. Make sure you have at least three separate 20-amp circuits to supply power to your new modern kitchen. Since you will probably have to repaint the walls, this is the perfect time to add extra electrical services.
If you also have to incorporate a table into your kitchen, make sure you leave at least 36 inches of clearance all around it. It may sound like a lot, but if you have less, it will be difficult to get in and out of the chairs. The last design concept you need to consider is lighting. Put a lot of thought into adding a skylight. Natural lighting is best for a kitchen because it enhances the color of the foods.
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