There are some basic guidelines to follow if you want to improve efficiency and comfort in your small kitchen. The right kitchen design will provide you with enough space and a sleek, clutter-free look. By properly arranging everything in its place, your kitchen will be very comfortable to work with even with the limited area you have.
The work triangle is the concept on which all kitchen designs are based. The three main points or structures where the imaginary lines are drawn to form the triangle are the sink, the stove, and the refrigerator. Ideally, the three legs of the triangle should be between 23 and 26 feet total. A small kitchen can measure less. The idea is to create enough space between these areas to make proper use of all the available hubs in the kitchen. The correct arrangement of the work triangle will completely determine how well you can work within the given premises.
There are four basic kitchen layouts. Although there are hundreds of others available, all of these are generally based on these four and still focus on the triangle of work. The layouts are kitchen or one wall, hallway, L shape and U shape. All kitchen plans are classified according to their specific shape.
The most common would be the one wall or kitchen design in which the kitchen is placed along one wall. All furniture, countertops, and appliances are placed in that one area. The second most common is probably the hallway design in which the kitchen is distributed along two facing walls. This is very efficient as you can easily work at the front and rear by easily moving along the working triangle. Just make sure you have another route for people who aren’t involved in the work triangle or they may have to keep going and disrupt kitchen chores.
Next is the L-shaped kitchen layout that is featured along two adjacent walls or sides of a room. This frees up more space for people not involved in the work triangle compared to the hallway that has a narrow aisle. The U-shaped kitchen layout takes advantage of three sides and has the same advantage of more space in the work triangle. Small kitchens may have to design everything strategically if you intend to use the L or U shape. Islands, cabinets, and large appliances are used to help direct traffic and make the work triangle as efficient as possible.
