Contemporary Designs: A Guide to the Kitchen Triangle

Kitchen designs have evolved over the years. They have become more practical, efficient and safer. One design that has emerged over time is the use of the kitchen triangle or the kitchen working triangle. This was first introduced by researchers at the University of Illinois School of Architecture in the 1940s to cut construction costs. It was picked up by kitchen developers as a way to make designs more economic and has been used ever since.

Here is a guide to the kitchen triangle and how you incorporate it into your kitchen refurbishment.

What is the kitchen triangle?

The kitchen working triangle is based on the three main kitchen areas; the sink, the fridge and the stove. According to the kitchen triangle, these three features should be laid out to loosely form a triangle. This helps the user perform everyday tasks with ease.

Each side of the triangle should measure no less than four feet and no more than nine feet. Ideally, the perimeter of the triangle will be more than 13 feet and less than 26 feet. That’s a lot of maths, but essentially, the triangle shouldn’t be too big or too small. Otherwise you will either feel constricted or spend all of your time walking between one point and another.

What is the purpose of the kitchen triangle?

The reason the kitchen triangle was created was to create kitchen installations that allow you to move seamlessly between working areas of the kitchen without interruption. THe kitchen triangle helps to limit the amount of walking in the kitchen and enables you to cook, clean and store without interruption.

How can the kitchen triangle be incorporated into modern kitchens?

Some people argue that the kitchen triangle is outdated. While it is a great design principle, it does need updating to meet contemporary kitchen refurbishments. You definitely don;t need to stick to the concept as strictly as a modern family. That is because things have changed significantly since the 1940s. The cooking and cleaning in the kitchen is no longer down to one person and modern families share the workload, meaning there could be more than one person working in the kitchen at once.

You may benefit from creating three separate zones in the kitchen, one for cooking, one for cleaning and another for storage. Homes are also getting  bigger so if you have generous space in your kitchen installation, it’s hard to avoid the need for walking. However, it’s important to still consider aesthetics and functionality.

If you’re looking for quality kitchen installations, help with your kitchen refurbishment or kitchen appliance installation - get in touch with the experts at JA Horne Starlight. We will be happy to guide you through the process of creating the perfect contemporary kitchen.