The work triangle is a classic kitchen planning idea from the 1940s and 1950s: the three most-used work centers, the sink, the cooktop and the refrigerator, should form a triangle that is neither too spread out nor too cramped. It is still a useful check for a new layout.
The guidelines
Kitchen planning guidelines published by the National Kitchen and Bath Association recommend:
- each side of the triangle between 4 and 9 ft;
- a total of all three sides between 13 and 26 ft;
- no side crossed by an island or peninsula by more than 12 in;
- no major traffic path cutting through the triangle.
Measure from the center front of each appliance or sink.
Example
Sink to cooktop 6 ft, cooktop to refrigerator 7 ft, refrigerator to sink 5 ft: 18 ft in total, with every side between 4 and 9 ft. The layout meets the guideline.
What the numbers mean
- Too small (under 13 ft, or a side under 4 ft): there is too little counter between work centers to set down groceries, prepare food or rest a hot pan, and two people get in each other’s way.
- Too large (over 26 ft, or a side over 9 ft): every meal involves a lot of walking, and hot pots travel far from stove to sink.
Layouts and the triangle
- L-shaped and U-shaped kitchens form natural triangles.
- Galley kitchens work well when the triangle spans both walls, but through traffic can be a problem.
- One-wall kitchens cannot form a real triangle; an island opposite the wall helps.
- Islands can hold the sink or the cooktop and close the triangle.
Beyond the triangle
Modern kitchens often have more than one cook and more than three appliances: a microwave, a wall oven, a second sink, a coffee station. Many designers now think in work zones (prep, cooking, cleaning, storage) rather than one triangle. The triangle remains a quick test that the core of the kitchen will be efficient.
Remember to plan landing space too: about 15 in of counter beside the refrigerator handle, 24 in on one side of the sink and 18 in on the other, and 12 to 15 in on each side of the cooktop.