Kitchen Triangle or the Golden Triangle for Modular Kitchen

Planning your modular kitchen is a big step, not to mention a big investment. When designing your modular kitchen, ensure that you know about and implement Kitchen Triangle or the Golden Triangle for the most practical kitchen layout.

Kitchen Triangle or the Golden Triangle for Modular Kitchen

The layout of your kitchen will help you decide where different aspects of the kitchen will be located because of certain restrictions. For example, the sink will be placed closest to the water outlet. Since most of us live in apartments where we do not have the freedom to start from scratch and build any layout we want, it is likely that the general shape of the kitchen will be decided for us by the builders.

Getting the layout right is absolutely crucial and I always tell my clients that the layout comes first when designing. It’s far easier to change the colour or style of your cabinets and worktop again and again once you have the solid foundation of the best kitchen layout for your space.

The Golden Triangle

The Golden Triangle (also called the ‘working triangle’) states that the three main work areas in the kitchen should be ideally situated at the three apex points of a triangle. These include the sink, the cooktop and the refrigerator.

When a person cooks, there is continuous movement between these three stations. The person cooking is able to move around with ease because of the close proximity between the three points. It also takes into consideration the space between the three workstations so that it doesn’t get too cramped. This concept can be applied to small or medium sized kitchens and can maximise the usage of limited space.

How does Golden Triangle or Kitchen Triangle work?

The rules governing the size and dimensions of the work triangle are important to have a functional kitchen.

The triangle should not be intersected by any other element by more than 12 inches. Also, make sure that the triangle is not obstructed by counters, cabinets or islands. Keep movement pathways away from the triangle so that the area can be kept as free as possible.

Each side of the triangle should be a maximum of nine feet and a minimum of four feet apart for the most comfortable working spaces, and the sum total of the lengths of all three sides should be between 13 and 26 feet. These dimensions make sure that the spaces are neither too far apart, nor too close to each other; there is enough distance between them to create clearly delineated traffic lines.

The Principles of the Kitchen Triangle :

  • The length of each triangle leg is between 1.2 and 2.7m
  • The combined length of the three legs should be between 4m and 7.9m
  • There should not be any appliances or cabinetry intersecting any of the legs of the triangle
  • There should not be any major traffic through the triangle 

When your kitchen is designed keeping the Golden Triangle in mind, you have the optimal flow of spaces between the three main tasks involved in food prep. Raw ingredients are stored in the refrigerator, cleaning and chopping happen at the sink, food is cooked on the cooktop and is then once again stored in the refrigerator….and there’s your neat and perfect triangle!

Also keep in mind that there should not be any obstructions between these three points, in the form of counters or cabinets, which will mess with the clean lines of your workflow. Any items that you need for cleaning should be close to the sink (peelers, knives, chopping board); while cooking utensils, ladles, masalas, oil and so on should be located on either side of the stove. Any appliances that are needed for food prep such as mixers and grinders, mixing bowls and blenders, should be ideally placed in between the sink and the stove. Additional appliances needed for cooking, such as the microwave and OTG should also be planned as part of your cooking zone. 

Kitchen Triangle or the Golden Triangle for Modular Kitchen

Does the Golden Triangle Work For Any Kitchen Layout?

This concept can work in different kitchen layouts. In a kitchen with an island, the island is used as the sink area and the other counters are used for the fridge and stove. The same works with a galley kitchen. In a peninsula kitchen, the sink, stove and fridge are placed on different counters. This can also be applied to a U-shaped kitchen. In an L-shaped kitchen, you will usually find the sink and refrigerator adjacent to each other while the stove is placed on the other countertop. While in a straight kitchen, the stove is placed between the fridge and sink.

For maximum kitchen efficiency and usability, the basic guidelines* below should be applied: 

  • Entry doors to the kitchen should be at least 812mm wide
  • An entry door should not interfere with the safe operation of any appliances, and appliance doors should not interfere with one another
  • Walkways should be at least 915mm wide
  • In a seating area where there is no traffic behind the seat, a clear walkway of 915mm should be allowed from the table or counter edge to the edge behind it.
  • If there is only one sink, it should be located next to or across from the stove top and fridge.
  • A sink should be flanked by a minimum 610mm landing area, with 460mm on either side.
  • A primary work surface of at least 760mm wide and 600mm deep should be next to the sink
  • A dishwasher should be placed within 900mm from a sink
  • There should be a landing space of at least 380mm next to the handle side of the fridge or one no more than 1200mm opposite the fridge
  • Provide a cooking ventilation system above all cooking surface appliances.
  • Do not locate the cooking surface under an operable window and provide a fire extinguisher near the kitchen’s exit, away from cooking equipment.
  • Microwave ovens should be placed based on the user’s requirements, with 75mm below shoulder height being ideal.
  • In addition to general lighting, each work surface should be well lit by appropriate task lighting. 

While it can still be applied in today’s times, our kitchens have modernised. Designing your kitchen using this concept also has to accommodate these changes. Dishwashers have become an integral part of our kitchens. They occupy a significant amount of space and should be placed near the sink. The number of cooking appliances have also increased. Other than the stove, space has to be created for appliances like a microwave, oven, blender, toaster and the list goes on. You also have to keep in mind that in crowded cities, the living spaces have become more compact so it is not possible to follow the specified dimensions.

If you’re designing your kitchen, Dazzler Interio, Lucknow best modular kitchen brand, recommends incorporating the golden triangle. Following the layout makes everyday cooking activities effortless. You have to keep in mind your habits and your cooking techniques before you make your plans. Before you design, study your movements around the kitchen, think about how you utilise your kitchen now and how you’d like to do so in your dream kitchen. Be practical about your kitchen routine. Do you cook frequently? How often do you make use of the oven or the stove? Do you use one more than the other? Realising what you use more as well as your habitual movements can help you identify the flow of traffic in your kitchen. It doesn’t matter if you plan on hiring someone or doing it yourself, understanding the reason behind the golden triangle and will help you design the finest kitchen for you and your family.

Dazzler Interio designs your kitchen keeping in mind all these concepts as well as your own needs in the kitchen.

What's Your Reaction?

like
2
dislike
0
love
1
funny
0
angry
0
sad
0
wow
2