10 Things You Need To Know Before Designing A New Kitchen

When designing a kitchen it is important to know some facts about the recommended measurement to ensure that you can work as easy as possible. This article gives you 10 important guidelines for your kitchen design project.

1. The work triangle, which is the space between the refrigerator, sink, and stove should be 26' or less with none of the sides longer than 9', or less than 4'.

2. If your kitchen is larger than 150 sq. ft choose at least 16 1/2' of countertop, 15 1/2' of wall cabinets, and 16' of base cabinets. For smaller kitchens buy 11' of countertop, 12' of wall cabinets, and 13' of base cabinets.

3. For convenience, plan work aisles to be at least 42" wide for one cook, and at least 48" wide in multi-cook kitchens.

4. Specify a minimum of 24" of counter space on one side of the sink and at least 18" on the other.

5. To have the best landing when you are unloading groceries, you should have at least 15" of counter space on the handle side of the standard refrigerator. If it is a side-by-side model, have the space on both sides. Or maybe even better, have a landing area directly across (no more than 48" away) from the refrigerator.

6. For easy cleaning the dishwasher should be placed no more than 36" away for the edge of the sink. Make at least 21" of standing room next to the machine.

7. Provide at least 15" counter space near ovens and microwaves. The space should be minimum 16" deep.

8. For optimum clearance, no entry, appliance, or cabinet doors should interfere with another.

9. For comfort and to help avoid repetitive-motion injury, plan for work counters of different heights; between 28 and 36" off the floor (easier for chopping and seated-use access), and between 36 and 46" for general tasks (higher counters accommodate taller cooks).

10. To install a cabinet unit above the cook top, make sure the clearance is at least 24" for a fireproof surface, 30" for an unprotected surface.

Designing a kitchen is as much a science as it is an art. Knowing the recommended measurements to use when planning the project can make all the difference in the final outcome. And why not do it right the first time. It is not cheap to make the changes later.

Martin Elmer is writing about refrigerators in koeleskab. Read more about buying refrigerators in amerikanerkoeleskabe.