Thinking about remodeling your kitchen? Here are a few basics and recommendations from the National Kitchen and Bath Association (NKBA) on space requirements and layouts. Get out your tape measure, sharpen your pencil and start planning.
The classic kitchen design is based on the “work triangle” that ties together the refrigerator, the cooking area and the sink for convenience and efficiency. Distances from the center of each area should be no more than 9 ft and no less than 4 feet. It’s best to vent your cooking area to the outside, but if you have a window you will probably want to put your sink under it.
NKBA recommends 13’2” countertop frontage for workspace. A space of at least 36” in your main work area is helpful, and you’ll need a minimum of 15” of countertop next to the oven and fridge, so you have a spot to place things you are transferring in or out (hot dishes, a cold gallon of milk).
Islands are a versatile addition to your kitchen plan. They can accommodate eating, a sink, a cooktop or just a large workspace. An island can also provide extra storage space. Most kitchen cabinets will put your counter height at 34 to 36” high, so if you are planning a breakfast bar, you’ll need to drop the height down to 30” or use taller bar stools.
Storage is another main component in kitchen design. NKBA makes recommendations based on kitchen size as to how much shelf and drawer frontage is needed. So, for a large kitchen (over 350 sf) you would need 2000”. This would take into account the width of each individual shelf and drawer in the kitchen. Remember to use your corner space for storage. There are decorative shelving options, specially designed lazy-susan corner cabinets and pull-out shelving for base cabinets that put corners to good use.
These basics should get you thinking about how your dream kitchen will function and how much space you need.
