Work triangle in the kitchen

What is a working triangle?

Work triangle in the kitchen - arrangement of activity zones at a comfortable distance from each other. This term was first voiced in the 40s, and the sink, stove and work surface were considered zones of activity. Today there are three vertices of a triangle:

• refrigerator;
• sink;
• plate.

Regardless of how often the work in the kitchen goes and what kind of dishes you make, it should be convenient for you to take products from the storage location, transfer them to the processing area (wash, cut), cook.

• The refrigerator can be compact (built-in under the countertop), one-door or two-door. Make sure that nothing is stopping the door opening. If you placed it in a corner, the door should open to the wall for ease of use.
• The sink is chosen based on the dimensions of the kitchen. Spacious rooms are suitable for any shape and size, small ideal compact, but deep. For the angular arrangement, there are special sinks that fit correctly into the provided module.
• The stove can be solid or consist of a separate hob + oven. It is more convenient to install independent equipment: a hob on one side of the sink, and an oven - in a pencil case at eye level or any lower section. The oven does not have to be located next to the stove; it does not affect the working triangle.

In the photo, a variant of the triangle with a refrigerator in the center

What is the best distance?

The distance between the central elements depends on the area, but the minimum is 120 cm, the maximum is 270 cm. This rule applies to small and large kitchens. Try to arrange the peaks as close to 120 cm as possible so that you do not have to wind kilometers during cooking.

Draw a visual line between a pair of objects, remove detected obstacles - tables, chairs, various cabinets. The corner of the kitchen island should not enter the free space of the triangle> 30 cm.

Also important is the width of the aisle between the furniture in two-row U-shaped kitchens. It is 100-120 cm.

In the photo an example of the implementation of the rule using the island

Features for different kitchen layouts

Design primarily depends on the arrangement of furniture. In one, instead of a figure, you get a straight line, in the second - a regular equilateral, in the third - an isosceles triangle.

In addition to the location of the kitchen, the number of people who usually cook food should be considered. Collisions are dangerous, so it is important that your paths do not intersect. In spacious kitchens, a second sink is installed for this purpose.

Work triangle in a linear kitchen

Single row arrangement is the most inconvenient to operate. It is either too small - you have between 30-40 cm between work areas, or long - you have to arrange races during cooking. Within the linear layout, there are 3 ways to create a triangle:

• Installation in a row of a refrigerator, sink, stove. Sink in the middle. According to the rule of the triangle, the working surface between the sink and stove should be 80-90 cm, 45 cm between the washing zone and the refrigerator.
• Removal of the refrigerator on the opposite wall. Put it closer to the sink.
• Placement of an additional work surface - islands. This solution is suitable for large kitchens, reducing the distance between the corners of the triangle. Install a stove on it, and install the sink and refrigerator in the headset.

Work triangle in the corner kitchen

Designers often offer precisely l-shaped interiors of the kitchen, because in ergonomics they have no equal.

The standard arrangement according to the principle of the working triangle is a sink in the corner, a stove, a refrigerator on both sides of it. Above the sink, you create a place to store the dishes, between it and the cooking - the working surface for cutting, and near the refrigerator - an empty countertop for defrosting food, storage necessary.

If desired, pull the sink out of the corner, but leave the remaining sections also on the left and right.

U-shaped layout rules

In the kitchen, the letter P suggests ergonomics by itself. We put a sink in the center, and under it you can organize a dishwasher. This will simplify the process of loading and unloading dishes. The remaining points are placed on two sides to get an isosceles triangle.

If you planned to install a stove in the center, also place the sink and storage place on both sides of it. But this option will be much less convenient.

Ergonomic parallel layout of the kitchen

Two-row arrangement of furniture involves the distribution of work surfaces on both sides. Leave the sink, stove on one side, and the refrigerator on the other. You will not constantly spin, run between the rows.

The installation of a refrigerator and a sink in the same row long ago, this model was extremely inconvenient.

In the photo, the proper arrangement of the zones: the sink and stove together

Kitchen layout with island

Dreams of a dining island in the kitchen, like in American cinema, can be realized if the kitchen area is more than 20 square meters. But it can greatly simplify the placement of the working triangle.

If you do not have a miniature model of the refrigerator, then place a cooking or washing zone on the island. The second option is easy to implement in your home, having pre-installed communications in the right place. In the apartment, the transfer of pipes must be coordinated, in addition, the aesthetics of the kitchen will suffer.

When placing a stove on an island pedestal, take care of the cooker hood - either built into the island or hanging from the ceiling. Modern cylindrical models fit perfectly into high-tech, modern and other modern styles.

Whatever zone you take to the island, place the other two opposite.

Pictured is an island with a hob

When planning a remake, consider the rule of the triangle in the kitchen, try to recreate it in your space. When you can cook quickly and conveniently, you will begin to enjoy the process, maybe even learn some new recipes.