Revamping or re-fitting a kitchen can be tricky, especially if you haven't taken time to plan everything out carefully. Create a comfortable, visually pleasing space that revolves around the work triangle, taking safety and practical issues into account. Follow House and Home's top ten steps to getting it right.
When it comes to planning your kitchen, ergonomics is a key consideration and the most important rule here is the 'work triangle'. Since nearly all work done in the kitchen revolves around the sink, fridge and oven, the objective should always be to make the distance between them comfortable. Ideally the sink, fridge and oven should be within easy reach of one another; you shouldn't have to do laps or avoid obstacles to get to them.
Depending on the size and shape of your kitchen, the dimensions of the work triangle will vary, but these ten steps will help you to get it right.
- Start with the current position of the sink and plot the layout from there. This is a more practical solution, since plumbing is an expensive item to change.
- Leave a space of at least 1.2m in front of any unit or appliance with a door so it can be opened easily.
- Don't install cooking appliances (microwaves, ovens, hobs) in front of doors or in narrow spaces that you have to squeeze past to access. Remember you will be spending a lot of time in this space so make it as comfortable as possible.
- Avoid interrupting the flow of the work triangle with tall units or dressers. Everything in your kitchen should be easily accessible and visually pleasing to the eye. Blocks of units or even tall appliances can make even big spaces feel cramped and overwhelming.
- The ideal height for the top of the sink is 5cm below the base of a flexed elbow.
- Place the hob at a lower height than surrounding worktops to protect the surfaces from fat splashes. This will also create a more pleasant space to cook at.
- The height of worktops can vary throughout your kitchen but the standard elbow height of 90cm is recommended for general food preparation. Consider also mixing the material of the worktops - combining stainless steel with wood or granite with wood.
- For obvious safety reasons, keep all electricity sockets at least 1m away from any water source.
- Place the dishwasher and washing machine near the sink and away from the main cooking area. Consider raising the dishwasher slightly off the ground for easy access.
- Make sure your extractor fan is at least 750mm above the hob to prevent it from overheating.
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