One
 of 
the 
best 
things 
you
 can
 do
 during 
the
 process
 of 
having
 a
 new 
kitchen 
built 
is 
taking
 the
 time 
to 
properly 
plan
 your
 kitchen. 

The
 process
 of 
mentally 
thinking through 
the
 use
 of
 your
 space
 will
 take 
some time, 
but 
in
 the
 end,
 will 
yield
 a
 kitchen 
that 
is 
better
 suited
 to 
meet
 your 
needs.

In 
the
 kitchen
 industry, 
there 
are
 certain
 common
 parameters 
that 
we
 attempt 
to
 work
 with.

 It 
is 
easy 
to 
draw 
the 
“ideal” 
kitchen 
on
 paper 
where
 you 
are
 not limited 
by 
a
 wall
 that
 is 
load
 bearing 
and
 cannot 
be
 moved 
or
 a
 window 
that
 needs
 to
 remain 
in 
it ’s
 location 
for
 aesthetic 
reasons. 

Keep
 in 
mind 
that 
it 
is 
more important 
to
 work 
with 
your 
space
 and 
try
 to
 incorporate 
as
 many 
of 
the
 design
 parameters 
as 
possible.

 Keep
 an
 open 
mind 
to
 new
 suggestions
 and
 ideas
 that
 come along.

 The
 end
 goal 
is 
to 
have 
a 
kitchen 
that 
works 
for
 you.

Work Triangle:
You’ve probably heard of the term, “Work Triangle” before. It simply refers to the line that you walk between your refrigerator, sink, and stove which is often a triangular shape. The ideal is to not have less than 4’ or more than 9’ per leg of this triangle. The total distance of that triangle should be 26’ or less. The challenge is to keep the legs close enough that you don’t waste a lot of time going back and forth but not too close that your space feels cramped. This triangle is achievable with many different layouts. See the kitchen floor plan for an example.

Zone Planning:
Thinking in terms of zones in your kitchen will help you achieve greater efficiency of the use of your kitchen. A zone is simply a section of your kitchen that isdedicated to a specific use. There are 3 common zones but more can be added based on how you wish to use your space.

Storage Zone:
The storage zone is a space dedicated to dry good storage and cold storage. Keeping the pantry and refrigerator close together is the most efficient. Planning your storage zone around the entrance you use to bring your groceries into the kitchen is also helpful for achieving efficiency. After carrying those heavy bags in from the garage, it’s really nice to have a surface to place the groceries near your storage.

Washing Zone:
The washing zone includes the sink and dishwasher. Keeping it positioned as central as possible will help avoid a lot of extra steps during your cooking process. Keeping your main dish storage near the washing zone will also speed up the cleaning process after you have eaten the meal. It is important to plan for enough countertop space beside the sink. The minimum countertop space is 24” on one side and 18” on the other side.

Cooking Zone:
Give some thought to how you like to cook and plan your cooking zone around that. Storage for your main cooking pans and utensils should be incorporated into this space. Incorporating spice storage within easy reach of the cook top will make your cooking experience even more enjoyable .

Additional zones:
• Ideally the oven is close to the cooking zone. You may wish to add a baking zone – a place to keep ingredients and accessories used primarily for baking.
• An entertaining zone might be added for the dishes and other items used primarily for entertaining guests.
• A kitchen office zone could also be added where you do your menu planning and store a phone. This is also a great place to store your cookbooks.

Architectural Features:
The architectural features are what set your kitchen apart. They are the cosmetics that reflect the overall style of your house; the small touches that add distinction and beauty. These have more to do with aesthetics than function. It may be as simple as the crown detail you choose, the stone top you use as a countertop, or the furniture foot detail added to the base cabinets. It includes things like the choice of appliances, what color are the appliances and do they require custom wood panels. How the cabinet door relates to the rest of the cabinet is also a factor of the overall design.

This is the fun part of cabinetry design so use your creativity. This is also the part that begins to drive the cost up so knowing what your budget is will keep you in check when adding architectural features.