Does The Old Notion Of The Kitchen ‘Triangle’ Still Work?

‘If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it!’

There’s a reason why the old theory of the kitchen ‘triangle’ is still in use, and that is that it really works!  While the original idea may have evolved somewhat to facilitate today’s busy lifestyle, the basic principles remain as strong as ever.

What is the ‘Kitchen Triangle Theory’?

The kitchen work triangle is a well-respected principle that was taken on board by kitchen manufacturers in the 1940’s for creating practical and functional kitchens.  It dictates that the three most important work centres of the kitchen (sink, cook-top and refrigerator) are placed so as to create a triangle, albeit an imaginary one!  For maximum efficiency and practicality, the suggested distance between these items (i.e. a single side of the triangle) does not exceed 2.7m.

The kitchen is generally thought of as the place to prepare meals (although we know it serves as a zone for a lot more than just that!!)  The concept behind the kitchen triangle theory is that if the preparation zone (stove-top), the clean-up zone (sink) and the food storage zone (refrigerator) are within a few steps of each other, meal preparation will be efficient, practical and ergonomic.

Should I Apply the Triangle Theory in my New Kitchen?

Today, our kitchens are more than just food prep areas.  We use our kitchens for socialising, eating, homeworking and a stack of other sundry past-times.  We have embraced cuisines from a huge range of cultures, so food preparation methods are many and varied.  Needless to say, today’s kitchen designs have evolved to cater for our busy lifestyle and casual entertaining needs.

However, to achieve an efficient working space you need to consider the kind of activities you will be undertaking in your kitchen and how much elbow room you actually need – while a huge kitchen might look impressive, it may be exhausting to work in!  Ultimately, the layout of your kitchen is up to you – it must suit your needs, your tastes and your family.