Kitchen Design Principles​
to Create Functional & Beautiful Spaces​
TA B L E O F C O N T EN T S
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Kitchen Design Principles ����������������������������������������������� 4
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Three main kitchen design principles
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eBook topics
Kitchen Work Zones​ �������������������������������������������������������� 5
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Food storage
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Food preparation
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Cooking
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Serving
Kitchen Work Triangle ����������������������������������������������������� 8
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Purpose of a work triangle
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Measurements & guidelines
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Kitchen islands
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Visual Balance ������������������������������������������������������������� 10
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Focal points
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Symmetry
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Scale & proportion
Conclusion ������������������������������������������������������������������� 12
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(c o n tin ued )
Key takeaways
Introduction
Kitchen Design Principles
to Create Functional &
Beautiful Spaces
There are three main kitchen design principles that designers generally
follow, whether knowingly or by instinct. These include the kitchen work
zones, the work triangle and visual balance.​
These three principles help create harmonious, functional and aesthetic
kitchens, ones that clients appreciate not only for their beauty, but for
simplifying and streamlining tasks performed in a kitchen.
It is important to note that these principles are not building regulations that
must be followed; they are simply guidelines meant to help facilitate the
design process.​
Read on to discover the three kitchen design principles that are prevalent
in today’s design world and how they can help you create functional and
beautiful spaces.
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Three main kitchen design
principles
eBook topics
Kitchen Work Zones​
Work zones are areas within a kitchen that cater to specific tasks. If a
kitchen designer decides to plan out a client’s kitchen with the work zones
principle in mind, they will have to make sure the kitchen layout is divided
by function.
Each functional zone must also be properly equipped for the series of tasks
at hand. That means that each zone should have enough storage for the
utensils, serveware and any other tool or object that is necessary for the
completion of each specific task.
The five essential kitchen work zones are:
• Food storage (refrigerator, freezer, pantry, cupboards)
• Food preparation (cutting boards, mixing bowls, chopping knives, etc.)
• Cooking (cooktop, oven, cooking utensils, pots & pans, etc.)
• Cleaning and waste (sink, dishwasher, waste bins, cleaning supplies)
• Serving (cutlery, plates, glasses, coffee maker, mugs, etc.)
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Food storage
Food storage refers to either refrigerating/freezing food items or
storing them in a pantry. This task normally occurs after a grocery
run, and the best way to streamline it is to place the refrigerator
and the pantry within reach of each other—or even stuck
together. If your client prefers extra cupboards for food storage,
consider adding those near the refrigerator and pantry as well.
Food preparation
Food preparation requires sufficient counter space as well
as nearby drawers (or ones placed directly under that counter
space) to store cutting boards, mixing bowls, knives and other food
prep utensils and tools such as a peeler, citrus squeezer, zester,
measuring cup, etc.
If possible, the food preparation zone should be near—or stuck to—
the kitchen sink, as food prep also entails washing fresh produce.
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Cooking
The cooking zone should include anything your client uses to cook a meal.
This generally includes a cooktop, an oven, storage for cooking utensils
(spatulas, wooden spoons, tongs, turners, etc.) plus pots and pans. An
ideal way to create a functional cooking area is to include cabinets with
drawers on either side of the cooktop.
When it comes to choosing drawers, opt for deep ones that can
accommodate large pots and pans, as well as a utensil drawer (or two) that
can store all the cooking utensils that the client doesn’t necessarily want to
display on the counter. Cluttered counters are no longer desirable, therefore
offering your client as many storage solutions as possible will ensure their
happiness.
Serving
The serving zone is where all the dishware, glassware and utensils are
stored in the kitchen. These items should be placed in the same
cupboards or drawers; that way the client doesn’t have to scramble when
plating meals or serving guests.
Coffee makers and mugs can also be kept in the serving zone. You can
even create a dedicated station where all these items can reside, or you can
create a coffee station that is separate—but not too far from—the rest of
the serveware.
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PA R A L L E L K I T C H E N
L-SHAPED KITCHEN
U-SHAPED KITCHEN
ISLAND KITCHEN
Kitchen Work Triangle
A work triangle in a kitchen refers to the imaginary triangle that
connects the refrigerator, sink and cooktop together. This
guideline was developed in the 1920s by Lillian Moller Gilbreth, a
psychologist and industrial engineer, and continues to be the essence
of healthy kitchen navigation to this day.
Modern kitchens have added more appliances, and many offer a
larger space to work with than their early 20th century counterparts.
Even so, the work triangle is still the foundation of the concept of
proper kitchen navigation.
Purpose of a work triangle
The main purpose of a work triangle is to facilitate the navigation
between the three main work areas in a kitchen. It’s an efficient
layout that has no obstructions between these areas, making it easy
for the cook to move from one area to the next.
The diagram to the right offers examples of four different kitchen
layouts that highlight the work triangle.
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Measurements & guidelines for a work triangle
There are several measurements and guidelines to adhere to when
designing a kitchen that follows the work triangle principle.
• The sum of the three sides of the work triangle should not exceed
26 feet.
• Each side of the triangle should measure between 4 and 9 feet.
• The work triangle should not cut through a kitchen island by more
than 12 inches (more on this in the following section).
• There should be no traffic that passes through the work triangle.
• If there is only one sink, it should be placed across or between the
food preparation area, cooktop or refrigerator.
Kitchen island in a work triangle
As mentioned earlier, the work triangle should not cut through a kitchen
island by more than 12 inches. This means that if just a small corner of
the island is in the way, the layout will still be efficient and functional.
Render created with our kitchen design software.
However, if your client is forced to constantly move around the island
to reach the sink, refrigerator and stove, the workflow is disrupted
and the kitchen becomes dysfunctional. The best way to avoid this
scenario is to integrate the sink or the cooktop directly on the island.
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Visual Balance
Visual balance is an important principle in kitchen design as it brings all
the elements of the space together. It’s the part that really elevates a
functional kitchen and brings it to life aesthetically.
Focal points
A common kitchen focal point is the stovetop, backsplash and hood.
Carefully choosing these appliances and materials is the key to
creating a harmonious, beautiful and eye-catching focal point in your
client’s kitchen.
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The focal point can also be a grand kitchen island with spectacular
pendant lights, a custom luxury sink or even a large window. Ideally, all
other elements of the room will support the focal point and not
compete with it.
Symmetry
When we talk about symmetry, we don’t mean that all aspects of the
kitchen must be mirrored. Symmetry can be achieved simply by using
the same cabinetry on either side of a stove, for example, or evenly
spaced lighting. It’s subtle symmetry that will create a relaxed, balanced
space for your client.
Scale & proportion
The principle of scale and proportion in a kitchen refers to how pieces/items
fit together in the space. Although this is a mathematical principle, if it is not
followed, the result can be easily (and rather quickly) identified with the naked
eye.
Scale is the size of an object in relation to other objects, while proportion refers
to the size of parts of an object in relation to other parts of the same object.
For example, if you choose a large refrigerator and range hood but you pair them
with a tiny range, something will look “off.” That means you didn’t get the scaling
of those appliances right.
In terms of proportion, an easy example is having oversized cabinetry with tiny
knobs, or small cabinetry with extra large handles. The proportions of those
pieces don’t make sense and would not look right, even to the untrained eye.
Always choose pieces that balance each other—and the objects around them—
out, that way your client can fully enjoy their newly designed kitchen.
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Conclusion
Kitchen design principles help create harmonious, beautiful and functional
kitchens for your clients. Although they are not rules that are set in stone,
it’s good to keep them in mind and implement as you see fit.
Key takeaways:
• Work zones in a kitchen are determined by certain tasks that can
be grouped together such as storing, preparing, cooking or serving
food.
• A kitchen work triangle refers to the imaginary triangle that connects
the refrigerator, sink and cooktop together.
• The main purpose of a work triangle is navigation between the
three main work areas in a kitchen.
• Visual balance is an important principle in kitchen design as it brings
all the elements of the space together.
• The principle of scale and proportion in a kitchen refers to how
objects fit together in the space, contributing to a well-balanced
kitchen.
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