Chapter 2

This is the In-Line kitchen. Sometimes you will see these in older apartments or where a house was divided into several living units. 

This is an example of a Galley Kitchen. One advantage of this shape is that fewer steps are needed to navigate the space. I have seen such kitchens with the walking aisle as narrow as 36 inches but 48 inches is more comfortable. Much wider than that and you lose the advantage of easy navigation because it takes more steps to reach things.

Here is the L Shaped Kitchen. The legs of the L can be as long as needed. 

This is the U Shape Kitchen. This allows each leg to contain a major appliance with plenty of work space around it. If the back wall is long enough, an island could be added. 

Here is the G Shaped Kitchen. When you have a U shape kitchen and want an island but there is no room, try adding a peninsula.

This show full overlay doors and drawers. See, no significant gap between drawer and door fronts.  

 

Photo by ND700/Shutterstock.com

Your Work Triangle

To help you figure out your cooking style

With the addition of so many appliances into the kitchen, the old idea of the work triangle does not really apply anymore. The check list below can help you narrow down how you use your space and what your work triangle should look like. 

My work triangle is not really a triangle but a straight line. I prefer to have the sink and cook top close to each other with a 36 to 48 inch work surface between them. Sometimes this work ‘triangle’ will turn a corner forming an ‘L’ with the cook top on one leg and the sink on another with the prep. area in between. 

  • Inline kitchen
  • Galley kitchen
  • L-Shape kitchen
  • U-Shape kitchen
  • G-Shape kitchen
  • Do you have and island?
  • Something else?

Do you like your current kitchen shape?

  • Inline kitchen
  • Galley kitchen
  • L-Shape kitchen
  • U-Shape kitchen
  • G-Shape kitchen
  • Want an island?
  • Something else in mind?
  • Do you like to spread out when you prepare a meal? 
  • Do you tend to pull everything from the refrigerator and pantry that a recipe requires before starting to prepare it? Or do you tend to grab things as you need them?
  • Do you clean as you go? Or do you stack dirty dishes and pans to deal with later, all at once?
  • Do you usually have someone in the kitchen with you when you cook? If so, are they helping or just keeping you company?
  •  Imagine you are in your kitchen, which 3 areas are you using the most to prepare a meal? 
  • Do you use a cookbook, tablet or computer/TV screen while cooking?
  • Is the kitchen often used for non cooking activities?

How you answered the question in the previous section about which 3 areas you use the most, will clue you into your primary work triangle. 

There maybe many minor work triangles, but this is your main one. Don’t worry that if it doesn’t fit convention, this is for your own unique self. I would only worry if a sink is not involved as it tends to be the most used item in the kitchen.