Step 3 - Define Your Space

Understanding these basics can be helpful

Any discussion on kitchen design includes basic kitchen shapes and the efficiency of the work triangle. Understanding these basics can be helpful, but also realize that your kitchen solution may not fit exactly into one of these conventions. The points of the conventional work triangle are: Refrigerator–sink–range, with the legs of the triangle representing the shortest walking distance between those work areas. Ideally, the three legs of the work triangle would total 26’ or less, with no single leg of the triangle shorter than 4’ nor longer than 9’.

There are many real-world variations from the basic kitchen shapes used throughout the industry. The point is to understand the concept of the work triangle and the benefits of each basic layout, yet remain open to creative solutions.

	STRAIGHT RUN: a kitchen that is found along a single wall in a straight run is referred to as a straight run, or Pullman-style layout. This layout generally includes a small number of cabinets efficiently used within a small space, such as a condo, studio or apartment.
	I-SHAPE: an l-shape kitchen is found along two joined walls in an l-shaped layout. Typically, this layout will have a point of the triangle on each wall and may or may not include an island. This layout is very common in homes with large open floor plans.
	GALLEY: the galley kitchen shape is when two walls are parallel to each other with cabinets on both sides. Perhaps the most efficient kitchen design, as the distance to each point of the work triangle is relatively short. However, this layout is difficult for more than one cook to be working in the kitchen at any given time.
	U-SHAPE: a u-shaped kitchen is shaped just like it sounds, a U. This layout typically has a point of the work triangle on each of the three walls.
	G-SHAPE: the final basic kitchen design is a G-shaped kitchen. Similar to a U-shaped kitchen, except it includes a peninsula or detached run of cabinets from the wall, commonly functioning as a breakfast bar area.

When space allows, the addition of an island and peninsula can add countertop, storage and seating, control traffic and divide a large kitchen into more functional work areas.