Author: Laura C. McLean

William Hough High School
Cornelius, NC
Drafting 2 Architecture
Notes: 3.1.1 - Kitchen Layouts
Work Triangle – The placement of the workstations in a kitchen, and the distance between the stove,
refrigerator and sink.
Kitchen workstations include:
 Refrigerator
 Stove
 Sink
General Rules for Workstations and the Work Triangle:
a. Always place workspace between the various workstations
b. No side of the triangle should be less than 4’ in length. (Allows turnaround room)
c. No side should be greater than 7’ in length. (Requires too much walking)
d. The sum of the sides of the triangle should be at least 15’, but no more than 22’ in length.
e. Rooms should never be arranged so that foot traffic passes through the work triangle.
Cabinets: (Lower)
a. Standard lower cabinets extend 24 inches off of the wall (Depth)
b. Standard lower cabinets are 36” high
c. Height of eating bars on islands varies, but common heights are 30” 36” and 42”
d. Depth of eating bars varies from 12” to 18”
Cabinets: (Upper)
a. Upper cabinets are drawn 12” off of the wall and are represented on a drawing by dashed
lines.
b. Upper cabinets should never be placed above a sink.
Types of Kitchens:
One Wall Kitchen (Straight Kitchen):
a. Often used in small apartments
b. Provides a very small amount of counter space

Corridor:
a. Provides more storage space than a One Wall Kitchen
b. Minimizes walking distance in the work triangle
c. Walkway should be at least 48” wide
d. Major drawback is that it Corridor kitchens usually have a lot of cut through traffic.
L-Shape:
a. Suitable for large and small kitchens, but loses efficiency the larger it gets.
b. Enables efficient travel between work stations
c. Eliminates cut through traffic kitchen
d. Works well with Great Room plans
U-Shape:
a. Eliminates cut through traffic unless a wall is placed in one of the walls
b. Many designers think the U-Shape is the ideal shape for a large kitchen
c. A major drawback is wasted storage in the corner cabinets
d. May feel confining in small configurations
e. A minimum of 60 inches (5 feet) should be placed between cabinets
Peninsula:
a. Provides ample cabinet and counter space
b. Similar to an L shape with an added leg that can be used for counter space or as a
workstation
Island:
a. Island may be used as added counter space, an eating bar, or a workstation
b. Often the island contains a small sink and/or a cooktop
c. Walkways should never be less than 42” wide
d. If the island contains a range/oven, the walkway where the oven door opens should be no
less than 48” wide.