Kitchen design cheat sheet
Hey, hey, hey. Welcome back to thirsty on Thursday.
When designing a kitchen there are so many rules and regulations that you have to remember that one will most definitely be left off. We have added a cheat sheet to hopefully help you make sure everything is accounted for and you can have a smooth remodel from beginning to end.
- The entrance to a kitchen should be open and free of obstruction. If there is an inward-swinging door (that leads to a garage or yard for example) ensure it will not interfere with appliances when opened and there is ample room for things people do when they enter the home, such as taking off their shoes. You don’t want to create a tight space in your kitchen.
- The top of the kitchen countertop should be 36in from the floor.
- The average space between a perimeter countertop and island is 42in. (that’s what we have in our kitchen and really love it), 36″ is the minimum.
- Allow 12-18in for a countertop overhang that will be used for seating. The taller the seat, the shallower of an overhang you can get away with due to the angle of your legs. For example, if using tall bar stools, a 12in overhang is usually plenty. A regular bar stool would be between 12-15, whereas table height (a 30in tall counter, for example) would require at least 18 inches to be comfortable seating for most adults.
- Allow 45-60 inches between a countertop used for seating and a wall or dining table. This ensures enough space for people to walk behind while someone is sitting there. 45 inches is usually plenty, though you can bump this up to 60in for wheelchair access.
- Allow at least 18in of space between the bottom of upper cabinets and the countertop beneath.
- The minimum width of a single segment of countertop is 12in. If it will be used as a prep space, 36in minimum is recommended.
- Allow 2-3in of space on each cabinet edge that meets another cabinet or a perpendicular wall. This will allow drawers and doors to open freely once hardware is installed.
- Standard countertop overhang from the cabinet is 1″-1.5.”
The kitchen work triangle is a design concept that recommends that you place your three work areas (sink, refrigerator, and stove) in a triangle. The total of all 3 legs of the triangle is recommended to be no more than 26 feet.
- Allow 12 inches of clear countertop space on both sides of a cooktop
- Allow for 26-36 inches of space between cooktop and range hood. 32in is a good middle ground that most people will feel comfortable with.
- If a microwave is in a base cabinet ensure there is at least 15in between the bottom of the microwave and floor.
- Ideal placement of the dishwasher is on either side of the sink, no more than 36″ apart. Next to the sink is a good option, allowing a person to stand directly in front of the sink while they are loading it.
So I hope these bullet points will help you with your design. If you have any questions please call us for assistance. See you next week.
