THE 31 RULES OF KITCHEN DESIGN

THE 31 RULES OF KITCHEN DESIGN

The National Kitchen & Bath Association introduced new design guidelines based on extensive research conducted by the association along with the University of Minnesota. The guidelines were established to help building and design professionals plan spaces that function well. The kitchen guidelines, in simplified form, appear below.



1 Walkways: Make openings at least 32 in. wide at all entrances to the kitchen. Make walkways at
least 36 in. wide, and allow at least 36 in. of clearance for cabinet access (distance from cabinet front to a wall or obstacle).

2 Doors: Entry, cabinet, and appliance doors should not interfere with each other.

3 Work Aisles: In a one-cook kitchen, make work aisles at least 42 in. wide (from counter edge to counter edge), and passageways at least 36 in. wide. For two cooks working in the same space, make work aisles at least 48 in. wide.

                           

4 Wall Cabinet Frontage: Kitchens under 150 sq. ft. should have at least 144 in. of wall cabinet frontage. For kitchens over 150 sq. ft., the minimum is 186 in. (Don’t count hardto- reach cabinets over hood, oven, or refrigerator.)

5 Dish Storage: Provide at least 60 in. of wall cabinetfrontage within 72 in. of the primary sink centerline. Alternative: Substitute a tall cabinet of equivalent size, or provide base cabinets on the back side of a sink peninsula.

6 Base Cabinet Frontage: Kitchens under 150 sq. ft.should have at least 156 in. of base cabinet frontage (cabinets must be at least 21 in. deep). For kitchens over 150 sq. ft., the minimum is 192 in. (A lazy susan counts as 30 in.)

7 Drawer Frontage: Kitchens under 150 sq. ft. should have at least 120 in. of drawer frontage or roll-out shelf frontage. For kitchens over 150 sq. ft., the minimum is 165 in. (Example: A 21 in. base with three drawers or three roll out shelves counts as 63 in. Drawer cabinets must be at least 21 in. wide to meet this guideline.)
     

8 Storage: Include at least five storage items in the kitchen to improve its accessibility and usefulness. (Examples: specialized drawers, built-in bins or racks, swing-out pantries.)

9 Corner Storage: In a kitchen with corner cabinets, make at least one corner unit functional.(Examples: lazy susan, angled cabinet front, access from rear of cabinet.)

1 0 Height of Wall Cabinets: Leave 15 in. to 18 in. of clearance between the countertop and the bottom of wall cabinets.

1 1 Countertop Frontage: Kitchens under 150 sq. ft. should have at least 132 in. of usable countertop frontage. For kitchens over 150 sq. ft., the minimum is 198 in. Do not count corner space or countertops that are less than 16 in. deep.                               
                           

1 2 Work Centers: Never separate two primary work centers (such as the main sink and cooktop) with a refrigerator or full-height, full-depth cabinet, such as an oven or pantry cabinet.

1 3 Sink Counter: Provide at least 24 in. of countertop on one side of the sink and 18 in. on the other. For a second sink, minimums are 18 in. and 3 in. If these sections turn a corner, measure along the front edge of the countertop.14 Sink Near Corner: Provide at least 3 in. of countertop from the sink to an inside corner (this requires 21 in. of counter on return). Leave at least 18 in. to a dead-end or hard-to-reach corner.

1 5 Waste Receptacles: Include at least two waste receptacles: one for garbage and one for recyclables.

1 6 Dishwasher Clearance: Allow for 21 in. of standing room extending from each edge of the dishwasher. Also, keep the dishwasher within 36 in. of the sink.
                       

         

1 7 Preparation Center: Provide at least 36 in. of straight, continuous countertop for the preparation center immediately adjacent to a sink. Add a separate center for a second cook.

18 Refrigerator Counter: Provide at least 15 in. of countertop on the latch side of the refrigerator or 15 in. on each side of a side-by-side unit. Alternative: Provide at least 15 in. of landing space no more than 48 in. across from the refrigerator.

1 9 Cooktop Counter: Leave at least 9 in. of counter space on one side of the cooking surface and 15 in. on the other. Exception: If the cooktop goes against an end wall, leave at least 3 in. of clearance
and protect the wall from heat. 20 Cooktop Near Window: Do not place the cooking surface below an operable window unless the window is 3 in. or more behind the appliance and more than 24 in. above it.               

21 Oven Counter: Provide at least 15 in. of landing space next to or above the oven if the appliance door opens into a traffic lane. Alternative: The landing space can be across from the oven (no more than 48 in. away) if the appliance does not open into a traffic lane.

22 Microwave Counter: Provide at least 15 in. of landing space below, or adjacent to, the microwave oven.

23 Microwave Clearance: Place the microwave oven so the bottom of the unit is between counter height and user eye-level (36 in. to 54 in. off the floor).

24 Cooktop Ventilation: All major appliances used for surface cooking must have a ventilation system with a minimum fan rating of 150 cfm.

25 Cooktop Clearances: Above the cooking surface, leave at least 24 in. to a protected surface (such as a range hood), or 30 in. to an unprotected surface. Exception: A microwave/hood combination may be lower than 24 in.

26 Work Triangle: Make the primary work triangle 26 ft. or less. This is the distance between the refrigerator, primary cooking center, and the primary sink, measured from the center front of each appliance. No leg of the triangle should be less than 4 ft. or more than 9 ft. long. If an island or peninsula blocks the triangle, measure the shortest walking distance (not actually a triangle), as
shown. No leg should intersect an obstacle by more than 12 inches. In two-cook kitchens, each cook
should have a separate triangle. The two triangles can share a leg but should not
overlap. Usually, at least the refrigerator is shared by both cooks.

                      

27 Traffic Jams: No major traffic lanes should cut across the work triangle connecting the primary centers (sink, refrigerator, food preparation, and cooktop/ range).

28 Eating Counter: If the kitchen has an eating counter, allow counter space at least 24 in. wide by 12 in. deep for each seated diner. Provide at least 12 in. of kneespace under an eating counter 42 in. high, 15 in. under a counter 36 in. high, and 18 in. under a counter 30 in. high.

29 Kitchen Seating: Provide at least 24 in. of free space behind a counter or table for seating. Increase the clearance to 36 in. if people will need to pass behind diners.

30 Kitchen Windows: The combined area of windows and skylights should equal at least 10% of the area of the kitchen (or of the living space that includes the kitchen).

31 Safety: Specify ground-fault circuit interrupters (GFCIs) on all receptacles within 6 ft. of a kitchen water source. Also, include smoke alarms in the kitchen and a fire extinguisher across from the cook top.