“Back in the 1920s in Germany, special studies were carried out: they measured the path traveled by the hostess and the time spent in order to solve the problem of ergonomics – how to place furniture and appliances in the kitchen so that the preparation of food took up a minimum of time, and the hostess herself made the minimum path. As a result, three main work centers were identified: a place for food preparation, cooking, and washing. They identified the three activity centers accordingly: the cutting table, the sink, and the stove, which formed the so-called working triangle,” claim independent kitchen designers near me.
Now, almost a hundred years later, the ergonomics of kitchen planning are based on the experience of those who create home space. Many architects and kitchen designers in Boca Raton, Fort Lauderdale, Boynton Beach, and other South Florida cities do not always use the triangle rule, preferring other geometric shapes or depending on the customer’s needs.
“Pros” of the triangle. But what’s in the vertices?
If 100 years ago, the vertices of this ergonomic kitchen triangle were the sink, the stove, and the cutting table, now the cutting table is often located in one plane between the sink and the stove, and the refrigerator takes the place of the third top. We constantly use its contents during cooking: “I took the food out of the fridge, washed it, cut it on the board, and put it on the fire. Everything is logical in this sequence,” agree certified kitchen designer near me.
Arrangement options
“In the kitchen, it is ideal for making an L-shaped sequence: refrigerator, sink, cooking surface. Or using an island,” says Abbey Carlson. And indeed, it is often the corner arrangement of furniture that gives the desired working triangle.
However, there are reasonable limits to everything; kitchen designers note: “In the working triangle, in addition to a convenient arrangement: get-wash-clean-cook-clean, the maximum distance from one zone to another – no more than two steps – must be taken into account.
Do certified kitchen designers near me disagree or is it a “force of circumstance”?
Sometimes, the working triangle is not formed due to the initial data of the room: small area, window location, and communications. Another independent kitchen designer near me, Max Feydan, explains the important problem of moving the points of consumption away from the place where the utilities exit: “In 99% of cases, we place the kitchen the way the architect of the house intended, taking into account the shortest distances to the utilities and the ergonomics of the room. Also, our legislation does not always allow us to move the stove and sink to any other place”.
However, it is worth considering redevelopment for their convenience, especially since the sink movement within the kitchen, that is, the “wet zone,” according to current city norms, is no longer considered a rearrangement. It is realistic to move the kitchen (or some of its zones) along the wall with the riser because if the drainage by gravity is complex, connecting the household pumping unit will be necessary, which implies raising the floor level. And this is already a rearrangement that requires approval.
Certified kitchen designer Victor Stefan advises taking problem situations more lightly: “There are cases when there are few options for organizing the kitchen, and they are not in favor of the triangle. Then, we hope the proposed arrangement will be a home fitness program for the hostess. We honestly warn you about that.
“No one has canceled the laws of ergonomics yet, but if we are talking about a tiny kitchen, there is only one law – where to cram everything in. A separate question for designers – why design such cages? – Tomas Clancys shares his experience. – If a designer does not consider a person’s peculiarities when creating an interior, why does he create it? Any design ceases to please when it causes some inconvenience. This is especially true of the kitchen – here is the most active zone of the house, and it should be as convenient and comfortable as possible. A tired housewife should not feel after cooking as if she had run a kilometer.”
“The most important condition is user-friendliness. If the user is ready to take two steps instead of one, but the symmetry of the modules is more important to him, it is worth doing as he will be more comfortable,” says Marie Sanchez.
What is primary: functionality or design?
“The functionality of the kitchen should be fundamental. The ideal design essentially stylistically ‘dresses up’ functionality without sacrificing ergonomics and comfort,” reflects Alice Kim.
“Times are changing; people are changing lifestyles. Today, a bachelor lives in the house, and tomorrow, he is the father of a large family,” warns Natalie Pushkina. “A good interior should, first of all, be functional. You can always use design techniques to combine aesthetics with functionality. You just need a little imagination and knowledge”.
Independent kitchen designers near me who are “against” the triangle
There are many opponents of the working triangle with many exciting ideas and arguments “against it.” Some kitchen designers suggest it should be based on status: “The triangle concept is probably suitable for economy class kitchens. In Hi-End houses, kitchens are located in large areas, often have two islands each, and variants with solid facades do not look like kitchens at all. In addition, such homes have at least two kitchens: one for show and one for work.
Independent kitchen designers offer an alternative solution. Christopher Owen, for example, says: “The triangle scheme has alternatives. It is also practical to use an island or a kitchen that is two parallel lines”. This arrangement may have more vertices, given the four central figures: fridge, sink, chopping table, and stove. And if the route lines form a square, it’s clear that the route is longer.
Pawel Lesniewski speaks out about joint culinary creativity, including the involvement of assistants: “Modern standards of technology design trends in kitchen factories have moved forward, away from the old working triangle. Moreover, in a good kitchen, more than one person should cook. Therefore, it does not matter how far the sink is from the refrigerator. You have to ask your favorite person to pass it on. In an extreme case, there are housekeepers.”
If you are looking for kitchen designers near me, then Perfection Kitchen Bath Studio is the best choice! We offer a full range of custom kitchen design services, from consulting to installation and after-sales service. Call us today for a complimentary consultation at our showroom at 3100 S Congress Ave STE 2, Boynton Beach, FL 33426.