effective circulation for the chef, but generous enough that 2 people working in the kitchen aren’t bumping into one another. It also shouldn’t intersect with the kitchen island or other projecting cabinets/countertops. As a general rule of thumb, the sum of the three sides of the work triangle should be no less than 15’ and no greater than 25’.

Gathering/entertaining areas in the kitchen should be independent of the Work Triangle so that guests can nibble on appetizers, enjoy a drink, and watch the chef without getting in the way of the cooking. At the same time, it’s useful for the gathering/entertaining area to have a direct view of the kitchen’s Work Triangle.

Architectural drawings should include the geometry of appliance doors. This typically includes the swing of the refrigerator door(s), the oven and dishwasher in their open positions and any other key operations like pull-out trash bins (dashed on the plans below). While these operations will most likely overlap in some areas, it’s important to control which ones overlap. For instance, the oven door and