Kitchen Planning Guidelines 

DOOR/ENTRY 

• Door opening should be at least 32′′ wide, requiring a minimum 2′ 10′′ wide door. 

DOOR INTERFERENCE 

• Entry door should not interfere with safe appliance operation or appliance doors. 

DISTANCE BETWEEN WORK CENTERS 

• With three work centers, the total distance traveled should not be more than 26′ with no single leg of the triangle less than 4′ or more than 9′. 


• With more than three work centers, each additional travel distance to another work center should be no less than 4′ or more than 9′. Each leg is measured from the center-front of the appliance/sink. No work triangle leg should intersect an island/peninsula by more than 12′′. 


SEPARATING WORK CENTERS

• A tall obstacle should not separate two primary work centers. A properly recessed tall corner unit is acceptable. 


WORK TRIANGLE TRAFFIC 


• Major traffic patterns should not cross through the basic work triangle. 


WORK AISLE 


• The work aisle should be at least 42′′ for one cook and at least 48′′ for multiple cooks. 


WALKWAY 


• The walkway width should be at least 36′′. 


TRAFFIC CLEARANCE AT SEATING

• Allow 32′′ of clearance from the table to wall/obstacle if no traffic passes behind a seated diner. If traffic passes behind the diner, allow at least 36′′ to edge past or 44′′ to walk past. 


SEATING CLEARANCE 


• 30′′ high tables/counters should allow a 24′′ wide by 18′′ deep space for each seated diner and at least 18′′ knee space. 

• 36′′ high counters should allow a 24′′ wide by 15′′ deep space for each seated diner and at least 15′′ kneespace. 


• 42′′ high counters should allow a 24′′ wide by 12′′ deep space for each seated diner and at least 12′′ kneespace. 


CLEAN-UP/PREP SINK PLACEMENT 


• With only one sink, locate it adjacent to or across from the cooking surface and refrigerator. 


CLEAN-UP/PREP SINK LANDING AREA 


• Include at least a 24′′ wide landing space on one side of the sink and 18′′ on the other. 


• If all the countertop at the sink is not the same height, plan a 24′′ landing space on one side of the sink and 3′′ of countertop frontage on the other, both at the same height of the sink.

PREPARATION/WORK AREA 


• Include a section of countertop at least 36′′ wide x 24′′ deep next to the sink for a work area. 


DISHWASHER PLACEMENT 


• Nearest edge of dishwasher should be within 36′′ of nearest edge of sink. Provide at least 21′′ of standing space between the edge of the dishwasher and countertop frontage/appliances/cabinets which are placed at a right angle to the dishwasher. 

WASTE RECEPTACLES 

• Include at least 2 waste receptacles, one near the sink and the other nearby for recycling. 

AUXILIARY SINK 

• Provide at least 3′′ of countertop frontage on one side of the auxiliary sink and 18′′ on the other side, both at the same height as the sink. 

REFRIGERATOR LANDING AREA 

• Include at least 15′′ of landing area on the handle side of the refrigerator, 15′′ on either side of a side-by-side refrigerator, 15′′ of landing space which is no more than 48′′ across from the front of the refrigerator, and 15′′ above or adjacent to any under-counter style refrigerator. 

COOKING SURFACE LANDING AREA 

• Include a minimum of 12′′ of landing area on one side of the cooking surface and 15′′ on the other. 

• If cooking surface is at a different countertop height than the rest of the kitchen, then the 12′′ and 15′′ landing areas must be the same height as the cooking surface. 

• For safety reasons, in an island or peninsula situation, the countertop should extend a minimum of 9′′ behind the cooking surface if the counter height is the same height as the cooking surface. 

COOKING SURFACE CLEARANCE 

• Allow 24′′ between the cooking surface and a protected noncombustible surface above it. 


• At least 30′′ of clearance is required between the cooking surface and an unprotected/combustible surface above it. 


• If a microwave/hood combination is used, then the manufacturer’s specifications should be followed. 


COOKING SURFACE VENTILATION 


• A correctly sized, ducted ventilation system is recommended for all cooking surface appliances. The recommended minimum is 150 CFM. 


• Code requires that the manufacturer’s specifications be followed. Minimum exhaust rate for a ducted hood is 100 CFM and must be ducted to the outside. 


• Make-up air may need to be provided. Refer to local codes. 


COOKING SURFACE SAFETY

• 
Do not locate cooking surface under an operable window.


• Window treatments above cooking surface should not use flammable materials.

• Place a fire extinguisher near the kitchen exit away from cooking equipment. 


MICROWAVE OVEN PLACEMENT

• The ideal location for the bottom of the microwave is 3′′ below the principle user’s shoulder, but no more than 54′′ above the floor.


MICROWAVE LANDING AREA 


• Provide at least 15′′ above, below, or adjacent to the handle side of a microwave oven. 


OVEN LANDING AREA 


• Include at least 15′′ next to or above the oven. 


• A 15′′ landing area that is not more than 48′′ away is also acceptable as long as 
the oven does not open into a walkway. 

COMBINING LANDING AREAS 


• If two landing areas are adjacent to one another, determine a new minimum for the two by taking the longer of the two and adding 12′′

COUNTERTOP SPACE 

• A total of 158′′ of countertop frontage, 24′′ deep, with at least 15′′ clearance above is needed to accommodate all landing, preparation, work, and storage areas. 

COUNTERTOP EDGES 

• Clipped or round corners, rather than sharp edges, are recommended on all counters. 

STORAGE 

• The recommended total shelf/drawer frontage for a small kitchen (less than 150 square feet) is 1400′′, for a medium kitchen (151 to 350 square feet) is 1700′′, and for a large kitchen (greater than 350 square feet) is 2000′′. 

• The totals for wall, base, drawer, and pantry shelf/drawer frontage can be adjusted upward or downward as long as the recommended total stays the same. 

STORAGE AT CLEAN-UP/PREP SINK 

• The recommended total for a small kitchen is 400′′, a medium kitchen is 480′′, a large kitchen is 560′′, and should be located within 72′′ of the centerline of the main clean-up/prep sink. 

CORNER CABINET STORAGE 

• At least one corner cabinet should include a functional storage device. 

ELECTRICAL RECEPTACLES 

• GFCI (Ground-Fault-Circuit-Interrupter) protection is required on all receptacles servicing countertop surfaces within the kitchen. 

LIGHTING 

• Every work surface should be well illuminated. At least one wall switch-controlled light must be placed at the entrance. 


• Window/skylight area, equal to at least 8% of the total square footage of the kitchen, or a total living space which includes a kitchen, is required.