Designing a kitchen: the triangle.

So, you’ve decided to renovate your kitchen. It’s an exciting time, and you’ve got a lot of decisions to make. You’re thinking about what kind of cabinets you want (“the washed out barnboard look is really ‘in’ right now, but will I get bored of it?”). You’re thinking about what kind of countertops you like (“quartz is more expensive than laminate, but it’s beautiful, durable, and carries a lifetime guarantee- is it worth it?”). You’re thinking about your lighting (“I bet I could upgrade to richer colours if I put in LED pot lights to brighten things up”). Most of all, you’re thinking about your budget (“if I put off the backsplash until next spring, can I afford to put in under-cabinet lighting?”)

What you aren’t thinking about is your kitchen layout. The layout dictates the functionality and flow of your kitchen, and it’s often overlooked. People make the mistake of thinking that, because their existing kitchen was laid out a certain way, their new kitchen has to follow suit.

“A beautiful new kitchen with an old, dysfunctional layout is still a dysfunctional kitchen. Discussing the layout is the first things we do during the preliminary consult so that our clients always get a kitchen that’s beautiful and functional”

-Chris Carman, Project Specialist with Building Unlimited

The first thing to consider is the Golden Triangle. The three most used spaces in the kitchen are the range, the fridge, and the sink. These three fixtures make up the corners of your Golden Triangle, and their locations are crucial.

For example, the range is ideally located on an external wall. This will shorten the length of the exhaust run, which ensures that your range system operates efficiently. The sink is best placed under a window or on an island facing out into another room (because let’s face is, no one wants to do dishes or wash vegetables while staring at the wall!). The fridge should be close enough that fresh veggies are just a step or two away, but far enough that a second person can comfortably open it and get a drink without disrupting their partner at the stove or sink. We’ve thought of every factor and our team will help you design a Golden Triangle that’s suited to your needs!

Another often-overlooked aspect of your kitchen layout is the direction that your cupboard doors open, and it’s more important than you might think. Stock cabinets carried at big box building supply stores come preassembled with the doors already mounted. This can lead to a wide variety of problems from awkward reaches to scratched finishes. Our cabinets are handmade in Ontario and are fully customizable, so we can work with you to find a door layout that works for your space. 

What kitchen layout compliments your life? Call us for your personal one-hour consult to transform your kitchen’s look and functionality!