The Kitchen Triangle, or Kitchen Work Triangle, states that the three most used appliances of the kitchen - the fridge, the stove and the sink - are to be organized in a triangle. The reason for this is to make working in the kitchen most efficient by making the main cooking areas accessible, without any inhibitions.

If you really want to get into it, ask a chef how much efficiency matters in a professional kitchen. If food storage areas are too far from food prep and cooking stations, time is lost in the extra steps it takes to reach the ingredients. This is precious time that is needed to make sure food doesn’t burn and customers receive their orders quickly.

Assuming we might not all be professional chefs, this theory can still be simplified to apply to our home kitchens. Efficiency is key when it comes to prepping, cooking and cleaning in any kitchen. So what are the rules for a home Kitchen Work Triangle? The legs of the triangle (the distances between the three appliances) should be no less than 4ft and no more than 9ft, not to exceed a total of 26ft when adding the three legs together.

The easiest way to visualize this idea is to think of a kitchen with an island. However, you might wonder how The Kitchen Triangle works in spaces that don’t have an island. Below are diagrams to show how this idea can work in kitchens of all shapes and sizes.

Once you have your triangle set, it becomes easier to fill in the rest of your kitchen. Add cabinets, countertops and other appliances. The dishwasher should always go next to the sink for easy loading. Some questions to think about are: Will your microwave be a built-in unit or sit on the countertop? Do you want a tall pantry cabinet or will you require a full walk-in pantry? Also think about if you want some eat-in seating at an island or peninsula, but make sure your guests are seated out of the way of kitchen users.

Try to plan the most amount of continuous countertop possible. Continuous countertop equals more workspace.

It may take some twisting of the triangle to allow for the best usable kitchen, when including all the other entities, but if you utilize The Kitchen Triangle and allow plenty of continuous countertop space for prepping, cooking in your kitchen will be a pleasurable experience, whether you’re a master chef or not.

Read more about the kitchen triangle here.