One of Southern Colorado homeowners’ biggest concerns when contemplating their kitchen remodel is the layout – and Designer Kitchens is here to help with our best golden triangle design tips.
Creating the perfect golden triangle in your kitchen doesn’t have to be complicated. The ‘golden triangle’ is simply a diagram illustrating how a well-designed kitchen should be organized to optimize functionality. You can easily create a functional and efficient kitchen design with the right tips and tricks.
Know How Much Space You Have
Before you plan anything, you must know how much space you have. Create a floor plan to map out your kitchen’s size and layout. This will determine what new appliances and storage items can fit into the space. Measure the dimensions of the existing space, and then create a new floor plan based on those dimensions.
Related: Small Kitchen Design Tips We Love
Identify The Most Used Areas
Once you know how much space you have to work with, identify the areas that will be most heavily used. For most homeowners, the corners of the triangle will be the sink, refrigerator, and stove/oven. Identifying the placement of these three appliances is the basis for all the golden triangle design tips that follow.
One of our favorite golden triangle design tips is that every kitchen and family is different. For instance, many modern kitchens include islands that create extra room for prepping food. If an island is crucial to your kitchen’s workflow and foot traffic, it should have a place in your golden triangle.
Next, you want to consider the flow of foot traffic in your kitchen. Where is the most popular path for people to travel in and out of your kitchen? Plan your kitchen design so people navigate the room easily; as a bonus, they will be less likely to disrupt the flow of your kitchen.
Your Triangle Does Not Have To Be Equilateral
Once you’ve identified the most heavily used areas of your kitchen, it’s time to plan the layout of your new golden triangle design. Remember this – while it is vital to keep your space balanced, the golden triangle doesn’t have to be equilateral. You can create a functional kitchen design even if one side is significantly wider than the others.
Remember, too, the area inside the triangle can be usable space. In your design, perhaps the sink should be placed in the center of the triangle, or maybe a kitchen island where the workspace is accessible from all three sides.
Create Dedicated Work Spaces
The best golden triangle designs create dedicated workspaces for each task. Including this in your design will help you organize your space and prevent the flow from being disrupted. For example, if you place a cutting board and knife on the counter next to the stove, you will interrupt the flow of foot traffic every time you use them. Instead, keep the most frequently used kitchen tools close to the workspace where you will use them.
Reduce Clutter by Including Storage
Homeowners often focus all their attention on the three corners of the golden triangle design (the placement of the sink, refrigerator and sink/oven) without giving a second thought to storage space. When remodeling your kitchen, look for golden triangle designs with plenty of cabinets and shelves for storing pots, pans, dishes, and other kitchen essentials. These areas will help you organize and store items commonly used in the kitchen. When you reduce clutter in the kitchen, keeping your counters clean and cabinets organized, your efficiency will increase, and you will enjoy spending time in the kitchen!
Final Thoughts – Your Golden Triangle Design Might Look More Like A Trapezoid Or Rhombus
The principle of a golden triangle design for your kitchen remodel is a great starting point, but the truth is that your perfect kitchen workflow might take on a different shape altogether. And what works for your neighbor, friend or mom might not work for you. The key is finding a design that suits your needs, budget, and lifestyle.
If the design phase of your kitchen remodel seems daunting, why not call in the aid of a Certified Kitchen Designer? These experts will help you find the right layout for your new kitchen and can make suggestions to improve your workflow in ways you have never thought to include.