The Working Triangle is a methodology developed by Lilian Moller Gilbreth and Mary E. Dillon in the 1920s. For more than 100 years, it has been one of the go-to design philosophies for kitchen specialists around the world.

But here is the thing...

What was possible in a kitchen in the 1920s is very different from what is possible today.

Today, your kitchen might be where you cook, entertain, work, make coffee, store groceries, have breakfast and occasionally stand around at 11pm wondering why had no one made a self cleaning hob yet.

So, is the Kitchen Working Triangle still relevant?

Before we answer that, let's first understand what it actually is.

What is the Kitchen Working Triangle?

As the name suggests, a triangle is involved.

The three points of the triangle are:

Refrigerator → Sink → Hob

The traditional rule is:

The total distance between these three points should be no more than 7,900mm, with each side of the triangle ideally measuring between 1,200mm and 2,700mm.

The idea is simple: these are the three areas you are most likely to move between while cooking.

By keeping them within a reasonable distance of one another, you reduce unnecessary movement, minimize fatigue and lower the chances of bumping into someone else while carrying a hot pan.

Cooking is hard enough let's not add an obstacle course to it.

An Added Rule: Feng Shui, Water & Fire

For many Asian homeowners, Feng Shui plays a very important role.

One common principle is to avoid placing the Water element, represented by the sink and sometimes the refrigerator, directly opposite the Fire element, represented by the hob.

The belief is that having Water and Fire clash can create energetic conflict, which is traditionally associated with stress, disharmony or even health issues.

Whether you subscribe to Feng Shui or not, it is a consideration that comes up surprisingly often when we design kitchens.

At Artisan, we don't necessarily see these principles as rigid rules. But where possible, we try to respect them without compromising the functionality of the kitchen.

After all, there is little point having perfect Feng Shui if you have to walk across the entire kitchen every time you need to wash your hands.

Common Kitchen Layouts Using the Working Triangle

The Kitchen Working Triangle can be applied to many of the classic kitchen layouts.

Some of the most common include:

• Galley Kitchen
• L-Shaped Kitchen
• L-Shaped Kitchen with Island
• U-Shaped Kitchen

These layouts work particularly well with the triangle because the three key points can generally be positioned within a relatively compact area.

Is the Kitchen Triangle Outdated?

A fair question.

The Kitchen Working Triangle was developed in the 1920s.

That's older than my grandparents.

And while age alone doesn't make an idea outdated, the way we use our kitchens has changed dramatically.

One of the biggest arguments for moving away from the traditional triangle is that kitchens today are no longer necessarily designed around one person cooking in a relatively compact space.

Modern kitchens are often much larger. We have larger islands, multiple appliances, storage units for different things.

And, increasingly, we have more than one person cooking at the same time.

Sometimes it is a helper...

And sometimes it is me trying to impress my wife with my true-italian carbonara while she stands nearby making sure I don't burn the house down.

The cooking process has evolved.

So perhaps the way we think about it should evolve too. Enter the concept of Work Zones. Read more on our article The Modern Kitchen Design Methodology: Work Zones.

So, Where Does Artisan Stand?

Personally, we don't believe that one methodology is necessarily better than the other.

In fact, we use both. The Kitchen Working Triangle and Work Zones aren't mutually exclusive.

When designing a kitchen, we would typically start by understanding the physical limitations and anchor points of the space.

• Where are the windows?
• Where are the entrances and exits?
• Where are the floor traps and plumbing points?
• Where are the structural limitations?

From there, we can begin establishing the key points of the kitchen.

The Kitchen Triangle can help us understand the relationship between the Fridge, Sink and Hob.

Then, the Work Zone methodology helps us look at the bigger picture:‍

• ‍How does the homeowner actually use the kitchen?‍
• Where do they prepare food?
• Where do they store plates?
• Where do they make coffee?
• Where do guests sit?
• Where does someone go when they just want to grab a drink?

Ultimately, there is no single formula that can design the perfect kitchen for everyone.

A kitchen should be designed around the person using it. The Triangle gives us a useful foundation to start and Work Zones allows us to see the bigger picture.

Are you planning to renovate your kitchen? Talk to us today or read our article on what you should decide first when designing and building your kitchen.