Kitchen Shape and Size
From DT Online
Description
The shape, size and position of a kitchen is most easily decided when a new house is being designed. It is therefore most likely that we have to work on an existing room where features such as doors and windows are fixed unless some major building work is planned (e.g. kitchen extension or removing interior walls to enlarge the space, to create a 'kitchen/diner' or a complete 'open plan' environment).
Safety Point! It is essential to take qualified professional advice before removing any internal walls to ensure they are either non-loadbearing or can be replaced with a Steel Beam for example.
Features and Applications
Units and appliances need to be positioned to allow free and safe movement around the space in addition to minimising the distance taken to perform everyday tasks by considering the Kitchen Work Triangle.
There needs to be a minimum of 1200mm between the units and the wall with the door and an aim should be to maintain at least 400mm free for movement throughout. A room less than 1800mm wide cannot comfortably use standard 600mm deep units.
Some services are difficult to move in existing rooms and are best placed on external walls when designing a new kitchen (e.g. drains). If the kitchen is new build or existing which is materially altered (e.g. by extension) then it will most likely also have to meet new Building Regulations (e.g. have smoke alarms and heat detectors fitted according to BS 5839-6:2013 - this being the relevant British Standard)
