5 steps to the perfect KITCHEN- WHATEVER YOUR LAYOUT!

Follow our simple guide to create a timeless kitchen that’s super stylish

- ESME CLEMO

Every kitchen is different, but most fall into one of these five basic layouts. Once you’ve sussed out which one best describes your kitchen, it’s easy to make a couple of simple changes and tweaks to get the best out of your space.

WHAT IS THE WORKING TRIANGLE?

The working triangle dictates where the three key elements – hob, sink and fridge-freezer – sit in your kitchen. It’s an important consideration to reduce the distance you have to walk when cooking. You move between these three features all the time when preparing meals, so they need to be in a practical arrangement and within easy reach of each other. Ideally, the sides of the triangle created by these three points should be no more than 2.7m and no less than 1.2m long.

1 U-shaped Allowing for units on three walls,This shape offers plenty of workspace

• Use two sides of the room for your working triangle to keep it compact in a large space. Or consider placing one element, such as the sink, on an island.
• Allow for lots of worktop between your cooker and sink. A distance of at least 80cm is preferable.
• Maximise your storage with clever corner cupboard solutions.
• Go for informal dining in larger rooms by placing a peninsula at one end of a long run of cabinets.
• Choose open shelving to stop your kitchen looking crowded, with shelves in handy places.