Kitchen Planning Guideline 4: Separating Work Centers
Recommended: A full-height, full-depth, tall obstacle* should not separate two primary work centers.
A properly recessed tall corner unit will not interrupt the workflow and is acceptable.
*Examples of a full-height obstacle are a tall oven cabinet, tall pantry cabinet, or refrigerator.
Kitchen Planning Guideline 5 - Work Triangle Traffic
Recommended: No major traffic patterns should cross through the basic work triangle.
Kitchen Planning Guideline 6: Work Aisle
Recommended: The width of a work aisle should be at least 42 inches for one cook and at least 48 inches for multiple cooks. Measure between the counter frontage, tall cabinets, and/or appliances.
Kitchen Planning Guideline 7: Walkway
Recommended: The width of a walkway should be at least 36 inches.
Kitchen Planning Guideline 8: Traffic Clearance at Seating
Recommended: In a seating area where no traffic passes behind a seated diner, allow 32 inches of clearance from the counter/table edge to any wall or other obstruction behind the seating area.
- If traffic passes behind the seated diner, allow at least 36 inches to edge past.
- If traffic passes behind the seated diner, allow at least 44 inches to walk past.
Kitchen Planning Guideline 9: Seating Clearance
Recommended: Kitchen seating areas should incorporate at least the following clearances:
- 30 inches for high tables/counters with a 24-inch-wide by 18-inch-deep counter space for each seated diner.
- 36-inch-high counters with a 24-inch-wide by 15-inch-deep counter space for each seated diner and at least 15 inches of clear knee space.
- 42-inch-high counters with a 24-inch-wide by 12-inch-deep counter space for each seated diner and 12 inches of clear knee space.
