Kitchen Renovations: What to Consider for Cabinet Placement

By Leslie A.M.
RefacingCabinet.com Columnist

Any kitchen designer will tell you to consider the "work triangle" in your kitchen renovations. According to the National Kitchen and Bath Association's Web site, the work triangle is "the distance between the three primary work centers (cooking surface, clean-up/prep primary sink, and refrigeration). Ideally between 12 and 26 feet in total length."

The Association warns that no appliance doors should be disrupted by any cabinet or entry doors. Creating the work triangle ensures that everything will open appropriately and minimizes accidents to keep you and your family safe. Let's see what it might mean for the cabinets you choose and where you place what.

Staining Kitchen Cabinets … With Food

This is in the "what not to do" category. If you like to cook rich, red marinara sauces for frequent family dinners, then white kitchen cabinets along the wall of your cook top might not be the best choice. If your cook top is placed on an island, then you might get away with installing black kitchen cabinets on the island and something different every place else. This can make quite a statement.

Outlook is Spotty for Glass Kitchen Cabinets

A beautiful way to showcase your favorite serving pieces is with glass kitchen cabinets. However, you might reconsider using glass kitchen cabinets near your kitchen sink. The water that splashes on the glass will constantly plague you with spots.

Chilling With Kitchen Renovations

The placement of your refrigerator can be tricky. If your fridge has the freezer on the top or bottom, not a side-by-side configuration, most brands allow you to switch from which side the door opens. That may loosen up your choices for placing your refrigerator. Some kitchen cabinet materials might be sensitive to the heat that refrigerators put out.

Choose the placement of the work triangle before you shop for kitchen cabinets.

 

About The Author

Leslie A.M. Smith lives in a 1929 house in Long Beach, California. When she isn't fixing things and redecorating, she is a freelance writer and public relations consultant.