The Kitchen - Page 3

Major
Project
Article

JAN/FEB 2004
Volume 47/Issue 1

IN THIS ISSUE
Project Articles
• A New Kitchen
• Wooden Utensil Rack & Knife Block/Cutting Board
• Gallery Rail Paper Towel Holder

DEPARTMENTS
• Ask Smitty
• Owner’s Gallery
• Letters from Owners
• New Baby Workshop Calendar

Academy Notes
Clean Cuts - Pt. 4- Using Oriental Waterstones

Service Pointers
Keeping Your MARK V Running Smoothly

Safety Tips
Router Safety

What's New
Bandsaw Cover and 6" Drum Sander Sleeves

EDUCATION
• Find A Shopsmith Woodworking Academy Near You
• National Woodworking Academy in Dayton, OH

ONLINE CATALOGS
• Online Accessory Catalog
• Request Printed Accessory Catalog
• Online Replacement Parts Catalog

MARK V INFORMATION
• Find A Shopsmith
MARK V Demo Near You
• Request MARK V Information Package

LINKS
• Links Worth Visiting
• Free Woodworking Tips

FEEDBACK
Contacting Shopsmith

The Kitchen - Part One
Kitchen Design Tips

The Work Centers
Surrounding your work areas are three basic Work Centers: The Clean-Up Center, which is focused around the sink; the Preparation Center, which includes the refrigerator, stove and adjacent countertop; and the Serving Center, focused around a separate area of countertop.

Ideally, in a single cook kitchen, you should have 48 inches of walkway between opposing Work Centers - 54 inches in a two-cook kitchen. And, since the sink is the least mobile of all kitchen “appliances”, it's best to start your planning process with the Clean-Up Center. The most important consideration here is counter space. For right-handers, designers typically recommend 36 inches of counter space to the right of the sink, 30 inches to the left...and that the dishwasher be placed to the left of the sink. To make loading and unloading convenient, china and silverware storage should be in close proximity.

The Preparation Center should allow the refrigerator door to open into the Work Triangle. Approximately 4-1/2 feet of counter space is necessary, preferably including a surface for cutting or chopping. And, since small, countertop appliances such as food processors, blenders, mixers, toaster ovens, bread makers, can openers, etc. will be used here, an adequate number of GFI (ground fault interrupt) electrical outlets should be nearby. Now is also the time to consider special storage “garages” for these small appliances.

Be sure to locate the Preparation Center near the sink. This is particularly useful for slicing, cutting and peeling operations. Keep this in mind: It is highly inefficient to locate the refrigerator next to the range. Since the range dissipates heat, it will interfere with the cooling efficiency of the refrigerator. Gas ranges should be located away from windows where flames could be extinguished by breezes...or worse yet, set fire to billowing window curtains.

The Serving Center needs a minimum of 2-feet of counter space, including a “landing area” of heatproof material for sitting pots and pans that have just come from the cooktop or oven. Nearby storage space should be provided for pots, pans, cooking utensils, serving dishes and possibly, table linens.

With these three Work Centers in mind, you might also consider a kitchen island. If mobile (with the simple addition of casters), these islands can add extra counter or storage space where needed. If stationary, they can even include a cooktop, sink or additional eating area. Kitchen islands cut down on cross-traffic and serve to “tighten” the work triangle for improved efficiency.

Additional Work Centers
Additional Work Centers for baking, serving drinks or buffet-style serving may also be worthy of your consideration. The most common of these is an in-the-kitchen eating area. Often surrounding a kitchen island, such eating centers greatly simplify meal serving. A peninsula or protrusion countertop can also make a convenient eating area. But, be it an island, peninsula or protrusion, make sure you allow at least 24 inches of countertop “elbow room” between diners. The standard height for this area is 36". For breakfast-only dining, a minimum depth is 15". If you think you'll be using this area for more than one meal a day, you should consider increasing this depth.

By varying the placement of the three primary kitchen areas and experimenting with peninsulas, protrusions and islands, you can easily adapt the basic kitchen floor plans shown here to create numerous possibilities. The Work Triangle concept will easily conform to all but a single-counter design. Click image for larger view.

Continue . . .

View Plans &
Assembly Drawings

• Work Triangle Diagram
• Fig. 1
• Fig. 2
• Fig. 3
• Fig. 4
• Fig. 5
• Corner Joint Detail
• Cabinet Door Frame Assembly
• Assembly of Molding on Penn. Dutch
• Penn. Dutch Pattern
• Punched Tin Pattern

Printer Friendly PDF copy of Instructions (776K)