* Both are spaces devoted to          work
    * Both spaces provide an outlet       for creativity
    * Both require the careful               placement of their "tools” to
       ensure efficiency rather than       drudgery

In fact, the principles of kitchen design are practically identical to those used in the design of a good woodworking shop. And, by the way…”good” doesn’t have to mean “large”. Like a well-designed kitchen, you can squeeze an efficient workshop into almost any space when necessary…or spread it out as luxuriously and comfortably as you like when you have the space and money to do so.
When planning shop space, focus on the tasks you see yourself accomplishing, the tools you have (as well as any others you plan to add) and how you see yourself performing the various tasks with the least amount of time and energy. As with a kitchen, work should flow easily from one “work center” to another with tools grouped by their purpose, function and size.
Here are some simple guidelines:

1: Customize your space whenever possible – compromising only when you must
Although you may not be able to devote as much space as you’d like to your workshop, you most likely will be able to devote as much as you need. Always remember that necessity is the parent of adaptation and compromise. Many woodworkers started out in a space not much larger than a closet. We’ve heard of shops in stairwells, breezeways, mobile homes, garden sheds and practically any small space that will accommodate a few tools.

Start by creating a work triangle…much like those designed into efficient kitchens. With kitchen designs, the three points of the triangle are represented by the stove, the refrigerator and
the sink/countertop space. With a workshop, those three elements are stationary tools,
workbench and shelved hand tools/supplies.

Initially, you should start by graphing out the space you currently have, and incorporating any space you may be planning to add at a later date. Use 1/4” or 1/2” square graphing paper and scaled

cutouts of the basic elements in your shop. Start by arranging them in a logical
“work triangle” that suits the kinds of work you do most. Try to keep the sides
of your triangle as short as possible, allowing as much space as possible for
maximum freedom of movement.

Arrange your triangle around shop structures that can’t be moved, such
as doors, windows, water heaters, furnaces, support posts, etc. Or, if you’ll
be sharing space with a car in your garage, design a triangle that can be
set-up quickly once the car is pulled out.

For stationary tools requiring long paths of clearance (table saws, jointers,
planers, radial arm saws), think about making use of open doors and
windows when you need to handle extra long workpieces.