Measuring up the kitchen

The well-planned kitchen permits easy movement for the cook and family members and ensures sufficient room for opening cabinet and appliance doors.
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Wall-mounted cabinets are usually 12 to 15 in deep and set 16 to 18 in above the countertop; base cabinets are usually 24 in deep but can range from 21 to 30 in deep, and 36 in high. (The standard height of the framework for the base cabinet is 34 1/2 in, to allow for a 1 1/2-inch-thick counter surface to be set on top.) A variation in the standard counter height down to 29 to 31 in produces a surface that's ideal for bread-making and pastry-rolling.

Note also that a raised eat-at counter fitted with stools should be 42 in high - or the counter may be dropped to table height.
Plan for a 15-inch-wide countertop space (landing area)adjacent to the refrigerator to use when putting away or removing foods. Using a 24 in deep cabinet above the refrigerator is a smart idea for storing infrequently used items.

The dishwasher should be no more than 24 in away from the edge of the sink. It is traditional to locate the dishwasher to the right of the sink for right-handed cooks and to the left of the sink for left-handed persons.

Allow for a minimum 18-inch countertop space on one side of the primary sink and 24 in on the other side. You'll need at least 9 in on one side of a cooktop and 15 in on the other to allow for saucepan handles and for setting pots on. (A heat-resistant surface is a good idea here.) Be sure to have at least 30 in between a cooktop and the bottom of the cabinets above. Installing an exhaust fan on the underside of the cabinet is recommended. If you are planning to have a wall oven, you should allow at least 15 in of countertop to one side for setting items on when you remove them from the oven. (A heatproof surface is useful here also.) The heat that rises from a wall oven makes the cabinet or space above it an ideal place for raising bread dough, but a bad place for storing foods.

A good place to locate the food-prep area is a 36-inch-wide stretch of countertop between the refrigerator and the sink.

Allow the following for standard-sized kitchen appliances in designing a new layout:
  • refrigerator: 32 to 36 in
  • double sink: 36 in
  • cooktop or stove: 30 in
  • dishwasher: 24 in
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