The Thirty-One Kitchen Design Rules, Illustrated

In 1944 the University of Illinois conducted a number of studies of kitchen design and developed fundamental design principles that are still very much in use today. Today the National Kitchen & Bath Association updates and publishes these basic design standards.

Methodology/Overview The NKBA Kitchen & Bathroom Planning Guidelines with Access Standards is a collection of illustrations and planning suggestions to aid professionals in the safe and effective planning of kitchens and bathrooms. These guidelines are excerpted from the National Kitchen & Bath Association Professional Resource Library Kitchen Planning and Bath Planning volumes. Designers and those interested in becoming kitchen and bath design professionals benefit by studying the complete body of knowledge found in the NKBA Professional Resource Library.

These flexible and easy-to-understand guidelines were developed under the guidance of the NKBA by a committee of professionals. The committee completed in-depth historical reviews of planning guidelines dating back to 1920. The guidelines published in this booklet reflect a composite of the historical review, current industry environment, future trends, consumer lifestyles, new research, new building codes, and current industry practices; as well as a Kitchen Storage Research Project conducted by Virginia Polytechnic Institute. A kitchen that follows all of these rules is almost guaranteed to be both functional and safe. See how many your existing kitchen violates for a better understanding of why it may seem awkward and dysfunctional.

The "Universal Design Guideline Access Standard" is relatively new. It defines the rules for kitchens intended for use by persons with less than full physical abilities.

"Code Requirements" refer to national building and access codes. Your local code authority may have modified or added to these national requirements.

"Notes" are remarks by the publishers of the rule or standard. "Comments" are our remarks and observations.

These are not the only kitchen design "rules". Designers and carpenters have worked out some rules of thumb over many years that do not arise to the level of "standards", but represent accepted industry practice. We have included these in notes and comments where applicable.

Rule 1 - Kitchen Entry Doors
Rule 1 Illustration
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 Guideline: The clear opening of a doorway should be at least 32" wide. This requires a minimum 34" or 2'-10" door.

Code Requirements: No national code requirements.

Universal Design Guideline: The clear opening of a doorway should be at least 34’’. This would require a minimum 36" or 3’-0’’ door.

Code Requirements:

•   Clear openings of doorways with swinging doors shall be measured between the face of door and stop, with the door open 90 degrees. (ANSI 404.2.3)

•   When a passage exceeds 24" in depth, the minimum clear opening increases to 36". (ANSI A117.1 404)

Comment:

•   Standard door widths include 18", 20", 24", 28", 30", 32" and 36" doors. Any other width and any door wider than 36" is generally made as a custom door.

•   Since a 34" (2-10) interior door is typically a special order, custom door, this standard is usually met with a 36" (3-0) standard door. A 36" opening for a narrow passageways requires a 38" door to meet the requirements of ANSI A117.1 404. These are not available except as custom doors — so narrow passageways should be avoided where possible.

•   These standards have been around for a few years now, and the door industry has been slow to respond to the new door width requirements. The effect is minimal, however, since most kitchen designs are open plans with doorways, not doors, connecting them to adjoining rooms.


Rule 2 - Kitchen Door Interference
Rule 2 Illustration
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 Rule 2 Clearance Illustration
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 Guideline: No entry door should interfere with the safe operation of appliances, nor should appliance doors interfere with one another.

Code Requirements: No national code requirements.

Universal Design Guideline: In addition, the door area should include clear floor space for maneuvering which varies according to the type of door and direction of approach. See Code Requirements, below.

Code Requirements:

•   For a standard hinged or swinging door, the clearance on the pull side of the door should be the door width plus 18” by 60”. (ANSI A 117.1 404.2.3.1)

• The clearance on the push side of the door should be the door width by 48”. (ANSI A 117.1 404.2.3.1)

Rule 3 - Distance Between Work Centers (Kitchen Triangle)
Rule 3 Illustration
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 Guideline: In a kitchen with three work centers the sum of the three traveled distances should total no more than 26' with no single leg of the triangle measuring less than 4 feet nor more than 9 feet.

Code Requirements: No national code requirements.

Notes:

•   A major appliance and its surrounding landing/work area form a work center. The distances between the three primary work centers (cooking surface, clean-up/prep primary sink, and refrigeration storage) form a work triangle.

•   When the kitchen plan includes more than three primary appliance/work centers, each additional travel distance to another appliance/work center should measure no less than 4' nor more than 9'.

•   Each leg is measured from the center-front of the appliance/sink.

•   No work triangle leg intersects an island/peninsula or other obstacle by more than 12".

Universal Design Guideline The kitchen guideline recommendation meets Universal Design Guideline standards.


Rule 4 - Separating work centers
Rule 4 Illustration
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 Guideline: A full-height, full-depth, tall obstacle should not separate two primary work centers. A properly recessed tall corner unit will not interrupt the work flow and is acceptable. (Examples of a full-height obstacle are a tall oven cabinet, tall pantry cabinet, or refrigerator)

Code Requirements: No national code requirements.

Universal Design Guideline: The kitchen guideline recommendation meets Universal Design Guideline standards.


Rule 5 Illustration
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 Rule 5 - Work Triangle Traffic
Guideline: No major traffic patterns should cross through the basic work triangle.

Code Requirements: No national code requirements.

Universal Design Guideline: The kitchen guideline recommendation meets Universal Design Guideline standards.


Rule 6 - Work Aisle
Rule 6 Illustration
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 Guideline: The width of a work aisle should be at least 42” for one cook and at least 48” for multiple cooks. Measure between the counter frontage, tall cabinets and/or appliances.

Code Requirements: No national code requirements.

Universal Design Guideline: Kitchen guideline recommendation meets Universal Design recommendation. See Code References for specific applications.

Code Requirements:

•   A clear floor space of at least 30” by 48” should be provided at each kitchen appliance. Clear floor spaces can overlap. (ANSI A 117.1 305.3, 804.6.1). (ANSI A 117.1 404.2.3.1)

•   In a U-shaped kitchen, plan a minimum clearance of 60” between opposing arms. (ANSI A117.1 804.2.2, 1003.12.1.2).

•   Include a wheelchair turning space with a diameter of at least 60”, which can include knee* and toe* clearances. (ANSI A117.1 304.3.1).

•   A wheelchair turning space could utilize a T-shaped clear space, which is a 60” square with two 12” wide x 24” deep areas removed from the corners of the square. This leaves a minimum 36” wide base and two 36” wide arms. T-shaped wheelchair turning spaces can include knee and toe clearances. (ANSI A117.1 304.3.2).

Notes:

•   * Knee clearance must be a minimum 30” wide (36” to use as part of the T-turn) and maintain a 27” clear space under the cabinet, counter or sink for a depth of 8”. The next 3” of depth may slope down to a height of 9”, with a clear space of at least 17” extending beneath the element. (ANSI 306.3).

•   * Toe clearance space under a cabinet or appliance is between the floor and 9” above the floor. Where toe clearance is required as part of a clear floor space, the toe clearance should extend 17” minimum beneath the element. (ANSI A117.1 306.2).


Rule 7 - Walkway
Rule 7 Illustration
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 Guideline: The width of a walkway should be at least 36”.

Code Requirements: No national code requirements.

Universal Design Guideline: If two walkways are perpendicular to each other, one walkway should be at least 42” wide.


Rule 8 - Traffic Clearance at Seating
Rule 8 Illustration
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 Guideline: In a seating area where no traffic passes behind a seated diner, allow 32” of clearance from the counter/table edge to any wall or other obstruction behind the seating area.

Code Requirements: No national code requirements.

Notes:

•   If traffic passes behind the seated diner, allow at least 36” to edge past.

•   If traffic passes behind the seated diner, allow at least 44” to walk past.

Comments:

•   A 32" clearance is almost never appropriate. It can be appropriate in a seating area that has just one seat. If there are two seats, however, then the user of the second seat will have to pass behind the user of the first seat to get to the second seat, and the 36" clearance rule applies to allow the second dinger to edge past. A 44" clearance is better.

•   A seating area should never extend into a work aisle, but may extend into a walk area if a minumum walk space of 44" is provided. This allows a walker to pass behind the seated diners. A 60" space is better.

Universal Design Guideline: In a seating area where no traffic passes behind a seated diner allow 36” of clearance from the counter/table edge to any wall or other obstruction behind the seating area.

Code Requirements: No national code requirements.

Notes:

•   If traffic passes behind the seated diner, plan a minimum of 60” to allow passage for a person in a wheelchair.


Rule 9 Illustration
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 Rule 9 - Seating Space
Guideline: Kitchen seating should be a minimum of 24" wide for each person and, Code Requirements: No national code requirements.

Universal Design Guideline: Kitchen seating areas should be 28” – 34” high x 30” – 36” wide x 19” deep to better accommodate people of various sizes or those using a mobility aid.

Recommended minimum size for a knee space at a table or counter is 36” wide x 27” high x 19” deep.

Comments:

• Measure knee space from the front edge of the table or counter top.

• While a 24" wide space for each diner is workable, it is not very comfortable. A 28-30" wide space is better and should be considered the minimum where space is available.


Rule 10 - Cleanup/Prep Sink Placement
Rule 10 Illustration
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 Guideline: If a kitchen has only one sink, locate it adjacent to or across from the cooking surface and refrigerator.

Code Requirements: No national code requirements.

Universal Design Guideline: Plan knee spaces at the sink to allow for a seated user. Recommended minimum size for a knee space is 36” wide x 27” high x 8” deep, increasing to 17” deep in the toe space, which extends 9” from the floor. Insulation for exposed pipes should be provided.

Code Requirements:

•   The sink should be no more than 34” high or adjustable between 29” and 36”. (ANSI 117.1.1002.4.2).

•   The sink bowl should be no more than 6 1/2” deep (ANSI 117.1 1002.12.4.3).

•   Exposed water supply and drain pipes under sinks should be insulated or otherwise configured to protect against contact. There should be no sharp or abrasive surfaces under sinks. (ANSI A117.1 606.6).


Rule 11 - Cleanup/Prep Sink Landing Area
Rule 11 Illustration
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 Guideline: Include at least a 24” wide landing area [Note C] to one side of the sink and at least an 18” wide landing area on the other side.

Notes:

•   Note A: If all of the countertop at the sink is not the same height, then plan a 24” landing area on one side of the sink and 3” of countertop frontage on the other side, both at the same height as the sink.

•   Note B: The 24” of recommended landing area can be met by 3” of countertop frontage from the edge of the sink to the inside corner of the countertop if more than 21” of countertop frontage is available on the return.

Rule 11 Illustration
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 •   Note C: Landing area is measured as countertop frontage adjacent to a sink and/or an appliance. The countertop must be at least 16” deep and must be 28” to 45” above the finished floor to qualify.

Comments: In Universal Design, it is not uncommon for the cabinet containing the sink to be lower than the adjacent cabinets. Hence the standard in Note A that allows the landing area to be at a different level than the sink countertops as long as there is at least 24" of same-level countertop space on one side of the sink.

Code Requirements: No national code requirements.

Universal Design Guideline: Kitchen guideline recommendation meets Universal Design standards.


Rule 12 - Preparation/Work Area
Guideline: Include a section of continuous countertop at least 30” wide x 24” deep immediately next to a sink for a primary preparation/work area.

Code Requirements: No national code requirements.

Universal Design Guideline: A section of continuous countertop at least 30” wide with a permanent or adaptable knee space should be included somewhere in the kitchen.

Rule 12 Illustration
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 Code Requirements:

•   In a kitchen, there should be at least one 30” wide section of counter, 34” high maximum or adjustable from 29” to 36”. Cabinetry can be added under the work surface, provided it can be removed or altered without removal or replacement of the work surface, and provided the finished floor extends under the cabinet. (ANSI A 117.1 8.04.6.3, 1003.12.6.3)

Comments: There are very limited circumstances under which the countertop next to a sink should be less than 30" wide. However, as a practical matter, it is sometimes necessary to decrease the depth of the countertop (never to less than 21"). If this is the case, increase the width of the countertop work area to 36".


Rule 13 - Dishwasher Placement
Rule 13 Illustration
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 Guideline: Locate nearest edge of the primary dishwasher within 36” of the nearest edge of a cleanup/prep sink.

Notes:

•   Note A: Provide at least 21”* of standing space between the edge of the dishwasher and countertop frontage, appliances and/or cabinets, which are placed at a right angle to the dishwasher.

Drawer Dishwasher
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 •   Note B: *In a diagonal installation, the 21” is measured from the center of the sink to the edge of the dishwasher door in an open position.

Code Requirements: No national code requirements.

Universal Design Guideline: Raise dishwasher 6” – 12” when it can be planned with appropriate landing areas at the same height as the sink.

Code Requirements:

•   A clear floor space of at least 30” x 48” should be positioned adjacent to the dishwasher door. The dishwasher door in the open position should not obstruct the clear floor space for the dishwasher or the sink. (ANSI A 117.1 804.6.3, 1003.12.6.3)

Comments: The modern dishwasher is an ergonomic disaster. It's much too hard to use. You have to bend and stoop a lot to load and unload it. You have to spend a lot of time opening and closing the top tray to reach the bottom tray. The bottom-hinged drawer gets in the way of people moving around the kitchen and makes it much harder for mobility impaired users to load and unload. It is not a very user-friendly or efficient appliance.

The solution is to faise the dishwasher off the floor so that the center of the appliance is about waist high. In kitchens were it is possible, that's what we do. The new drawer-style dishwashers are a vast improvement, but as of yet, very pricey. For more information of dishwasher placement, see Mise-en-Place: What We Can Learn About Kitchen Design from Commercial Kitchens. For more information about ergonomic kitchen design, see Body Friendly Design: Kitchen Ergonomics.


Rule 14 Illustration
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 Rule 14 - Waste Receptacles
Guideline: Include at least two waste receptacles. Locate one near each of the cleanup/prep sink(s) and a second for recycling either in the kitchen or nearby.

Code Requirements: No national code requirements.

Universal Design Guideline: Kitchen guideline recommendation meets Universal Design Standard.


Rule 15 - Auxiliary Sink
Rule 15 Illustration
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 Guideline: At least 3” of countertop frontage should be provided on one side of the auxiliary sink, and 18” of countertop frontage on the other side, both at the same height as the sink.

Rule 15 Illustration Code Requirements: No national code requirements.

Universal Design Guideline: Plan a knee space at, or adjacent to, the auxiliary sink.

Code Requirements:

•   A clear floor space of at least 30” x 48” should be positioned adjacent to the dishwasher door. The dishwasher door in the open position should not obstruct the clear floor space for the dishwasher or the sink. (ANSI A 117.1 804.6.3, 1003.12.6.3)


Rule 16 Illustration
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 Rule 16 - Refrigerator Landing Area
Guideline: Include at least:
  1. 15” of landing area on the handle side of the refrigerator or
  2. 15” of landing area on either side of a side-by-side refrigerator or
  3. 15” of landing area which is no more than 48” across from the front of the refrigerator or
  4. 15” of landing area above or adjacent to any undercounter style refrigeration appliance.
Universal Design Guideline: See code requirements.

Code Requirements:

•   A clear floor space of 30” x 48” should be positioned for a parallel approach to the refrigerator/freezer with the centerline of the clear floor space offset 24” maximum from the centerline of the appliance. (ANSI A 117.1 804.6.6, 1003.12.6.6)


Rule 17 - Cook Surface Landing Area
Guideline: Include a minimum of 12” of landing area on one side of a cooking surface and 15” on the other side.

Notes:

Rule 17 Illustration
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 •   Note A: The 12” and 15” landing areas must be at the same height as the cooking surface.

•   Note B:For safety reasons, in an island or peninsula situation, the countertop should also extend a minimum of 9” behind the cooking surface if the counter height is the same as the surface-cooking appliance.

•   Note C: For an enclosed configuration, a reduction of clearances shall be in accordance with the appliance manufacturer’s instructions or per local codes. (This may not provide adequate landing area.)

Code Requirements: No national code requirements.

Comments:

•   Note A is ambiguous. Surfaces adjacent to a cooktop or range are almost never exactly at the same level as the cooking surface. The guideline is met if the adjacent surface is roughly at the same level as the cooking surface.

•   The purpose of the guidelines for cook surface landing areas is not just ensuring enough working space on both side of the cooking appliance, but to ensure that there is a sufficient space between the cooking appliance and any combustible cabinet materials for safety.

•   A range with oven requies two landing areas, one for the rangetop and one for the oven. These are consolidated as required by Rule 24, so a combined landing zone of at least 27" is required on one side of the range.

Universal Design Guideline: Lower the cooktop to 34” maximum height and create a knee space beneath the appliance.

Code Requirements:

•   When a forward-approach clear floor space is provided at the cooktop, it should provide knee and toe clearance and the underside of the cooktop should be insulated or otherwise configured to prevent burns, abrasions, or electric shock. (ANSI 1002.12.6.4)

•   The location of cooktop controls should not require reaching across burners. (ANSI 1003.12.6.4)


Rule 18 Illustration
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 Rule 18 - Cooking Surface Clearance
Guideline: Allow 24” of clearance between the cooking surface and a protected noncombustible surface above it.

Code Requirements:

•   At least 30” of clearance is required between the cooking surface and an unprotected/combustible surface above it. (IRC M 1901.1).

•   If a microwave hood combination is used above the cooking surface, then the manufacturer’s specifications should be followed. (IRC M 1504.1)

Universal Design Guideline: Kitchen guideline recommendation meets Universal Design Standard.


Rule 19 - Cooking Surface Ventilation
Rule 19 Illustration
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 Guideline: Provide a correctly sized, ducted ventilation system for all cooking surface appliances. The recommended minimum is 150 cubic feet of air per minute (cfm).

Code Requirement:

•   Manufacturer’s specifications must be followed. (IRC G 2407.1, IRC G 2447.1).

•   The minimum required exhaust rate for a ducted hood is 100 cfm and must be ducted to the outside. (IRC M 1507.3).

•   Make-up air may need to be provided. Refer to local codes. (IRC G 2407.4).

Range Hood Comments:

•   Formerly it was permissible in most jurisdictions to recirculate vented air back into the kitchen. The air was drawn into the ventilating device through carbon filters, then blown back into the kitchen. Recirculation is now not allowed in most jurisdictions. Air must be vented through and wall or the roof to the outdoors. The earlier practice of venting into the attic is also no longer allowed due to the risk of fire.

•   Generally the specifications provided by the manufacturer of the ventilation device or system must be followed, even if they conflict with other building code requirements. Where the manufacturer's specifications are silent, then guidance is to be obtained from the applicable building code requirements.

•   Typically make-up air is required when the capacity of the ventilation system exceeds 300 cfm. The belief is that at this capacity the house can no longer provide enough air and there is danger of backdrafting gas appliances. Makeup air is merely aid drawn from outside the dwelling through ducting that is installed by a mechanical contractor.

Universal Design Guideline: Ventilation controls should be placed 15” – 44” above the floor, operable with minimal effort, easy to read and with minimal noise pollution.

Code Requirements:

•   Operable parts should be operable with one hand and not require tight grasping, pinching or twisting of the wrist. The force required to activate operable parts should be 5 pounds maximum. (ANSI A117.1 309.4).

•   Where a forward or side reach is unobstructed, the high reach should be 48” maximum and the low reach should be 15” minimum above the floor.(ANSI A117.1 308.2.1 and 308.3.1).

•   Where a forward or side reach is obstructed by a 20” – 25” deep counter, the high reach should be 44” maximum. (ANSI A117.1 308.2.2)



Rule 20 - Cooking Surface Safety
Guideline:
  1. Do not locate the cooking surface under an operable window.
  2. Window treatments above the cooking surface should not use flammable materials.
  3. A fire extinguisher should be located near the exit of the kitchen away from cooking equipment.
Rule 20 Illustration
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Place your extinguisher in plain view or in a clearly marked cabinet. Code Requirements: No national code requirements.

Comments: It is very likely that a requirement for a fire extinguisher in your kitchen is contained either in your local building or fire code.

Universal Design Guideline: Place fire extinguisher between 15” and 48” off the finished floor.

Code Requirements: No national code requirements.

Comments:

•   Put the fire extinguisher in plain view even if you don't like the "industrial look." National Fire Prevention Association (NFPA) Guideline 10, Paragraph 6.1.3.1 states, "Extinguishers shall be conspicuously located where they will be readily accessible and immediately available in the event of fire." Paragraph 6.1.3.3.1 states, "Fire extinguishers shall not be obstructed or obscured from view."

•   A kitchen fire extinguisher must be rated for class B fires. These are fires fueled by flammable liquids and grease. Most fire extinguishes are rated for class B fires, but check to be certain.

•   When you install your fire extinguisher, read the instructions for using it to fight fires. Stopping to read the instructions while a fire is blazing is not a good idea, but using it without reading the instructions is a worse idea.

•   Test your extinguisher at least every 6 months, or more often if the manufacturer recommends a shorter interval, to make sure it is still charged and functioning.


Rule 21 - Microwave Oven Placement
Rule 21 Illustration
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 Guideline: Locate the microwave oven after considering the user’s height and abilities. The ideal location for the bottom of the microwave is 3” below the principal user’s shoulder but no more than 54” above the floor. If the microwave oven is placed below the countertop the oven bottom must be at least 15” off the finished floor.

Code Requirements: No national code requirements.

Comments:

•   The current guidelines do not address drawer-type microwaves. These are intended to be mounted under the countertop and are accessed from the top, not from the front. Until guidelines are developed, the best course is to carefully follow manufacturer's instructions for placement and mounting.

•   Typically over the range micro-hoods will meet these requirements, but in a contest between this guideline and safety guidelines, the safety guidelines win. Always mount micro-hoods in accordance with the manufacturer's directions.

Universal Design Guideline: Locate the microwave controls below 48".

Code Requirements: No national code requirements.

Comments: This guideline is a little vague when it comes to controls that have a vertical dimension, such as a keypad, but the illustrations that accompany the guideline seem to suggest that the entire pad should be below 48".


Rule 22 Illustration
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 Rule 22 - Microwave Landing Area
Guideline: Provide at least a 15” landing area above, below, or adjacent to the handle side of a microwave oven.

Code Requirements: No national code requirements.

Universal Design Guideline: Provide landing area in front of or immediately adjacent to the handle side of the microwave.

Code Requirements: No national code requirements.


Rule 23 - Oven Landing Area
Rule 23 Illustration
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Guideline:
  • Include at least a 15” landing area next to or above the oven.

  • At least a 15” landing area that is not more than 48” across from the oven is acceptable if the appliance does not open into a walkway.
Code Requirements: No national code requirements.

Comments: An oven in a range has to share the landing zone on one side of the range. In accordance with rule 24, the combined landing zone has to be 27" or larger.

Universal Design Guideline: See Code Requirements.

Code Requirements: For side-opening ovens, the door latch side should be next to a countertop (ANSI A 117.1 804.6.5.1)


Rule 24 - Combining Landing Areas
Guideline: If two landing areas are adjacent to one another, determine a new minimum for the two adjoining spaces by taking the larger of the two landing area requirements and adding 12".

Code Requirements: No national code requirements.

Universal Design Guideline: Kitchen guideline recommendation meets Universal Design Standard.

Rule 24 Illustration
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 Code Requirements: No national code requirements.


Rule 25 - Countertop Space
Rule 25 Illustration
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 Guideline: A total of 158” of countertop frontage, 24” deep, with at least 15” of clearance above, is needed to accommodate all uses, including landing area, preparation/work area, and storage.

Notes: Built-in appliance garages extending to the countertop can be counted towards the total countertop frontage recommendation, but they may interfere with the landing areas.

Code Requirements: No national code requirements.

Universal Design Guideline: At least two work-counter heights should be offered in the kitchen, with one 28”– 36” above the finished floor and the other 36”– 45” above the finished floor.

Comments:

•   Any countertop at least 24" deep can be counted. Almost all standard countertops meet this requirement — most are 25" deep. If a countertop is shallower than 24", then, according to this Rule, it does not count toward the 158" of countertop frontage. However, in remodeling older kitchens, shallow countertops are often required to meet the 42" and 48" work-aisle requirements of Rule 6. This where the designer's good judgment comes into play in making the trade-off. We recommend any countertop at least 21" deep but less than 24" be counted as 2/3rds. So, 3' of 21" countertop would count as 2' of countertop frontage.

•   Inside corners do not count toward the minimum counter space specified in this guideline.

•   The guideline allows counting the countertop in front of appliance garages and other similar storage that rests on the countertop, even though this reduces the usable countertop area.

•   The guideline is not clear how island countertops are to be counted. Do you count just the one side or both sides. If the countertop is accessible from both sides, we count both sides.


Rule 26 - Countertop Corners
Guideline: Specify clipped or round corners rather than pointed corners on all countertops.

Comments:

•   Although the guideline does not distinguish between inside and outside corners, it is clear that the recommendation applies only to outside corners. Rule 26 Illustration
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Round or chamfer outside corners for safety.

•   The guideline does not provide a minimum radius for rounded corners. On a 1" overhang countertop, the typical overhang, the largest radius is about 2".

•   Corners may be clipped (the more common term is "chamfered") or rounded ("billeted"). Both options meet the guideline.

Code Requirements: No national code requirements.

Universal Design Guideline: Kitchen guideline recommendation meets Universal Design Standard.


Rule 27 - Storage
Guideline: The total shelf/drawer frontage is:
  1. 1400” for a small kitchen (less than 150 square feet);
  2. 1700” for a medium kitchen (151 to 350 square feet); and
  3. 2000” for a large kitchen (greater than 350 square feet).
Guideline Distribution of Shelf and Drawer Space
  Small Medium Large

Wall

Base

Drawer

Pantry

Miscellaneous

300”

520”

360”

180”

40”

360”

615”

400”

230”

95”

360”

660”

525”

310”

145”

Notes:

•   Shelf and drawer frontage is determined by multiplying the cabinet size by the number and depth of the shelves or drawers in the cabinet, using the following formula: Cabinet width in inches x number of shelf/drawers x cabinet depth in feet (or fraction thereof) = Shelf/Drawer Frontage.

•   The recommended distribution for the shelf/drawer frontage in inches is shown in the table at left. The totals for wall, base, drawer and pantry shelf/ drawer frontage can be adjusted upward or downward as long as the recommended total stays the same.

•   Do not apply more than the recommended amount of storage in the miscellaneous category to meet the total frontage recommendation.

•   Storage areas that are more than 84” above the floor must be counted in the miscellaneous category.

•   Storage/organizing items can enhance the functional capacity of wall, base, drawer and pantry storage and should be selected to meet user needs.

Comments: The whole notion of minimum shelf/drawer frontage is an attempt to quantify functionality that is not readily susceptible to quantification. While the calculation may serve the need to have some math problems on the various NKBA certification examinations, it has little real world utility because it does not distinguish between accessible and inaccessible storage.

•   Consider the following comparison:

A 24 inch-deep base cabinet with two shelves has the following frontage: 24" x 2' x 2 = 96 inches.

A 24 inch-deep base cabinet with two drawers has the same frontage: 24" x 2' x 2 = 96 inches.

But all of the drawer space is accessible storage. To reach the back 12", just pull the drawer out. Only the front 12" of the shelves is useful storage, the back 12" is inaccessible. To treat the two storage modalities as if they provided the same amount of useful storage is misleading. The drawers are more useful storage and their higher utility should be accounted for in calculating minimum frontage.

•   We consider the following inaccessible storage: We use a calculation that weights inaccessible storage at only 1/2 the value of accessible storage.

The formula for the accessible part of the shelf remains the same: (width in inches) × (depth in feet) × (number of shelves), but it applies to just the front 12" of the shelf. So using the above example, the frontage of the accessible part of the base cabinet shelves is

24" × 1' × 2 shelves = 48" of frontage.

The revised formula for the back 12" of shelf is (width in inches) × (depth in feet) × (number of shelves) ÷ 2. This gives the back half of the shelf a frontage of 24", calculated as follows:

24" × 1' × 2 shelves ÷ 2 = 24" of frontage.

The total frontage for the base cabinet with two shelves is 48" + 24" = 72". The base cabinet with drawers retains its original frontage of 96". Now the comparison of frontage scores clearly shows the drawer cabinet to be more useful storage.

Code Requirements: No national code requirements.

Universal Design Guideline: Plan storage of frequently used items 15” to 48” above the floor.

Code Requirements:

•   Where a forward or side reach is unobstructed, the high reach should be 48” maximum and the low reach should be 15” minimum above the floor. (ANSI A117.1 308.2.1 and 308.3.1)

•   Where a 20” – 25” deep counter obstructs a forward or side reach, the high reach should be 44” maximum. (ANSI A117.1 308.2.2)


Rule 28 - Storage at cleanup/Prep Sink
Guideline: Of the total recommended wall, base, drawer and pantry shelf/drawer frontage, the following should be located within 72” of the centerline of the main cleanup/prep sink:
  1. at least 400” for a small kitchen;
  2. at least 480” for a medium kitchen;
  3. at least 560” for a large kitchen.
Code Requirements: No national code requirements.

Universal Design Guideline: Plan storage of frequently used items 15” to 48” above the floor.


Rule 29 - Corner Cabinet Storage
Guideline: At least one corner cabinet should include a functional storage device

Notes: This guideline does not apply if there are no corner cabinets.

Comments: Corner cabinets are not required in a kitchen. The guideline recommends that if corner cabinets are used, they should contain usable storage.

Code Requirements: No national code requirements.

Universal Design Guideline: Kitchen guideline recommendation meets Universal Design Standard.


Rule 30 - Electrical Receptacles
Ground Fault Interupter Outlet
Click to Enlarge
 Guideline: GFCI (Ground-fault circuit-interrupter) protection is required on all receptacles servicing countertop surfaces within the kitchen. (IRC E 3802.6). Refer to IRC E 3801.4.1 through E 3801.4.5 for receptacle placement and locations.

Universal Design Guideline: Lighting controls should be placed 15” – 44” above the floor, operable with minimal effort, easy to read and with minimal noise pollution.

Code Requirements:

•   Operable parts should be operable with one hand and not require tight grasping, pinching or twisting of the wrist. The force required to activate operable parts should be 5 pounds maximum. (ANSI A117.1 309.4).

•   Where a forward or side reach is unobstructed, the high reach should be 48” maximum and the low reach should be 15” minimum above the floor.(ANSI A117.1 308.2.1 and 308.3.1).

•   Where a forward or side reach is obstructed by a 20” – 25” deep counter, the high reach should be 44” maximum. (ANSI A117.1 308.2.2)

Comments: For more information on the structural components of the kitchen; the piping, heating and cooling, electricity and lighting, see Behind the Scenes - The Hidden Kitchen.




Rule 31 - Lighting
Guideline: In addition to general lighting required by code, every work surface should be well illuminated by appropriate task lighting. Photo: Merillat Click to Enlarge
Click to Enlarge

Code Requirements:

•   At least one wall-switch controlled light must be provided. Switch must be placed at the entrance. (IRC E 3803.2).

•   Window/skylight area, equal to at least 8% of the total square footage of the kitchen, or a total living space which includes a kitchen, is required. (IRC R 303.1, IRC R 303.2)

Universal Design Guideline: Lighting should be from multiple sources and adjustable

Code Requirements:

•   Operable parts should be operable with one hand and not require tight grasping, pinching or twisting of the wrist. The force required to activate operable parts should be 5 pounds maximum. (ANSI A117.1 309.4).

•   Where a forward or side reach is unobstructed, the high reach should be 48” maximum and the low reach should be 15” minimum above the floor.(ANSI A117.1 308.2.1 and 308.3.1).

•   Where a forward or side reach is obstructed by a 20” – 25” deep counter, the high reach should be 44” maximum. (ANSI A117.1 308.2.2)




Are you ready for your own dream kitchen?

We can build one just right for your budget. Contact usE-mail us at design@starcraftcustombuilders.com and let's get started.






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