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You
will want to consider how much space you can give to a kitchen
and how you will allot that space for all the different activities
and storage options within your space and budget range. |
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Who
is going to be using the kitchen space?. . .will it be just you
or other members of the household? Are children, older or handicapped
people going to be eating in or using the area in any way? |
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Use
the infamous 'Work Triangle' as a guide and not
a hard and fast rule. . . we have included the NKBA formula as
a helpful reference: "the work triangle is an imaginary straight
line drawn from the center of the sink, to the center of the cook
top, to the center of the refrigerator, and finally back to the
sink. The triangle formed by these imaginary lines should total
7.8 metres or less, with no single leg of the triangle shorter
than 1.2 metres or longer than 2.7metres. The work triangle should
also not intersect an island or peninsula by more than 300mm.
If the kitchen has only one sink, it should be placed between
or across from the cooking surface, preparation area, or refrigerator.
No major traffic thoroughfare should pass through the work triangle."
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Another
popular design approach is to separate the space into different
activity 'Zones.' These might be food preparation area, cooking/
baking, cleaning and dining. . .even the simple process of making
a cup of tea or starting the bread maker can be made easier and
psychologically more accessible when some consideration is given
to tools and ingredients at hand! |
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Try
to allow a minimum of 900mm passage-way between and around any
elements/cabinets in your kitchen design |
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In seating areas, allow 900mm of clearance from counter/table
edge to wall/obstruction if no traffic passes behind seated diners.
Also allow at least 300mm top overhang as knee space if people
are to sit up to a bar top area. |
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Standard
work surface height is around 900mm. . .This can vary according
to bench top thickness and adjustment of 'Toe-kick' space |
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Modulo
tall cabinets are nominally 2110mm high when on a 150mm
Toe-kick |
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Allow
at least 600mm of clearance between an electric cooking appliance
and protected surface above or 750mm of clearance between cooking
surface and unprotected surface above. A Gas hob requires 750mm
of clearance between cooking surface and protected surface above.
As a rule Gas hobs also either need a 700mm deep bench to allow
adequate space between wall and flame, or protective material
such as "Superlux" fixed to the wall behind and in addition
to any splash back you may choose. |
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No
cooking surface /hob may be installed below an opening window
unless the window is 75mm or more behind the appliance and more
than 600mm above it. |
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For
open-ended kitchen designs: at least 200mm counter space on one
side of cooking surface and 375mm on the other, at same height
as appliance
Enclosed kitchen designs: at least 75mm of clearance space at
an end wall protected by flame retardant material and 375mm on
other side at same counter height as appliance |
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The
bottom of microwave ovens should be 600mm to 1300mm above floor.
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At
least 400 x 400mm of landing space above, below, or adjacent to
any oven appliance |
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Watch-out
for conflicts in the operation or opening of doors, drawers or
appliances. |
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Consider
improving the function and accessibility of the kitchen by including
storage or organizing items, such as drawers, shelves, wall cabinets,
tall cabinets, appliance garages (same as 'On-bench' Pantries),
pull-out mechanisms, carousels, cutlery dividers, plate racks.
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