So you’re working out your kitchen design and have heard a few people mention the magical ‘kitchen triangle’?

Yes, it exists — and it isn’t the latest must-have musical accessory for your kitchen. Rather, it is a concept that is definitely worth incorporating into your overall kitchen design.

It’s a concept to ensure efficient kitchen layouts that uses a triangle of imaginary lines can be drawn between three main work areas.

How it works is like this: using imaginary lines a triangle is drawn between the three frequently-accessed cooking and food preparation areas. These three crucial cooking areas are: your fridge, your sink and your stove or cooktop (often with oven underneath).

These three areas of fridge, sink and cooktop represent the places where you most often store food; the place where you’re likely to clean and prepare food; and the place where you are likely to cook it.

Ideally, each imaginary line should be between 1.2 metres and no more than three metres long, ensuring a functional and ergonomic flow in your kitchen.

The idea behind the kitchen triangle is that distinct work spaces are marked out for each main task — commonly these are daily tasks — to reduce the workload and distance, and to ensure the least amount of effort required and the most efficient workflow is achieved in the kitchen. A more efficient kitchen that requires less effort to prepare food?! Sold.

With houses generally bigger now, and more modern kitchen additions like island benches and appliances (like microwaves and thermomixes) thrown more into the mix in terms of what is desired in a kitchen, this may influence your kitchen design.

The general principle of ergonomic and efficient workflow is sound though, and will contribute to a more functional kitchen.