The work triangle in the kitchen

Jun 2026

Which areas make up the work triangle
The benefits of the work triangle
Who developed the work triangle

Bird’s eye view of an island kitchen, with a woman cooking.

The work triangle – or kitchen triangle – forms the basis of most kitchen planning. It suggests that kitchens are most efficient when there is a optimal layout between the three most essential areas in the kitchen: "storage", "cleaning" and "cooking". The idea is that refrigerator, sink and stove should be positioned as the three points of an imaginary triangle. Ideally, each side of the triangle should be around 1.5 metres long, with the total perimeter typically not exceeding seven metres.

The triangle may be adjusted to suit individual working habits – for example the larder unit may play a more important role than the refrigerator, or the dishwasher may take the place of the sink within the triangle. That’s why its worth considering your specific situation and thinking through your typical workflows – the can help you do that.

A bird's eye view of a kitchen. A woman making coffee with orange lines on the floor showing the individual zones in the kitchen

The many small journeys around the kitchen soon add up to a lot of walking over the course of a day. A carefully planned work triangle can make a real difference.

Suitable for various kitchen layouts

The original work triangle was developed in the 1940s, based on the "circular routing" concept by Lillian Moller Gilbreth. She arranged the different work zones in the kitchen in such a way that the person in her experiments could complete activities, such as baking a cake, with a minimal number of steps.

At the time, she defined the L-shape as the most efficient kitchen layout, but the principle can be applied to all common kitchen layouts. The only exception is the single run kitchen, which cannot accommodate a classic triangle arrangement. With these kitchens, the three key areas should be positioned as close together as possible. In general, the smaller the kitchen, the easier it is to implement the work triangle.

Sketch of an L-shaped kitchen from a bird’s eye perspective

Example of a work triangle in an L-shaped kitchen.

Sketch of a U-shaped kitchen from a bird’s eye perspective

A work triangle in a U-shaped kitchen.

Sketch of a G-shaped kitchen from a bird’s eye perspective, with work triangle

The work triangle principle can also be implemented in G-shaped kitchens.

Sketch of a single run kitchen from a bird’s eye perspective. The orange line along the kitchen run outlines the working area

Example of a work triangle in a single run kitchen: the work triangle turns into a linear arrangement.

Sketch of a galley kitchen from a bird’s eye perspective, with work triangle

Possible implementation of the work triangle in a galley kitchen

Sketch of an island kitchen from a bird’s eye perspective

Example of a work triangle in an island kitchen.

More about Lillian Moller Gilbreth:

Alternatives to the triangle

If the work triangle doesn’t follow the classic shape, it doesn't automatically mean that the kitchen is badly planned. When the concept was developed, the kitchen was seen primarily as a working space. Today, this is often no longer the case: many kitchens – especially those with integrated living spaces – prioritise comfort and social interaction over the classic work triangle and the efficiency principle associated with it. Choosing to move away from the proven concept can work perfectly well, but it should be a conscious decision. By way of comparison, Blum’s requirements research has found that we walk roughly 96 km in our kitchens each year – so even small, design-related increases in food preparation distances add up to a considerable difference over time.

More about short distances in the kitchen:

The work triangle at a glance:

The kitchen work triangle connects the three most essential areas in the kitchen: storage, cleaning and cooking
Short distances between these areas make the kitchen more efficient to use
The work triangle can be applied to almost all common kitchen layouts