Selecting a countertop can be a tricky task because of how many conflicting opinion there are about the "best" material. We believe there are many great options, and we're going to explore the pros and cons of quartz, marble, laminate, recycled glass, concrete, and neolith in the course of this year.But this week we're looking at how much countertop space you need--and where in your kitchen.Most kitchen designers consider a concept called “the work triangle.” It refers to the three important points for cooking in your kitchen: the fridge, sink and stove. If you have each stationed at a point on a triangle with a minimum distance of four feet between each, you have the ideal space for cooking and baking. Most of your countertop should be near these spots.SINK: The National Kitchen & Bath Association recommends 24 inches of counter on one side our your sink and 18 inches on the other.STOVE: Around your stove, NKBA says 12 inches on one side and 15 inches on the other.FRIDGE: And finally, you want 15 inches on the handle side of a traditional fridge or on either side of a french door fridge.With this in mind, you can step back and think about how you cook and what you cook (do you need a big smooth surface for rolling out pastry or a spot to chop fruit near your compost bin? )-- this will help you determine what you need. Also think about the clean up, and then design a cooking area that suits you.If you have parallel work spaces they should be no more than two feet apart.Of course there are many other things to consider, and that's why we have professional interior designers to help design your dream kitchen.
