An intrinsic part of kitchen design, the kitchen triangle is made up of three parts, our sink (water storage), cooking appliances and our food storage area. The distance between these three areas should be as little as possible to promote efficiency and to keep walking distances to the minimum. A short distance is obviously desirable but might not be always possible.

However, these three crucial focal points and the imaginary lines that form their boundaries, make up what kitchen experts call the Kitchen Work Triangle. They work on the idea to join these three elements in close (but not too close) proximity to one other. This makes our kitchen easy and efficient to use, cutting down on wasted steps.

More importantly, as in every case, there are exceptions to this rule: In single wall kitchens, it’s geometrically impossible to achieve a true triangle—but efficiency can still be achieved through the configuration of the three items, and by measuring how far apart they are.

Designer’s Tip: While planning your kitchen, always begins with your sink, hob and oven. Slot these in and make sure you’re happy with how they relate to each other. The fridge and freezer are more flexible appliances, which can be fitted in later.