Kitchen Layout

Reply to: There is no general answer to your question. It depends on the layout. Prep happens between water and fire. You take food from the fridge or pantry, apply water and elbow grease, and deliver it to the range. So you need a large work surface in easy reach of both sink and stove, and with the sink ideally located near the fridge. If you prep on an island with no prep sink, remember you will constantly be turning to wash food, rinse your knives and spoons and measuring cups, and clean your hands. If you prep on the counter run itself, then that needs to be a large enough space to work on, and should not have the DW under it.

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Reply to: My pics are and . I have about 5.5 feet between sink and stove. As Buehl knows by now, suffice it to say that I don't find it in the least bit of a hinderance to have DW between sink and stove - clearly because my husband and I don't operate the way buehl's family does. DW is open after eating when all cooking is done OR to unload it before preparation begins. I can't imagine so much multi-tasking that unloading DW and food preparation happen simultaneously. (On that note, I find having the DW slap next to the dish storage cabinet and food preparation dishes and bang across from the storage container (serving ware, tupperware etc.) cabinet terribly helpful to unloading the DW. So I find this relative location to be a real winner.) That said, one thing I find very uncomfortable are things like sinks and stoves in or near corners. Corners are a cinch-point and a corner installation by construction means that access is limited. In my household, restricting access to sinks and stoves would cause "irreconcilable differences". Or at least a remodel. ;-) I have 5 feet between sink and stove and another 2 feet or more beyond each before reaching a constraint - If 5 became 3.5 or 4, that would still be fine. However if we lost clearance beyond sink or stove putting them into or too close to corners - this arrangement would not work for us.

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Reply to: I prep b/w the prep sink and cooktop. If your sink has a DW next to it, try very, very hard to not have it b/w the range and sink. It's not fun prepping over a running DW or one that's open for loading/unloading, or being opened on & off ("let me get one thing out of the DW" or "let me put one thing in the DW"). As a matter of fact, put the trash pullout b/w the sink and range...I found that I generate far more trash & recyclables while prepping and cooking than I do while cleaning up (and for a much longer period of time!) In the majority of cases, the primary Prep Zone in a kitchen usually ends up being next to a water source and close to the range/cooktop. If there's an island with a prep sink and the prep sink is placed appropriately, prepping can take place in an island. However, if there's no water in the island, prepping usually ends up wherever there is a water source. So, as long as you have enough space and no obstacles (like a DW), your plan for the Prep Zone is pretty good! How much is "enough prep space"? The NKBA recommends at least 36" of clear counterspace. I can tell you from experience that 24" is definitely far too little (it was one of the major driving forces of our remodel). I have 37" plus a few more inches to the edge of the sink for around 40" of prep space and it's heaven! So, try for at least 36"...42" would be even better! One thing, don't put too much space b/w them, though, b/c you don't want it to be a hike from the range to the sink for filling/emptying pots. Here's mine:

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