Kitchen Designs must be more than just about looks. Kitchens need to be functional. One 
of the critical elements is what is referred to as the Kitchen Work Triangle.
The “work triangle” is defined by the National Kitchen and Bath Association as an imaginary straight line drawn from the center of the sink, to the center of the cooktop, to the center of the refrigerator and finally back to the sink. The NKBA suggests these guidelines for work triangles:
- The sum of the work triangle’s three sides should not exceed 26 feet, and each leg should measure between 4 and 9 feet.
- The work triangle should not cut through an island or peninsula by more than 12 inches.
- If the kitchen has only one sink, it should be placed between or across from the cooking surface, preparation area, or refrigerator.
- No major traffic patterns should cross through the triangle.
The goal of the work triangle is to keep the major workstations close enough for efficiency without being too close and crowded. The triangle assumes a single person doing the cooking which in modern homes is not always the case. It also assumes that only four stations are in use: sink, cook top and refrigerator. Today’s kitchens have ovens that increasingly are not co-located with the cook top. There are also many other appliances such as microwave, steam oven, toaster oven, bread oven, spaghetti maker and many others.
The appliances you have and how often you use each item should determine the layout of and individualized kitchen.
Source: The Work Triangle – The Work Triangle – Layouts – Design – Kitchens.com ; https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kitchen_work_triangle