Anyone investigating a kitchen remodel or new home design will soon discover the importance of the kitchen triangle, i.e. the relationship between range, refrigerator, and sink. For a homeowner who truly desires to utilize a kitchen for cooking, the layout of these appliances is quite important for efficiency and the future enjoyment of the kitchen.
Much has been written regarding these design considerations, and you have, without a doubt, run across articles discussing it as you’ve researched remodeling options. I won’t attempt to expand on existing notions, but want to add a small but important fourth leg of the triangle — the trash can.
If you have ever cooked in a kitchen where the trashcan isn’t easily accessed during meal preparation, you will have undoubtedly discovered for yourself how frustrating it can be to make a trip to dispose of refuse. In such situations, I will often utilize a large bowl on the counter as a temporary trashcan in order to better facilitate meal preparation, emptying it during a lull, or at the end of preparation. While this is a viable solution, I often wish I could have designed the kitchen to not have required it.
Remodeling a kitchen in an existing space often requires you to weigh tradeoffs in optimal placement of one of the triangle items, due to plumbing, electrical, or space considerations, hopefully a well located trashcan will ease some of that burden.