kitchen clearances

A well-planned kitchen layout directly affects safety, efficiency, and how comfortably you can use the space every day. Poor layouts lead to:

• Blocked walkways
• Appliance collisions
• Awkward storage access
• Long-term frustration

Many homeowners choose cabinets or islands first, only to discover later that clearances don’t meet basic requirements.

Kitchen layout planning relies on two critical frameworks. One is building codes, which establish required minimums for safety. The other is design guidelines, which improve:

• Comfort
• Usability

Understanding both helps prevent costly mistakes, failed inspections, and usability issues.

This guide breaks down kitchen layout planning into clear, measurable rules. You’ll learn: