Kitchen design guide · NZ
Design your own NZ kitchen: working triangle & appliance spacing
Before you start dropping cabinets on a plan, get the fundamentals right. This guide covers the working triangle, standard NZ appliance clearances and the bench, walkway and cabinet heights we use every day when helping Kiwi homeowners lay out their flat-pack kitchens.
Prefer to plan on paper first?
Download our free kitchen design checklist to capture dimensions, appliances, layout and services before you start designing.
1. The working triangle
The working triangle is the invisible line connecting your three busiest zones: the fridge, the sink and the cooktop. Get these three points into a comfortable triangle and the kitchen almost designs itself.
Fridge zone
Storage & unpacking. Position near the kitchen entrance so groceries can land without crossing the cook path.
Sink zone
Prep & clean. Centre this leg — most kitchen tasks happen at the sink. Keep the dishwasher within one step.
Cooktop zone
Cook & serve. Locate on an outside wall where possible so the rangehood ducts to the exterior.
Rules of thumb
- Each leg of the triangle: 1.2 m – 2.7 m
- Total perimeter: 4 m – 7.9 m
- No major traffic path (hallway, door) should cut through the triangle
- Tall cabinets (pantry, oven tower) should sit at the ends of a run, not between two triangle points
2. Standard NZ appliance spacing
NZ appliances follow European sizing, so most cabinets are built in 150 mm increments from 300 mm up to 900 mm wide. Use the clearances below when sketching your layout — always double-check against the manufacturer's installation spec for the exact model you plan to buy.
| Appliance | Typical size (W × H × D) | Recommended clearance |
|---|---|---|
| Freestanding fridge | 600–900 × 1800 × 650 mm | 50 mm each side & top for ventilation; 300–400 mm landing bench on handle side |
| Integrated fridge | 600 × 1780 × 545 mm | Cabinet allowance 600 × 1780 mm; check hinge side |
| Cooktop – 4 burner | 600 × 55 × 520 mm | 300 mm bench each side; 750 mm to rangehood (gas) / 650 mm (induction) |
| Cooktop – 5 burner | 750–900 × 55 × 520 mm | 300 mm bench each side; matched rangehood width |
| Built-in oven | 600 × 595 × 560 mm | Fits 600 mm cavity; 30 mm ventilation gap top & rear |
| Microwave (built-in) | 600 × 380–450 × 380 mm | Above bench height, ideally 1400–1500 mm to base |
| Rangehood | 600, 750 or 900 mm wide | 600–750 mm above cooktop; match or exceed cooktop width |
| Dishwasher | 600 × 820–870 × 600 mm | Within 900 mm of sink; door swing 600 mm forward |
| Dishwasher – slimline | 450 × 820–870 × 600 mm | Same as above; useful for small kitchens |
| Sink (single bowl) | 500–600 mm cabinet | 600 mm bench prep zone each side |
| Sink (double bowl) | 800–900 mm cabinet | 600 mm prep bench, 300 mm drying bench |
3. Standard NZ bench, wall & walkway dimensions
Base cabinet height
720 mm carcass + 100–150 mm plinth
Finished bench height
900–920 mm from floor to top of bench
Bench depth (perimeter)
600 mm standard
Island bench depth
900–1200 mm (allows seating on one side)
Wall cabinet height
720, 900 or 1200 mm
Bench to wall cabinet gap
500–600 mm (750 mm min above cooktop)
Walkway – single cook
1000 mm minimum
Walkway – island / two cooks
1200 mm minimum, 1500 mm ideal
4. Which layout fits your space?
Galley
Two parallel runs, best for narrow spaces. Keep 1.2 m between benches. Ideal for one cook.
L-shape
Two runs meeting in a corner — the most popular NZ layout. Naturally forms a compact working triangle.
U-shape
Three walls of bench. Excellent storage and prep space. Needs at least 2.4 m × 2.4 m clear internal area.
L-shape with island
Adds a social zone opposite the cook run. Allow 1.2 m minimum between the island and the main bench.
Kitchen design FAQs
Ready to lay out your kitchen?
Use our online designer to drop cabinets into your room dimensions, confirm the working triangle and get instant pricing. Trade customers can log in for priority pricing.