No one wants a brand-new kitchen with appliance doors that bump into cabinet doors, or an island so close to the wall that it can’t be used for dining. Good space planning will help you develop the best layout for your kitchen, so take the time to read the National Kitchen & Bath Association (NKBA) guidelines.

Designed to maximize safety and functionality in home kitchens, the guidelines represent ideal layout solutions to kitchen concerns from storage space to door clearance. Don’t fret if budget limitations and the constraints of an existing kitchen require some compromises and tradeoffs.