What is the best kitchen layout?

Kitchens come in all shapes and sizes. Very few offer a standard square or rectangular floor plan.

When it comes to planning your kitchen, there are a number of options you can choose from to make the most of your space. Let’s take a look at the four most popular layouts.

The U-Shaped Kitchen

A U-Shaped design is the most practical layout as it offers plenty of floor and storage space. It has three walls lined with cabinets and appliances.

Any medium or large kitchen can accommodate a U-shape design with units running around three walls. For smaller kitchens, work out if you can plan the layout to have at least two metres of space in the centre of the room. You may be able to achieve this with reduced-depth units and worktops.

Larger kitchens may be able to accommodate a dining table and chairs or an island in the central space.

The kitchen triangle of cooker, fridge, and sink, fits easily with a U-shape, which keeps everything within reach. You can position the cooker and hob at the centre and the sink and fridge at either end. This plan will give you plenty of worksurfaces.

The L-Shaped Kitchen

The L-Shape is another popular layout for kitchens as its functional and flexible, adapting to fit most spaces.

The L-shape features cabinets and appliances along two adjacent walls. This shape works for most small or large kitchens. You might dot your appliances around or have them all lined up on one side.

In a smaller kitchen, you may be able to fit in a small dining table at the side. Larger kitchens will be able to house a strategically placed island.

The work triangle can be easily navigated and moved around to suit you. Often the fridge is at one end of the L with the cooker and hob at the other while the sink sits in between them.

The Island Kitchen

This has increased in popularity in recent years as there are now so many kitchen island designs to choose from. This is a simple shape with the island in the centre of the kitchen and cabinets and worktops lining the walls.

The beauty of an island is that it creates a functional central space that can be used for eating, cooking, preparing food or socialising. You should be able to move easily around the island, which means allowing at least one metre between the island and the surrounding cabinets and appliances.

As well as being a multifunctional workstation, the kitchen island provides additional storage underneath.

The Galley Kitchen

A galley kitchen has two rows of cabinets and appliances facing each other with a walkway in between. Ideally, there should be at least 1.2m between facing cabinet doors.

This style works well if you have doors at either end of your kitchen. Extra tall cabinets can be used to maximise your vertical space.

The galley kitchen is ideal for smaller kitchens and narrow rooms. In the work triangle, the fridge should be on one side and the cooker and hob and sink on the other – with a length of worktop separating the cooking area from the wet zone.

A tip is to have darker base cabinets and lighter upper cabinets. This gives added depth and makes it feel less like a hallway.

Choose the best layout for your kitchen

German Kitchen Store provides high-quality German kitchens at trade prices with an easy online ordering system.

The beauty of our ordering system is its simplicity. Choose the range and door style/colour – the process is easy. Carcasses, accessories and appliance package options are clearly displayed, allowing you to build a kitchen that’s designed to your specifications.

Our customer service team is on hand to help with any questions or queries regarding your order and delivery.

Call us on 01525 851 642 or email hello@germankitchenstore.co.uk