Starting fresh or fully renovating a kitchen space provides a homeowner with many design opportunities. So, what kind of layout will work best with the available space? This week we pour through the 6 most common kitchen layouts to figure out how they work and why.
Kitchen Designs that Work
There are four main factors that will dictate the size and shape of a kitchen design:
- Kitchen’s Available Square Feet. This number is a big factor, and can be influenced by the answers to these other questions.
- Shape & Layout of the Home. The shape of the home, where the kitchen is located, and how traffic flows to and through the kitchen will influence the design. If space is limited and/or there are restrictions on what and how your space can improved, that can limit your layout options.
- Size of the Household. A fully functional kitchen needs to meet the homeowner’s current and future needs. If there are children and/or elders in the home, this influences the design.
- Maximum Guests to Entertain. If there is any chance a household will be entertaining more than one or two guests, the design needs to factor this in.
As you will see, based on the available space, not every layout is an option for each home. Though, the core of the design needs to answer the question: Which kitchen layout works best for the available space, for the number of residents. Lets get into those layouts to get some answers.
Kitchen Workflow / the Work Triangle
According to the K!TCHN article the Complete Guide to Kitchen Layouts, in order to choose a layout that works you need to understand how the Kitchen Work Triangle. We touched on this in a previous post, but we will detail it a bit better here.
A functional kitchen design means it performs well based on whatever your needs are at the moment. At the center of our need for a kitchen are the stovetop, sink, and refrigerator: this constitutes the work triangle. So a person isn’t having to unnecessarily carry food stuffs, dishes, cookware, or knives around the kitchen the entire time, we wisely prioritize that triangle.
A kitchen cabinet layout is intentionally designed to support all needs centered around the 3 points of that triangle. There are a few rules to designing around your Kitchen Work Triangle:
- Depending on the shape and size of the kitchen each leg of the triangle will be between 4 – 9 ft (1.5 – 2.8 meters).
- The combined length, maximum distance to travel, should be between 13 – 26 ft (4 – 8 meters).
- To allow for proper workflow it is important to make sure there are no base cabinets or appliances creating obstructions inside the triangle.
- To cut down on accidents it is import that the primary traffic flow does not cut through the triangle.
For a more comprehensive list of design considerations based on the Kitchen Work Triangle read the full K!TCHN (by Grundig) list here. Now onto the Top 6 Kitchen Layouts.
the One Wall Kitchen Layout
For smaller kitchen designs the One Wall Kitchen Layout makes a whole lot of sense. This layout will always consist of a bank of Upper and Lower cabinets, and the Sink, Range, and Fridge thoughtfully placed for adequate flow.
The One Wall Kitchen can certainly achieve subtle elegance and functionality with the right planning and design elements. For One Wall Layouts with very low square footage it is advisable to introduce floor to ceiling cabinetry to ensure all of the necessary storage is available.
the Galley Kitchen Layout
Light on corner cabinets a Galley Kitchen Layout consists of two banks of cabinets and appliances facing each other. It is easy to place that Kitchen Work Triangle in the center of a Galley Kitchen. Be careful of foot traffic: It can be a good idea to place a walk-in pantry at the end of this layout. This design can utilize more cabinetry, appliances, and added counter space.
the L-shaped Kitchen Layout
An L-shaped Kitchen Layout can fit well with an open and or smaller layouts. To complete the triangle homeowners Homeowners and Designers will often add a kitchen island. Adding an island is great for secondary appliances, an added prep area, more base cabinets, and bench seating. Even without an a kitchen island the L-shaped layout provides flexibility for the placement of appliances and work areas.
the U-shaped Kitchen Layout
A U-shaped Kitchen is ideal for larger kitchen designs. The U avoids foot traffic, provides a lot of counter space, and a ton of kitchen cabinetry. With a higher number of base cabinets U-shaped layouts often have less upper cabinets. Common design elements include open and floating shelves. Full wall cabinets are often relegated to one corner of the kitchen layout, usually around the refrigerator.
the Island Kitchen Layout
Not all kitchens that have an island are considered to be an Island Kitchen Layout. The Island Layout centers the functionality of the kitchen by placing the stovetop and hood in the island. Common Island features include a beverage fridge, an emphasis on bench seating, streamlined kitchen storage, sinks, and dishwashers. A great layout for Chefs, families, and larger homes.
the Peninsula Kitchen Layout
Cousin of the Island Kitchen, the Peninsula Kitchen Layout is an efficient and fun design. The Peninsula Kitchen allows for workflow to placed more in the center of the kitchen. A peninsula can create a functional island while working around restrictions and limitations with the space.
This layout can be less vulnerable to foot traffic mishaps and provides a ton of counter space. If you would love a Kitchen Island but don’t have that kind of room available, a Peninsula option is likely exactly what you need.
Written by Todd Zimmerman
Producer of the John Webbccast
