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If you’re thinking of installing a new kitchen in your home, you’ve come to the right place. In this article, we’re going to discuss the many possible kitchen layouts so you can find the one that will best fit your space and your needs. If you’re unsure about the pros and cons of different kitchen layouts, then read on.
The kitchen is one of the high-use areas in the home, and it’s one of the first things people look at when they think about investing in a property. For this reason alone, it’s recommended to consider all your options and choose one that’s functional and cost-effective – so what is the best kitchen for you?
6 Most Popular Types Of Kitchen Layouts
1. L-Shape Kitchen Layout
The L-shaped kitchen layout is ideal in small and medium-sized spaces and is especially well-suited in open-plan designs. This design makes cooking easy, as you don’t have to cross the room to access what you need.
They can be ideal for hosting parties, as many L-shaped kitchens have two entryways to allow for easier traffic flow. And, there’s often room for a table on the other side of the kitchen from the cabinets.
Pros:
- Floor Space – L-shaped kitchens have an excellent balance between floor and countertop space, giving you plenty of room for appliances.
- Open Plan – These kitchens are perfect for open design concepts; they can easily incorporate a kitchen island, increasing the value of your home and your standard of living. It’s also great for solo cooking.
Cons:
- Practicalities – The main drawback of the L-shaped kitchen layout is the practicality of using the kitchen facilities.
- Corner Cabinets – These can also be an issue unless you plan ahead and install some designated corner units with pull-out storage.
2. U-Shape Kitchen Layout
A U-shaped kitchen layout is sometimes called a horseshoe kitchen because of its iconic design. Popular in older homes and homes with square and rectangular kitchen spaces, the U-shaped kitchen layout is an excellent use of space if you have room for it.
While the U-shaped kitchen gives you plenty of space for cooking and baking, it can be more difficult for guests to pass through the kitchen. There’s also generally less space for a dining area.
Pros:
- Space and Storage – With a U-shaped kitchen layout, you won’t be stuck for space or storage.
- Open Concept -These kitchen layouts are ideal for open concept designs and often open onto a dining area.
- Countertop Space – With three joined-up countertop units giving an efficient work triangle, you won’t be short of cooking space for you and other family members.
Cons:
- Cramped Space – Although U-shaped kitchen layouts are open plan, they can become cramped if they are narrow and a few people are working there.
- Corner Cabinets – Joined-up countertops are an advantage for cooking space and storage, but when it comes to corner units, some space is wasted unless you have specialist corner cabinet designs.
- Accessibility – U-shaped kitchen layouts provide plenty of space and storage, but they can get jammed up with only one way in and out.
3. Parallel Kitchen Layout (Galley Kitchen)
A galley kitchen, also known as a parallel kitchen, or corridor kitchen, is a kitchen design characterized by a corridor of floorspace flanked by units and countertop space on both sides. A one-wall kitchen layout has cabinets, while the other wall has cleaning apparatus.
Galley kitchens are ideal for making the most of small and narrow spaces – there’s no wasted space in the corner. However, there generally isn’t room for a dining table, although a breakfast bar may be possible if you can compromise on cabinet space. This kitchen layout often has a door at either end, making it ideal for busy households or hosting parties where lots of guests may be trying to move around the house.
Pros:
- Efficiency and Function – Galley kitchens are an excellent use of space; they are designed to be practical and efficient; if you need a smaller kitchen, then a galley style is a good option.
- Practical Spaces – These are not luxury kitchens, but they are practical and functional. A galley style gives you plenty of working space and lots of storage on two walls.
- Workspace – For a small kitchen, a galley gives you plenty of space to work. The countertops run the entire length of the corridor space.
Cons:
- Narrow Space – A galley is an excellent use of space, but it can seem narrow, especially if more than one person is working in it simultaneously.
- Storage Space – Galley kitchens do the best with the room they have, but storage space is still an issue. While you have cabinets on both walls, you might still find the storage limited.
4. One-Wall Kitchen Layout
A one-wall kitchen layout is exactly what it sounds like; the entire kitchen is situated on a single wall. This style of kitchen uses a single wall even when other walls are available to conserve space and make it more open plan. But a one-wall kitchen layout is also popular for smaller homes and apartments.
This kitchen layout is ideally suited to smaller families and is ideal for keeping a bright, open feel in your space, even if it is small. Keeping all the cabinets and work surfaces on one wall means there is plenty of space to move around.
Pros:
- Space Conservation – One-wall kitchens save space by locating the entire kitchen area on a single wall. This opens up possibilities for open plan designs for smaller homes.
- Low Cost – This style of kitchen is lower cost because there is less investment for kitchen units and fewer costs for installing them.
- Good Workflow – One-wall kitchens are also convenient and facilitate good workflows. A one-wall kitchen can be similar to an open-plan kitchen in some ways.
Cons:
- Crowded – Although this style of kitchen can be useful for workflows, it can also create a crowded space because everyone needs to use the same units and counter space.
- Limited Storage – Of course, with units and cabinets on a single wall, there are fewer places to store food and kitchen utensils.
- Lower Value – If a U-shape or open plan kitchen is desirable to new buyers, a one-wall kitchen is not. This style of kitchen does not add much, if any, value to your property.
5. Peninsula Kitchen Layout
A peninsula kitchen layout is a somewhat rare kitchen design similar to a standard kitchen and is sometimes called a modular kitchen. With this kitchen style, you have units and cabinets around three or four walls and an island unit or breakfast bar that sits tangent to the primary kitchen area.
This kitchen layout is great for socializing – you can chat to family members sitting at the breakfast bar as you are cooking or cleaning up. It’s also great for separating an open-plan kitchen from the rest of your space – the island unit can be used as a divider between the kitchen and dining area.
Pros:
- Space and Storage – With most of the walls offering storage space and countertop space, there is no shortage of room to cook or places to store your tins and baking utensils.
- Functionality – A peninsula kitchen gives you plenty of space to work and socialize; someone can sit at the island and chat with you while you cook or bake.
Cons:
- Floor Space – A peninsula kitchen is built on three sides with only one access route, making it a bit cramped if you have multiple people working there, but it depends on your room size.
- Accessibility – With only one route in and out of a peninsula, kitchen accessibility can be an issue, especially if the kitchen area is busy during festive periods or on special occasions.
6. Island Kitchen
One of the most sought-after types of kitchen layouts is the kitchen island. They not only look amazing, but they increase the kitchen’s functionality and turn it into a multi-use area. No wonder a kitchen island can increase the price of your property; unfortunately, not every home can install a kitchen island.
If you love entertaining guests or hosting parties, an island kitchen layout is right for you. Like the peninsula kitchen layout, a kitchen island is ideal for socializing and hosting parties. There is plenty of space for guests to either sit or walk around and mingle, and you can work in the kitchen at the same time as interacting with others. You might even be able to fit a small kitchen TV with this layout!
Pros:
- Counter space – Whatever size your kitchen island happens to be, it will increase the countertop space for dining and keeping small appliances on.
- Storage – A kitchen island wouldn’t be very efficient if it didn’t utilize the space underneath as well as on top. This is one reason why an island kitchen increases your storage capacities.
Cons:
- Workflow – The downside of kitchen islands is the interruptions to the workflow by the island in the center.
- Venting – The island is useful for storing appliances, but some of these appliances can be difficult to vent.
What Is The Ideal Kitchen Layout?
The ideal kitchen layouts are subjective because some designs work better for different spaces and purposes. In general, the larger the kitchen space you have available, the more choice you have. Kitchens with islands tend to add the most value to a home, but they aren’t always possible to install.
On the other side of the scale, there is the galley layout if you have less floor space. It is very functional and the best choice for smaller kitchen areas. It might not be a desirable open-plan concept, but it gives you the most space and storage for your smaller home – they are also far cheaper to buy and install.
How To Choose A Kitchen Layout
Whether you have recently moved home or you want to renovate an existing kitchen to update it or add value to your property, it’s a good idea to consider all your options carefully. The best place to start is with the area and shape of the kitchen area; first, decide what kitchens are possible to install.
What are the factors to consider when planning a kitchen layout?
Layout – When you are planning to install a kitchen in your home, the first thing to consider is the area you have and what’s possible to achieve. Talk to a consultant if you have any questions.
Storage – Do you cook and bake in the kitchen a lot, or does your family prefer take-out food? This is something to consider as it affects the amount of storage you need and the size of the kitchen.
Lighting – Think about the type of lighting you want in your kitchen and whether you need spotlighting for cooking. Also, consider what type of bulbs to use – LEDs are a good choice.
Usage – Finally, the kitchen’s usage is important if you want to maximize the functionality of the space and get the advantage of added property value- it’s reasonable to make this a priority.
Style – There are a number of different types of kitchen styles that you can pick from for your kitchen. Certain styles will be a better fit for different kitchen layouts.
FAQs
The best layout for a kitchen with limited space is the “one-wall kitchen,” this design gives you the best balance of space and utility by using the wall space effectively. In a one-wall kitchen, you can enjoy enough room to move around in, plenty of worktop space, and sufficient cabinet storage.
Of course, which types of kitchen layouts will suit your space largely depends on the shape of your kitchen. For example, if you have a small kitchen that’s square or rectangular, you might be better with a U-shaped kitchen layout or an L-shaped kitchen layout; these use the same format as the one-wall kitchen but are bigger overall.
Every kitchen is different, which is why different kitchen shapes work better and are more efficient for different layouts. For instance, if you have space for a kitchen island, the galley kitchen layout is not the best choice.
Whether your kitchen space is suitable for a galley kitchen layout, an island kitchen, or a modular kitchen, it’s important to ensure you have the best access to cabinets, cupboards, ovens, and countertop space – so practicality and access are two primary factors in kitchen layouts.
When it comes to installing a kitchen, it’s worth spending some time thinking about the options for the space. You want to make the most of the space so that you can enjoy your time in the kitchen and so that it takes some of the pressure off other areas of the home. There are different ways to use the space.
Overall, you want a kitchen that gives you enough room to operate and enough storage space. If you have extra room in the home, the kitchen can double as a dining area with a handy island. Multi-use space is trending right now and for good reasons – always try to double-up functions.
If you have a large family choosing the right kitchen layouts is even more important, you have to strike a balance between ample space and storage. With larger families, you spend more time in the kitchen area; additionally, there will be more people in the kitchen, and there is more food to store in cabinets.
That said, an open-shaped kitchen layout is not always the best use of space for a family kitchen; you might need a galley kitchen that gives you better storage and access, especially if the kitchen is long and straight. If it’s bigger, you have more options, but one with good access is best.
Final Thoughts
There are six types of kitchen layouts for you to choose from, each suitable to a particular size and shape of room. Although open-plan concepts and kitchen islands are probably the most desirable and increase a property’s price the most, it is not always feasible to install one of them in your home.
However, there are plenty of alternative options that can make the most of your kitchen space, increase storage capacity and functionality, and increase the value of your home. Choose the right layout for your kitchen area and usage style, and you can enjoy years of comfort and convenience.
Richmond Howard started Meal Prepify in 2019 and has helped over a million people learn how to meal prep, get better at meal planning, and create a kitchen they love to use. He’s an avid home chef and loves to bbq, grill out, and make awesome food for family and friends. He’s been featured on MSN, Renaissance Periodization, and Good Financial Cents.