What are the six types of kitchen layouts?

The best kitchens have a flow about them. They look good but are also easily navigable. The layout feels natural whether you’re cooking a meal or making tea and coffee, but that doesn’t mean that there’s a ‘perfect’ layout. 

What works for one person may not work for another, which is why it’s essential to think about your layout when it comes to redesigning your kitchen.

Let’s explore the six types of kitchen layouts and whether they would work in your space. 

1. One-wall kitchens

Best for: Smaller kitchens.

What is a one-wall kitchen? 

An example of this type of layout would be positioning the fridge at one end, the oven in the centre and the sink at the far end.

This type of kitchen gives you everything you need in one straight line. If you opt for this type of design, you’ll mostly be building your kitchen horizontally, making good use of cabinets and shelves.

A Scandinavian kitchen would be an excellent option for this type of kitchen layout.

2. U-shaped kitchens

Best for: Larger kitchens.

What is a u-shaped kitchen? 

A U-shaped kitchen has cabinets spanning three walls, enclosing your space in a sort of ‘U’ shape.

If you have a lot of space to work with, this is a great way to bring everything together. It also gives you heaps of storage space and room to work – perfect for couples that like to cook together. You can even add a small pantry to keep things looking neat and tidy. 

Speak to our designers about which walls to place cabinets against and which to place shelves, as well as the right colour scheme to avoid the ‘boxed in’ feel.

3. L-shaped kitchens

Best for: Both smaller and larger kitchens.

What is an L-shaped kitchen? 

Cabinets positioned along two adjoining walls, making the shape of an ‘L’. 

If you have an open plan kitchen, then an L-shaped style will help you keep things crisp and spacious. The flexibility means that you can create specific work zones that are optimised for your type of cooking.

Shaker kitchen cabinets will be your best friend if you go down this route.

4. Island kitchens

Best for: Open plan homes and larger kitchens

What is an island kitchen? 

This is simply a kitchen that has an island worktop in the middle of the space. It works as a sort of feature.

If you have additional space to play with, installing a kitchen island is a fantastic option. It provides extra preparation space for when you have a larger party of guests, is a great place to position feature items,  additional kitchen utensils and can even be an extra working space if you’re able to work from home on occasion. 

5. Galley kitchens

Best for: Smaller kitchens and homeowners with larger families.

What is a galley kitchen?

A galley kitchen consists of two cabinet rows facing each other, with a passage (galley) between them.

This is a fantastic choice if you have a large household and not much space, as it provides more storage opportunities and can lower the chances of people bumping into each other.

This option will work well with both a contemporary and a traditional design.

6. Peninsular kitchens

Best for: Smaller and larger kitchens.

What is a peninsular kitchen? 

This type of kitchen is similar to an island kitchen, but the worktop usually stems from a wall rather than being in the middle of the room.

This is a good option if you have limited wall space but need the additional worktop for meal prep or other tasks like home working. It can also act very nicely as a breakfast bar. 

Another option is to split a larger kitchen into the central kitchen and a space for a dining table. 

When deciding which type of kitchen to install, consider what activities you do most in your kitchen. From here, contemplate your personal style and which type of kitchen will best reflect this.