Your kitchen layout is critical and kitchen space planning needs to be right - there is a lot to consider if you are to ensure your kitchen is cook-friendly:
Will I have to walk far to get water to fill a pan on the cooker?
Will I have enough space to slice, dice, chop, and prepare meals?
Will I have room to store the olive oil near the stove?
Will two or more cooks be able to work in the space?
Will I be able to easily rinse dishes and load them into the dishwasher?
What kind of sink(s) do I need?
How much storage do I need?
Since the 1950s kitchen planning has worked around the kitchen triangle rule ...
Kitchen space planning - kitchen work triangle
When designing a kitchen layout, traditionally people talked about the kitchen triangle rule, described as an imaginary straight line drawn from the centre of the sink, to the centre of the cooker top, to the centre of the fridge and finally back to the sink. Getting these units as close together as possible is said to make your kitchen more user friendly:
Photo: Kitchen triangle rule
However in many households, two or more people now share the cooking. Kitchens are growing in size and tend to feature more than three workspaces; therefore the regular kitchen work triangle isn't always practical.
So now people are talking about kitchen layout in terms of "zones". When kitchen space planning, think of a kitchen's functions and work these into zones in your plan. Food preparation, cooking, serving and washing-up are the four main jobs all kitchens need to fulfil. A kitchen layout with two work triangles (linking the zones) can maintain and direct traffic flow while keeping the cooks from being in each other's way.
The kitchen work triangle is a helpful tool, don't let it inhibit you from thinking outside the triangle when it comes to kitchen space planning.
Typical kitchen layout options
The L-shaped kitchen
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Best suited to narrow rooms, long rooms or open-plan living areas, an L-shape kitchen has cupboards along two adjacent walls, this is a very popular kitchen layout - ideal for a family kitchen, or for entertaining guests. The hob, fridge and sink should ideally be separated by areas of worktop to provide adequate preparation space:
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easily accommodates table and chairs in the same room
lack of through-traffic
corners can even be used either in a carousel or a magic corner
frees up workspace and provides a good amount of storage
design minimises walking distances between main working areas.
Lots of space? Go for a U-shape Kitchen
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U-shaped kitchens are an extremely effective design solution, utilising three full walls of a kitchen. For this kitchen design ensure you have at least 2m (6.5 ft) between the arms of the U:
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fridge, cooker and sink can be spaced out for maximum efficiency
provides the best workflows with shortest distances
allows for large amounts of worktop and storage space
usually space for a good selection of appliances and cupboards
design suits both small and large kitchens
kitchen also benefits from the lack of through-traffic
one of the legs of the U can be used as a breakfast bar
However if used in a small space the U design may leave you cramped and feeling closed in. Make sure that the hard-to-access corner cupboards are used effectively.
Everyone seems to want one - The island kitchen
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An open-plan kitchen is ideal for getting an island unit which can be used for storage, as a breakfast bar, an extra worktop or as a space to install a hob, so that you can be sociable while you cook:
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allows the cook(s) to socialise while preparing
a sink here provides the optimum arrangement in working triangle
a hob with a canopy over the island can form a focal point
Careful planning is needed to prevent wasted journeys around the island, but it can be used for storage, a hob or a sink. This design is best suited to a larger room.
The single line kitchen
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This is a smart and simple solution for narrow rooms, ideally with one wall over 10 feet long, without windows or doors:/p>
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simplest of layouts
works well in small spaces and provides extra floor space
best planned with the sink in the middle of the line
use built in appliances to make the most of valuable space.
This layout causes the longest journey distances since you often have to walk from one end of the room to the other. Therefore, it's a good idea to place the sink in the middle of the line, with adequate space separating it from the range. It is advised to position the stove so it gets the least possible through-traffic.
The galley kitchen
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A double galley, with two facing lines of cupboards, gives the possibility of the sink opposite the hob, providing the room is not a through-room. There should be at lest 1.2m between the two lines of units:/p>
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efficient use of space
two rows allow room for lots of preparation space
moving between activity areas can be as easy as turning around
There needs to be enough space left between the two sides, min of 1200mm (47in), so that you can cook effectively and so that people can walk around you and ensure there is enough room for opposite drawers to be open. The two-way galley can suffer from the same problems with household traffic as the single-line kitchen.
Kitchen layout top tips
| Worktops |
Longest stretch should be located between the sink and
the cooker, plan enough sockets for appliances used in this area |
| Keep an area of worktop next to a cooker/oven so that you are not
forced to carry heavy or hot dishes any great distances |
| Storage |
Tall units should be placed at the end of worktops |
| Remember your rubbish, think about a good recycling system |
| Store utensils, knives, dishes, pots and pans within easy reach |
| Appliances |
Don't position sinks or cookers on corners you need elbow room |
| Fridges and freezers should be located away from cookers and ovens to work efficiently |
| Take into account clearance required by appliance doors |
| Try to plan your dishwasher and washing machine - close together |
| Plumbing |
If replacing an existing kitchen, it's usually easier to leave the sink in the same place and simply fit a new one, but weigh up the advantages of a different location against the cost implication |
| If possible, fit your sink under a window to make the most of the natural light - this will help prevent head banging on cupboard doors |
| Space |
Allow 700mm for people to pull a chair out from a table |
| Allow1.2metres of space where people are likely to pass |
For more advice on kitchen layout and kitchen space planning check our our complete Kitchen Design blog.