Designing a Kitchen Layout for You

The floor plan, or kitchen layout, is one of the first decisions for you to make when designing a kitchen for a remodel or renovation, and its a big one! Understanding some simple design elements that are commonly used will turn this stage in your project from one that is stressful, into an opportunity to create a kitchen that is perfectly suited to your needs. The methods used to design a kitchen layout have changed throughout the years, just like the purposes of kitchens have changed with the times and culture. The method most suited to designing modern kitchens is to define work zones and then use them to decide the layout shape of your kitchen. Using work zones in your kitchen design allows you to create layouts that provide efficient work flow and suited to your personal needs.

Work Zones

As you can imagine, there are several work zones that are a common thread in all kitchens, but the beauty of work zones is that you can make your own! Along with the basic work zones that provide efficient functionality, unique work zones will create a kitchen that works for you.

• Storage- This work zone would include any food storage, such as your refrigerator and pantry.

• Preparation- This work zone is where you would find ample counter top space for preparing meals and is often located near the cleaning work zone.

• Cooking- All of your appliances and counter top space used to cook comprise this work zone.

• Cleaning- This is the work zone that has your appliances used to clean such as your sink, dishwasher, and drying area.

• Custom Work Zones- Dining, beverage, and entertainment areas, are just a few examples of custom work zones.

When considering custom work zones, think of how you use your kitchen now, and what would you like to be able to use your kitchen for in the future. Do you love to cook for the big game? Are you a solo chef? Maybe you enjoy cooking with friends? In any case, defining how you plan to use a space provides clarity and ease in making design decisions.

Layout Shape

Most kitchen layouts can be categorized by the shape they create,

• L- Shaped

• U- Shaped

• G- Shaped

• Single wall

• Galley

These are the most common shapes for kitchen layouts and each one has its own advantages and disadvantages.

L- Shaped

L- Shaped kitchens are placed in the corner of a space and create a natural work area for the chef to use. L- shaped kitchens are often open to the adjoining room, allowing for interaction with guests and family. This makes it a great layout option for a kitchen used for entertaining and hosting guests.

Galley

A galley layout, also known as a corridor layout, places your work zones along two parallel walls. In this layout the work zones face each other, ideal for one cook at a time. A pass through or open breakfast bar is a good way to open up the space to make it feel less cramped.

U- Shaped

A U- shaped layout is the most versatile of all of them, offering greater continuous counter top space as well as multiple work zones. This kitchen layout can compliment nearly any style of kitchen use and incorporating custom corner cabinets is a great way to utilize all available space.

Single Wall

A Single Wall layout is a great design option for a kitchen with limited space. Rather than a usual work flow, a single wall layout employs more of a work line. Islands and pull out pantries are both ways to increase storage space in a single wall kitchen.

G- Shaped

A G- Shaped kitchen layout is similar to a U-shaped layout, except for one difference. A G-shaped kitchen has a peninsula or partial fourth wall, this provides opportunities for abundant storage and increased counter top space. This makes it a good option if you plan on using your kitchen to prepare large meals. Adding a bar top and seating to an island or partial wall is a stylish way to have an open and inviting space for your company.

The Right Kitchen Layout for You

Now that you have decided on the work zones best suited to your needs and a layout shape that fits your desired uses of the space, all that’s left is to put them together! The layout shape you choose needs to accommodate all of your work zones, and vice versa. For an example, lets take the instance of a kitchen used by a single chef that prepares food for family gatherings and likes to cook a lot at once: One viable option for the kitchen layout in this scenario would be a G- shaped layout which has ample space for extra work zones needed to cook large meals. By defining your own unique needs and uses of the space you can combine the work zones and layout shape to start designing the perfect kitchen layout for you.