Creating the ideal layout for your kitchen
Once you've accurately measured and drawn out your floorplan, you can begin laying out the ideal floorplan for your new kitchen.
Understanding the "work triangle" will help the efficiency of your design. Your basic work triangle is an imaginary line drawn from the kitchen's three primary work areas: food storage (refrigerator), food preparation (stove) and clean-up (sink). Keep your work triangle to a manageable size of 26 feet or less, which is the sum of the three legs of the work triangle. Keep traffic flow out of the work triangle if at all possible.
The U-shaped kitchen: a compact work triangle
This kitchen is a very popular layout because of the compact work triangle it creates. It contains generous counter space and helps provide an efficient work flow.
The L-shaped kitchen: flexibility for large or small homes
The flexible design of an L-shaped kitchen means that appliances can be located in several different areas. It's practical for families because it divides easily into a kitchen and eating area. It's also ideal for adding a dining or relaxation area or a kitchen island.
The G-shaped kitchen: lots of counter and cabinet space
The G-shaped kitchen is very much like the U-shaped with the addition of a cabinetry "leg". It contains ample counter and storage space. Multiple cooks can easily function in this layout. It's an ideal center for entertaining guests.
The single wall kitchen: a simple layout for any home
The single wall unit provides an open and airy layout, particularly for apartments or smaller homes. A moveable butcher's block floating island cabinet (FIC24, FIC30, FIC36) can be used away from fixed counters to increase space.
The galley kitchen: ideal for small kitchens
The galley kitchen is ideal for small kitchens with appliances in close proximity to each other.
A minumum 48" corridor width should be provided. This allows one cook to easily maneuver and can be converted into a U-shaped kitchen by closing off one end.
Some design tips for all kitchen layouts
- Place the sink cabinets and appliances as close to the original layout as possible.
- Make sure doors open properly, appliances are unobstructed and traffic flows easily through your kitchen.
- Experiment with design. Consider substituting other cabinets -- or combination of cabinets -- of the same dimension for some of your current cabinets.