Designing Your Kitchen - Part 1: Layout

Congratulations! You're designing your kitchen!

One of the first steps to consider when designing a kitchen is the layout. The layout will determine the placement of the major components in a kitchen such as the refrigerator, sink, stove, dishwasher and storage areas.

The placement of the refrigerator, sink and oven create what is called a "work triangle." These components are the most commonly used stations in the kitchen. The total length of the triangle should be between 12 and 26 feet, so as to cut down on leg fatigue while cooking and preparing food.

Now, imagine yourself in the space preparing a meal. What would feel most comfortable to you? Do you prefer an open layout concept where you can have multiple people in your kitchen at one time? Do you have limited space and need a compact kitchen? Do you prefer an eat-in kitchen? These are just a few of the questions you should consider when picking a layout for your kitchen design.

According to KraftMaid.com, there are five different layouts found in today's kitchens. They are the L, U, G, single-wall, and galley. Below are illustrations of each of these, taken from the article "Five Common Kitchen Layouts". Click on any of the pictures to find out why that particular layout has become a design favorite.

The L-shaped Kitchen:

The U-shaped Kitchen:

The G-shaped Kitchen:

The Single-Wall or Straight Kitchen:

The Corridor or Galley Kitchen:

Here are a few examples of our Cottages which successfully use three of the layouts:

L Shape: Shingle Garage

U Shape: Woods Cottage

G Shape: Shelter Cottage 2466 SF

Once you have selected a layout you can then move on to personalizing the space with materials and custom touches. We'll discuss this step in "Designing Your Kitchen - Part 2: Materials". Stay tuned!