Many people dream of the chance to design a brand new kitchen completely from scratch, but it can be a real challenge. There are lots of different things to consider and it’s easy to end up torn between two options or second-guessing your own decisions.
One of the most crucial things to get right, before you can start worrying about tile colours or even appliance brands, is the layout of your new kitchen. If this is wrong, the whole space won’t work for you and your family. If you’ve spent a reasonable sum on your new kitchen, you’ll want it to be perfect – and if it’s not, you’re the one who will have to live with it until you’ve saved up enough to fix it.
Here are five functional layouts to consider:
A one-wall kitchen.
This is a great option for small spaces, as it doesn’t take up much space and leaves you plenty of room left for dining. It’s also a good idea for smaller open-plan spaces, where you may need to incorporate living, kitchen and dining (and perhaps sleeping too) all in the one room. An important thing to watch out for with this layout is that you leave yourself enough worktop space. Consider building appliances such as microwaves into units and attaching things to walls (i.e. knife racks and utensil rails) to free up worktop space.
The U-shape.
This is one of the most common kitchen layouts, simply because its practical and fits neatly into most square-ish rooms. Units travel along all three walls in a U-shape, giving you lots of working and storage space. You need to be careful with corners, as there may be problems opening appliance and cupboard doors at the same time, and you might not be able to fit in a table unless you have a large space.
Galley.
The galley kitchen is supremely functional, giving you maximum worktop space on both sides of a longer, narrower space. It can be a social space if not too narrow, but it can also end up being a corridor to other parts of the house.
The G-shape.
The G-shape kitchen is basically an extension of the U-shape, where units travel around 3 walls and extend partly across a fourth, leaving ample access into the kitchen. It only works when a kitchen is joined to other rooms such as dining and living spaces. This can work well when you need just a little extra worktop space, or want to include a small breakfast bar. This layout is also good for entertaining, as having preparation space facing other rooms allows you to be social as you cook.
Island layouts.
Incorporating an island into a kitchen can be a fantastic feature, but it can be tricky. Provided you leave ample working space between the island and other units (and don’t try to cram one in just for the sake of it) you can have one in a one-wall kitchen or a U-shape.
Remember, the key to success with any kitchen layout is always high-quality fitting – if the fit isn’t right, the layout won’t work. Speak to the experts at A&J Kitchens for advice on fitting your dream kitchen layout.
One of the most crucial things to get right, before you can start worrying about tile colours or even appliance brands, is the layout of your new kitchen. If this is wrong, the whole space won’t work for you and your family. If you’ve spent a reasonable sum on your new kitchen, you’ll want it to be perfect – and if it’s not, you’re the one who will have to live with it until you’ve saved up enough to fix it.
Here are five functional layouts to consider:
A one-wall kitchen.
This is a great option for small spaces, as it doesn’t take up much space and leaves you plenty of room left for dining. It’s also a good idea for smaller open-plan spaces, where you may need to incorporate living, kitchen and dining (and perhaps sleeping too) all in the one room. An important thing to watch out for with this layout is that you leave yourself enough worktop space. Consider building appliances such as microwaves into units and attaching things to walls (i.e. knife racks and utensil rails) to free up worktop space.
The U-shape.
This is one of the most common kitchen layouts, simply because its practical and fits neatly into most square-ish rooms. Units travel along all three walls in a U-shape, giving you lots of working and storage space. You need to be careful with corners, as there may be problems opening appliance and cupboard doors at the same time, and you might not be able to fit in a table unless you have a large space.
Galley.
The galley kitchen is supremely functional, giving you maximum worktop space on both sides of a longer, narrower space. It can be a social space if not too narrow, but it can also end up being a corridor to other parts of the house.
The G-shape.
The G-shape kitchen is basically an extension of the U-shape, where units travel around 3 walls and extend partly across a fourth, leaving ample access into the kitchen. It only works when a kitchen is joined to other rooms such as dining and living spaces. This can work well when you need just a little extra worktop space, or want to include a small breakfast bar. This layout is also good for entertaining, as having preparation space facing other rooms allows you to be social as you cook.
Island layouts.
Incorporating an island into a kitchen can be a fantastic feature, but it can be tricky. Provided you leave ample working space between the island and other units (and don’t try to cram one in just for the sake of it) you can have one in a one-wall kitchen or a U-shape.
Remember, the key to success with any kitchen layout is always high-quality fitting – if the fit isn’t right, the layout won’t work. Speak to the experts at A&J Kitchens for advice on fitting your dream kitchen layout.
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