Renovation planning, on the go
Save your favourite home ideas, enquire with firms and explore home deals.
Switch to the app
📢 [27-28 Apr] Skip showroom-hopping! Meet multiple interior designers on one weekend. Find out more ›
ARTICLES

20 Designs For EVERY Kitchen Layout, From Galley to L-Shaped

It’s time to get cooking with these kitchen ideas!

The kitchen. For some, it’s a space to work their culinary skills while for others it’s a cosy gathering spot for friends and family. But regardless of how you use it, it’s a fact that the kitchen is a key part of any modern-day dwelling because of its role in not just food preparation, but also storage and even relationships.

kitchen design layout ideas

So if you intend to turn your kitchen into the heart of your home, here are 20 examples – sorted by 4 common layouts – to get you started!

Contents
  1. Kitchen designs with a U-shaped layout
  2. Kitchen designs with an L-shaped layout
  3. Kitchen designs with a galley layout
  4. Kitchen designs with a one-wall layout

U-Shaped Layout

Pasir Ris Drive 10 by The Interior Lab
Save to Qanvast Board
68

View this project by The Interior Lab

Space is certainly not lacking in this resale flat, evident by the fact that its open-concept kitchen is approximately 1.5 times the size of a regular BTO’s kitchen. Sporting a U-shaped layout, a geometric backsplash is applied to two sides of the U, adding visual interest to an otherwise quintessential white-and-wood kitchen.

Depot Road by Fineline Design
Save to Qanvast Board
13

View this project by Fineline Design

Cooking can be therapeutic. Cooking with a view? Perhaps more so.

But of course, the additional stretch of carpentry by this kitchen’s window also serves practical purposes: extra countertop space for food prep, as well as under-counter cabinets for storage.

And while there’s a slight gap on the right to make way for the service yard entrance, we’d still consider this a U-shaped layout for all intents and purposes.

Seletar Park Residence by MAD About Design
Save to Qanvast Board
2

View this project by MAD About Design

Speaking of U-shaped layouts with twists, notice how the bend of this one has been partitioned with sliding doors? This prevents fumes from escaping into the rest of the home when heavy cooking is in progress, and can be opened at all other times. What you effectively get, then, is a dry and wet kitchen combo – in a small space no less!

That said, the placement of the sink, hob and refrigerator come together to form the perfect kitchen work triangle for efficient cooking, making it a ‘textbook’ layout in this regard.

Riversails by Happe Design Atelier
Save to Qanvast Board
14

View this project by Happe Design Atelier

Likewise, the owners of this condo decided to demarcate a third of the U – except this time by using a cooler tone of laminates for the shelves that house a built-in oven and microwave. When coupled with paneling details, it really goes to show that nuances go a long way in changing the look and feel of a given space.

Canberra Road by My Reno Diary
Save to Qanvast Board
1

View this project by My Reno Diary

Alternatively, segment your kitchen vertically: with overhead cabinets, a backsplash and under-counter cabinets in different colours altogether.

In this resale flat’s kitchen, the backsplash serves as a ‘bridge’ between the two sets of cabinets, where gold veining is in a warm hue like that of the overhead cabinets. These are then against an off-white backdrop, providing a smooth visual transition to the white cabinets below.


L-Shaped Layout

Choa Chu Kang Avenue 2 (Block 296C) by Mr Designer Studio
Save to Qanvast Board
3

View this project by Mr Designer Studio

Two things caught our attention the moment we saw this kitchen.

For one, it looks as classy as it is quirky with stone and metallic surfaces, paired with lime green laminates and a diagonal ‘chessboard’ floor tile pattern that really pop.

Next, it shows you don’t need a massive space to have that kitchen island you’ve always wanted. Here, the island provides much needed space for food prep, given that the entire corner of the L-shaped counter is obstructed by a structural pillar.

Northshore! by The Local INN.terior 新家室
Save to Qanvast Board
50

View this project by The Local INN.terior 新家室

In another case of not letting structural elements get in the way, the owners of this Northshore BTO wrapped their peninsula around a pillar that could not be hacked away. Straddling between the designated kitchen and living room, the peninsula provides a seamless transition between the two rooms, all while affording the owners ample countertop space for food prep.

Senja Close by Urban Home Design 二本設計家
Save to Qanvast Board
4

View this project by Urban Home Design 二本設計家

Should darker tones be your preference, this next L-shaped kitchen is for you. Likewise opting for an open concept, it features an island-dining table combination, which has become a popular choice among homeowners given that both constituents double as space for food prep and dining. Visually, they also look less cluttered together than when placed separately.

Tampines Avenue 5 by Dyel Design
Save to Qanvast Board
20

View this project by Dyel Design

Can’t decide between a light and dark colour palette? You don’t have to! Take notes from this maisonette where a mix of light and dark neutral tones come together to form a simple yet timeless look. And just so it doesn’t look too cold/clinical, warm toned lights are used for a homey feel.

Margaret Drive by HOFT
Save to Qanvast Board
43

View this project by HOFT

Similarly, this BTO at Queenstown shows us the beauty of simplicity. Utilising a mix of flat and panelled cabinet fronts, open and closed shelves, as well as under-cabinet lighting, the kitchen boasts varying visual depth which distracts you from how small this kitchen actually is.


Galley Layout

City View @ Boon Keng by Inizio Atelier
Save to Qanvast Board
1

View this project by Inizio Atelier

Speaking of small kitchens, you may want to consider a galley layout, particularly if your unit comes with a long and narrow kitchen like this DBSS in Boon Keng.

Galley layouts have their namesake from ship kitchens with parallel stretches of countertops/cabinets, leaving just enough space to walk between them. The upside, though, is that you get to maximise storage space.

Melody Spring @ Yishun by Starry Homestead
Save to Qanvast Board
36

View this project by Starry Homestead

Needless to say, galley layouts work well even if you have a roomier kitchen like this BTO in Yishun does. Here, the extra space is utilised by having a pantry area perpendicular to one side of the counters, allowing other household members to access the water dispenser without getting in the way of whoever’s cooking.

Punggol Drive by Yang's Inspiration Design
Save to Qanvast Board
17
Punggol Drive by Yang's Inspiration Design
Save to Qanvast Board
16

View this project by Yang's Inspiration Design

Should you prefer an open-concept kitchen, but one with as much storage space as possible, this resale flat once again shows that a galley layout is the way to go. For easy access, the fridge, pantry cabinet and water dispenser are likewise placed closer to the kitchen’s entrance.

Fernvale Link by The Local Project
Save to Qanvast Board
2

View this project by The Local Project

But if you’d like the best of both worlds, a semi-open kitchen is probably the choice for you. In this resale flat, the kitchen wall perpendicular to the galley was hacked and replaced with a half-height cabinet and foldable glass doors atop, complemented with full-height sliding glass doors on the side.

Redhill Road by Great Oasis Interior Design
Save to Qanvast Board
3

View this project by Great Oasis Interior Design

Then, there are units with odd corners. Take inspiration from this resale flat, where herringbone flooring and royal blue under-counter laminates provide a sense of visual continuity across the kitchen and oddly angled service yard, resulting in a look that’s anything but awkward.


One-Wall Layout

Lorong Ah Soo by ChengYi Interior Design
Save to Qanvast Board
18

View this project by ChengYi Interior Design

As its name suggests, one-wall kitchens have fittings and appliances flushed against a single wall, typically with an island on the opposing end for both food prep and dining.

We particularly love the modern farmhouse look in this Hougang maisonette and how airy it is, complete with shaker-style cabinets, subway tiles, metallic surfaces and bar stools.

Pasir Ris Street 53 by Forefront Interior
Save to Qanvast Board
35

View this project by Forefront Interior

Opting for a moodier look, this other maisonette in Pasir Ris employs warm wood toned laminates and a black stone island with a waterfall effect for that wow factor. Because there’s only one stretch of cabinets in place, the extra negative space also gives such open-concept kitchens a significantly more open feel than their U-/L-shaped and galley counterparts.

Tampines Street 62 by Jialux Interior
Save to Qanvast Board
11

View this project by Jialux Interior

Another reason you may wish to go for a one-wall open-concept kitchen? It’s great for socialising with your guests while cooking, which this 5-room BTO in Tampines further encourages with its dark and cosy vibes.

Edgefield Plains by Ascend Design
Save to Qanvast Board
98

View this project by Ascend Design

But of course, limiting storage to just one wall may prove to be insufficient. As a workaround, the kitchen and service yard of this 3-room flat in Punggol were merged, making way for a longer stretch of countertop and cabinets, which in turn houses a washer at the far end.

Senja Road by Key Concept
Save to Qanvast Board
21

View this project by Key Concept

Lastly, one-wall kitchen layouts may sometimes be your only option due to your unit’s layout, as was the case with this resale flat.

Because the swing clearance needed for the service yard and common bathroom leave little room for built-in carpentry on the opposing side, the owners instead went with a loose half-height shelf for their coffee machine, in order to make up for the lack of countertop space. A simple solution, but an effective one no less.


Giving inspiration isn't the only way we can help with your renovation

Let us know all your renovation requirements and get quick, personalised renovation quotes from five local interior design firms for free!

Also, when you engage an interior firm through our free recommendation service, you'll enjoy discounts from our Qanvast voucher kit and the Qanvast Guarantee - a free scheme that safeguards up to $50,000 of your renovation deposits.

This article was originally published on 10 October 2019 and last updated on 28 February 2024.

Explore similar content
Kitchen Wet Kitchen Dry Kitchen

Renovate with assurance, only on Qanvast. Find and meet interior designers verified by homeowners, with no hidden costs and no commissions involved. Find an ID

kitchen design ideas by layout
Save to Qanvast Board

We're on Instagram, Telegram and TikTok! Follow us there to keep up with the latest design trends 🙌
Advertisement
Recommended for you
Chat