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.

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!

U-Shaped Layout

There’s no need to explain why U-shaped kitchens are also known as C-shaped kitchens. Instead, what should be highlighted about this efficient configuration – which this monochrome example uses – is how it maximises all three walls in a space to create a sleek, no-frills cooking zone.

For homes where the issue with square footage isn’t a lack of it, but an excess, a U-shaped layout can come in handy as well. Here, in this contemporary kitchen that’s beautifully accented in blue and white, a counter on one side was extended with a drop leaf table to create a restaurant-style dining area.

As this compact kitchen proves, the same counter/dining area idea works on a smaller scale too! By installing a countertop over the cabinets to create a peninsula, Briey Interior added extra seating functionality to what would have been a regular storage fixture.

If you haven’t noticed by now, U-shaped kitchens work great with open-plan homes. Save for where sections are flushed against a wall or window, any end of the layout can be left exposed to form a seamless visual and physical connection with adjacent spaces, be it a living area or cosy corner.

U-shaped layouts are rarely used in long, narrow kitchens as they take up space on both sides of a walkway. However, this example by Liid Studio shows how to make the layout work by positioning its bottom cabinets between the kitchen and the walkway outside, which leaves just enough walkway space inside without sacrificing storage depth.

L-Shaped Layout

If you’ve ever heard of the work triangle, then you’d know that L-shaped layouts are the best for achieving an efficient flow in the kitchen as they allow you to easily move between preparation, cooking and clean-up zones.

To illustrate, take a closer look at this vibrant kitchen, and you’ll notice that the hob and sink are placed along the same counter for convenience. The same goes for the prep area which is located close by, even though it’s on a separate ‘leg’ of the L-shape configuration.

What’s remarkable about this eclectic kitchen is the amount of space that it has. Adopting an L-shaped configuration allows for storage cabinets to be built along just two walls here, instead of three in the case of U-shaped kitchens, thus leaving enough room for a dining table.

Flexibility is another advantage of having a L-shaped kitchen. With this layout, you’ll be able to make even small areas useful as shown by this studio apartment, which shares its cooking space with the living area and has its sink installed along a short stretch of wall for the ideal small home arrangement.

Due to the long stretches that they occupy on one side, recessed fittings are a great choice for L-shaped kitchens, especially if you wish to make yours look even longer. For this kitchen, a concealed hood and an induction stove enhance this illusion as they don’t interrupt the visual space along the counter.

Sharp corners in kitchens can be hard to design around, but an L-shaped layout can help with just that due to their perpendicular configuration. Custom shelving, such as open corner units, are also great add-ons as they can help in eking out extra storage room without breaking the continuous run of your built-ins.

Galley Layout

The galley layout’s namesake comes from ship kitchens that similarly feature a pair of counter units running parallel to each other. And due to the small spaces they are usually built in, these symmetrical counters are often tucked against walls to create a clear path, which sometimes ends up framing a view nicely like in this Ang Mo Kio home.

If space is an issue, opting for a galley layout might be your most efficient option. As the length of the runs on both sides can be varied, you’ll be able to keep one side shorter to fit in a fridge – and don’t forget to dress them up with trendy tiles, wood strips, or both (like in this example) to create a more finished look.

Alternatively, if you’re in need of extra storage and have a larger kitchen, adding tall cabinets on one side of a galley kitchen’s run is an idea that you may wish to explore. Just remember to keep the hob, hood and sink along the same stretch for easy movement between cooking and clean up zones!

Galley counters aren’t necessarily just convenient spots for cooking and/or washing, in some cases, they can serve as reading spots too! If you’ve an open-concept layout and some space in front of your galley counter, perhaps consider installing a bookcase to create a nook where you can browse recipes for your next meal idea.

In need of a dining area, but don’t wish to break the run of your galley counters? A space-friendly solution would be to simply shorten one end and fill in the gap with a dining table, which would also give you a kitchen configuration that’s also convenient for social gatherings.

One-wall Layout

Call it basic if you wish, but the one-wall layout has its fans and it can be extra-useful if you want to have everything within easy reach. This mini-kitchen is the perfect example as it encompasses nearly everything a functional, full-sized kitchen needs, including a hob, larders and even shelves on the sides for all sorts of cooking appliances.

Just like the other layouts listed above, the one-wall configuration can also be adapted to fit all sorts of kitchens, be they small or large. For this home, having everything on a single wall serves both a practical and aesthetic purpose as it leaves enough room for a dining table and even a washing machine, while preserving the clean lines of the surroundings.

Sometimes, when space is at a premium, you might end up having to place your kitchen beside the TV. In a setting like this, a one-wall configuration featuring top and bottom runs of cabinets can prove invaluable as it maximises the amount of storage solutions in a small area; having them in matching colours also helps to create a continuous sense of flow.

It’s the small details that make the difference between a regular home and an extraordinary one that’s full of character. For this kitchen with a one-wall configuration, bold blue cabinets are accompanied by a herringbone backsplash and highly patterned floor tiles, which provide the wow factor necessary for an eye-catching space.

Because of how much they pack onto a single stretch of space, one possible downside of the one-wall layout is the amount of visual bulk that it introduces into a kitchen. However, it’s an issue that can be easily solved by cutting down on the number of top-hung cabinets – if storage isn’t a priority, a single cabinet will suffice.

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