Island Kitchen Layout Meaning

Kitchen Layout is the shape of arrangement of the kitchen cabinet and kitchen appliances, kitchen layout forms the structure and the design of our kitchen. The effectiveness of space usetilize is very much depend to the kitchen layout, a suitable kitchen layout ensure the efficiency of space planning and kitchen work flow.

One of the most basic layout principles is the kitchen work triangle. The work triangle is an imaginary line drawn from each of the three primary work stations in the kitchen 1. the food storage, 2. preparation/cooking, and 3. clean-up stations. With drawing these lines, we can assess the distance required to move to and from each area and thus determine how well the traffic will flow. To help avoid traffic flow problems, kitchen work triangles should have a perimeter that measures less than 26 feet.

Choosing a kitchen layout depends on the space available, physical layout of your kitchen, efficiency and convenience desired. The kitchen work triangle is determine the efficiency of our kitchen. Kitchen work triangle is the area defined by the locations of the refrigerator, the range or cooktop, and the sink. A compact triangle limits the distances between these key appliances. When we are choosing the efficien kitchen layout for your home, make sure we are considering the kitchen work triangle.

Kitchen Layouts Explained: Introduction To Kitchen Layouts

One Wall Kitchen Layout / Single Line Kitchen Layout, all major kicthen work zones kitchen are arrayed along one wall. The length of one wall kitchen is no less than 8 feet, we would not be able to fit in all the appliances if less then 8 feet. One Wall Kitchen Layout is sutable for a small kitchen with limited space.

L-shape Kitchen Layout consists of work space on two adjoining walls perpendicular to each other. In an L-Shape Kitchen Layout, a natural work triangle is created from continuous counter space and work stations on two adjacent walls. L-shaped kitchen is the most common layout plan. It requires less space and offers more flexibility in the location of workstations. This plan works well when the kitchen adjoins a casual space.

Galley Kitchen Layout usually consists of two rows of units divided by a corridor, though you can plan a single row of units in a similar way. The Corridor Kitchen Layout (or called as Galley Kitchen Layout) has a workspace large enough for one cook. In this kitchen layout plan, the kitchen cabinet and work station face each other on parallel walls creating a small work triangle. In this kitchen layout, we may opt to stack storage solutions to maximize space. .

Kitchens With Islands

With Galley Kitchen Layout, we will just need to divide the kitchen into different work sites. The best width for a galley kitchen is 7 to 12 feet. Kitchens over 10-feet wide can utilize the U-shaped kitchen layout.

U-shape kitchen layout consists of work space on three adjoining walls, two parallel walls perpendicular to a third, form an u-shape. U-shaped kitchen layout takes the kitchen work triangle, and spread it over three adjoining walls- two parallel and one perpendicular.  It is a single space without any traffic lanes dividing the space or interrupting work stations.  U-shape kitchen layout gives us maximum space and plenty of storage options, ensuring that everything is within easy reach. If the room is large, it isimportant to ensure that the points of the working triangle are not too far from one another.

The U-shaped kitchen is the most versatile layout for kitchens of all sizes because the layout offers continuous countertops and ample storage that surround the cook on three sides. In larger kitchens, this floor plan is spacious enough to be divided into multiple work stations for cooks to easily prepare a meal together without getting in each other’s way.

Your Guide To 6 Kitchen Island Styles

The G-Shape kitchen layout is a step up from the U-Shape kitchen. This design adds extra cabinet and counter space. In order to avoid feeling to closed-in, this layout works best when two of the walls are open to adjacent spaces. G-Shape kitchen layout is a “U” that is modified by the addition of an extra wall of cabinets and appliances as a peninsula leg or a fourth wall. Wee need to ensure the peninsula is not so long that getting in and out of the kitchen becomes difficult. Essentially this area is a work aisle, not a walkway, so a width of 4 feet would be ideal.

Kitchen Island is a stand alone kitchen compartment, island separate from the main construction area. Kitchen Island is an additional work station and storage cabinets. Islands tend to work best in L-shaped kitchens that measure at least 10 X 10 feet and open to another area.Island increase the functionality of your kitchen by equipping the island with a cooktop or outfitting it with barstools for casual dining.We and our partners use cookies to Store and/or access information on a device. We and our partners use data for Personalised ads and content, ad and content measurement, audience insights and product development. An example of data being processed may be a unique identifier stored in a cookie. Some of our partners may process your data as a part of their legitimate business interest without asking for consent. To view the purposes they believe they have legitimate interest for, or to object to this data processing use the vendor list link below. The consent submitted will only be used for data processing originating from this website. If you would like to change your settings or withdraw consent at any time, the link to do so is in our privacy policy accessible from our home page..

The idea of this page, and others in the kitchen layout ideas section of the site is to concentrate on kitchen layout options, and save you spending hours browsing through interiors photos with different looks but similar layouts.

Kitchen Island Vs Kitchen Peninsula

For all the layouts below there would be some flexibility for location of appliances.  See How to Design a Kitchen for info on placing your appliances.

Go ahead and check out these layouts of kitchens with islands but make sure you don’t overlook other designs that might be better for your kitchen, U shaped kitchens, L shaped kitchen, G shaped kitchen or galley kitchen.

First up here’s a U shaped kitchen with a double width island (check kitchen dimensions for cooking surface clearance on islands).  When you add an island to a U shape kitchen it’s important to keep the kitchen triangle on one side of the kitchen to avoid the kitchen island getting in the way when you’re using the kitchen.

Kitchen Island Vs. Kitchen Peninsula

Here’s a wider, flatter U shape with an island.  The outer portion of the island is raised to create an eating bar.

Next up it’s an L shaped kitchen with an island added – perhaps one of the most common layouts in family homes these days.

Here’s a large L shaped kitchen with two kitchen islands.  This particular kitchen is designed for two cooks.  There’s an extra dishwasher in the kitchen nearer the range and ovens for the oven trays and pots and pans and another dishwasher for the tableware.  One section of one the islands is raised to bar height for privacy.

Common Kitchen Design Terminology Explained

Usually, to get an uninterrupted flow between the refrigerator, sink and cook top in kitchens with islands it's necessary to have either the sink or the cook top on the island.

I have seen kitchens which have nothing on the island.  This can have some advantages.  It looks pretty great and the island is clear for homework or to use as a servery when you're entertaining.  This means that the refrigerator, sink and cook top need to be in a galley configuration or in an L shape with the sink and cook top on one side and the refrigerator near the corner of the L so the corner of the island doesn't get in the way of accessing it.

This kitchen has an oval island which matches the orientation of the sink which is placed in a corner window.  The elliptical island has the effect of smoothing the working area but the shape of the island and the 45° orientation mean that there's less storage and counter space both in the corner and on the island.

Planning Your Kitchen Layout |

Here's a kitchen island which provides some extra counter space to the kitchen and has a curved eating counter.  This arrangement smooths the circulation around the back of the island.

So now that we’ve had a look at all the layouts let’s discuss how these kitchens perform in relation to the kitchen design layout goals.

We've already gone into the counter space that each of the kitchen shapes offer on their respective pages (all available from the kitchen layout ideas page).

What To Know About Adding A Kitchen Island To Your Home

In some circumstances, adding a kitchen island adds counter space.  I've seen some kitchens that are L shaped with a kitchen island that I think would have been more effective as a U shaped kitchen which would have had a more effective layout.

And on the G shaped kitchen page I talk about the fact that it's better to make a U shaped kitchen with a small island (that isn't