The ultimate guide to kitchen layouts

While some people have their hearts set on a particular kitchen layout, most people work with what they’ve got. This guide looks at the most common types of kitchen design and explores ways to enhance the space you have, using smart storage and effective design to transform your kitchen into a haven that works for you.

The most common kitchen layouts

In the UK, many housing styles have predictable kitchen layouts, from terraced homes with galley kitchens to modern builds with open-plan living arrangements. Let’s take a closer look at the most common kitchen designs.

Galley kitchen

Galley kitchens (with worktops down one side) or double galleys (with two parallel worktops and a walkway in the middle) are often found in terraced houses. The style works well for long, narrow rooms.

While storage and worktop space can be ample, galley kitchens may feel cramped, particularly if more than one person is using the space or guests need to access a bathroom at the other end.

The key with galley kitchen designs – or any small kitchen design – is to stick to pale colours and maximise worktop space, to make the room feel light and free from clutter.

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Check out our Oak worktops

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Open plan kitchen

Open plan kitchens are often seamlessly integrated with adjacent living spaces, such as a dining room or living room. Walls and partitions are minimal and worktops can be used to delineate the kitchen space or create a ‘room within a room’.

These kitchens are spacious by design, with a natural sense of flow that encourages interaction. Work surfaces in open plan rooms usually serve a dual purpose, with kitchen islands or peninsulas doubling as a preparation surface and breakfast bar, integrating communal seating that brings people together.

L-shaped kitchen

L-shaped kitchens have two rows of adjacent worktops, running at right angles to one another.

The layout works practically in small spaces, often offering a satisfying working ‘triangle’ between the sink, cooker and fridge. In larger rooms, one half of the ‘L’ may not be against a wall and can be turned into a wider island or breakfast bar.

Ensuring there is adequate workspace is key in a L-shaped kitchen. If more room is needed and you have the capacity to extend, a U-shaped kitchen layout might suit you better.

U-shaped kitchen

Kitchens with three worktops running around in a U-shape are known – funnily enough – as U-shaped kitchens. With a cooker on the central surface and a sink and fridge opposite one another on the other sides, this layout effectively puts the ‘kitchen triangle’ into action.

Clever corner cupboards can be added to ensure no space goes unused and you get the most out of your storage. In larger rooms, consider adding an island to the centre. Some people with smaller U-shaped kitchens decide to knock through to create an open-plan space with a dining table, to make their home feel roomier and more sociable.

Kitchen layout ideas

Depending on your kitchen layout, there are plenty of ways to optimise the space.

Smart storage

Planning a kitchen revamp? Start with an overhaul. Declutter the contents of your cupboards and cabinets and decide on what needs to stay and go. When planning new storage spaces, make the most of every inch of the room, utilising corner cupboards and extending cupboards to the ceiling. Drawer organisers can be a great way to keep gadgets, plastic containers and tea towels assigned to their place, avoiding chaos and keeping worktops free from unnecessary items.

Efficient design

Think about how you move around your kitchen, between the holy ‘triangle’ of sink, fridge and oven. If you cook often, ensure you have enough useable work surfaces and room for important gadgets like the blender or air fryer. If you’re short on space, consider multi-functional furniture, such as a butcher’s block, breakfast bar or an extendable table.

Colour and lighting

Make small spaces seem bigger by using light and tone effectively. Pale colours will make even a tiny kitchen feel brighter and more spacious. At best, dark tones can feel cosy; at worst, they’re claustrophobic. Employ a range of lighting options to maximise your kitchen space. Under-cupboard lighting will liven up your work surfaces; ceiling lights and spotlights will extend the glow-up.

Joining kitchen worktops

Your kitchen layout may end up influencing your decision when you go to buy new worktops, as different designs require different joining techniques, some of which may be better suited to certain materials over others.

Butt joints, where two straight surfaces are butted together and joined, may be more suited to a laminate surface, whereas a modern mason’s mitre joint might be needed to install a real wood countertop in an L- or U-shaped kitchen.

Before ordering your worktop, we’re happy to talk through your plans and help you realise your vision, ensuring your chosen materials will suit your kitchen design and can be installed easily and effectively.