Kitchen Layouts

G - Shaped Kitchen Layout.

The orientation of the cabinetry, the work zones or work triangle, storage space, appliances, the budget, and activities that will be performed in the kitchen are all determined by the space, which eventually translates to the kitchen layout.

The orientation of the cabinetry, the work zones or work triangle (having the cooker, the sink and the refrigerator form a triangle, with this points at the three corners of the triangle, allowing between 4 feet and about 8 feet walking distance between points), storage space, appliances, the budget, and activities that will be performed in the kitchen, are all determined by the space of the kitchen, which eventually translate to the kitchen layout.

Though it’s good to get ideas on how to plan your kitchen from kitchen(s) you saw at a friend’s, in a magazine or a website, having your kitchen look exactly like some others can be banal. In planning your kitchen, you have carte blanche to design and organize your space to suit your personality, lifestyle, family size and your budget.

Orientation of kitchen cabinetry is classified into:

Single Gallery;

Double Gallery / Hallway;

L – Shaped;

U – Shaped;

G – Shaped.

The single gallery kitchen has a cabinetry orientation on one wall in the kitchen, with all three points of the work triangle on a straight line. It is most suitable for studio flats, mini flats and apartments with space constraint. A well planned single gallery kitchen can still come with a lot of conveniences, with appliances and accessories incorporated.

Single Gallery Kitchen. 

The double gallery or hallway kitchen has its cabinetry orientation on two walls facing each other with a hallway in-between. The work triangle does not necessarily need be on one wall; they can be spread between the two walls. There is more storage space and prep /task area here compared to the single gallery kitchen.

Hallway / Double Gallery Kitchen.

The L – shaped kitchen has its cabinetry orientation on two walls at a 90° to each other, forming the letter “L”. Depending on the lengths of both walls, this type of kitchen is more spacious, with more storage space, prep / task area and circulation area. With a spacious circulation area, an island (this is a stand-alone set of cabinets with worktop placed at the middle of the kitchen) can be incorporated to act as extra prep area, a dining table, children play, or an entertainment zone.

L Shaped Kitchen.

A U – shaped kitchen is one with the cabinetry orientation on three walls of the kitchen forming the letter ”U”. This type of kitchens most times has a very spacious circulation area, creating a longer walking distance, and making it difficult to achieve the 4 feet to 5 feet walking distance between the points of the work triangle, even with the introduction of an island. In solving this, the work zones are now being used to replace the work triangle. With work zones, cooking, food prep, cleaning, storage, entertainment, dining, children play, and home office zones can be created depending on how spacious the kitchen.

The cooking, food prep and cleaning points can be more than one, allowing two or more people to work in the kitchen at the same time.

Remember the kitchen reflects your lifestyle, and defines your class, so, do it your way.

U Shaped Kitchen with an island

The G – shaped kitchen as with the “L” and ”U” shaped, has the cabinetry orientation forming the letter “G”. 

G Shaped Kitchen

The kitchen can be either open or closed depending how you want your space laid out. The closed kitchen is the usual four walled kitchen, with windows and access doors. The open kitchen on the other hand, is one with two or three walls open into living room and the dining area. Because of the evolution of the kitchen as earlier stated, the open kitchen concept is gradually being accepted by more people. 

Open L shaped Kitchen...opening into the living /dining area.

Even at that, some people will not subscribe to it because, they don’t want all their guests seeing them prepare food in the kitchen, see dirty dishes in the sink, or having spiced food smell everywhere in the living room.

Rather than have an open kitchen, some other people will rather have a bigger space for the kitchen to incorporate an entertainment zone (for close friends), dining area and children play zone in a close kitchen, and then a separate living area to entertain other guests.

All the kitchen layouts can either be open or closed; whichever your preference is, try to make your kitchen as unique as possible.