Kitchen Layout & Shapes

The kitchen layout is probably the most important design element for your overall kitchen style. It is the layout, not the concept or colours, that determines the usage of space for cooking, moving around and socialising. The layout of a kitchen tells you the placement of your cabinets, sink(s), appliances and furniture, and more often than not, it is restricted by the position of your windows, doors and the shape of the room.

Careful thoughts are needed in structuring the layout and more priority should be given to the person using it as the kitchen should accommodate the needs of the person, making sure he or she feels most comfortable within it. Kitchen layouts can be done as creatively as you want but it should fulfil what we refer to as the ‘work triangle’.

The triangle touches three important work stations: cooking top, sink and refrigerator. Appliances can be rather flexible as long they are position conveniently, nothing goes out of the way. Refrigerator is often said to be the link to the living as it should be easily accessed even by those who are not cooking, for example, guests and other family members.

Later on you will realize how the shape of your kitchen affects the placement of your work triangle and vice versa. The most common kitchen layouts in Malaysia include the one-wall kitchen (also known as I-shape), the galley (two I-shape overlooking each other), the U-shape, the L-shape and also the incorporate of an island.

I-Shape, the Kitchen Layout for Small Homes

Due to the restriction in size, an I-shaped kitchen fits best in small homes as everything in the kitchen including appliances, tools and ingredients are within reach.

As you can see here, the sink sits between the cooktop and refrigerator, an ideal position for cleaning up. There should also be enough space for people to move around at all the work stations, though some kitchen area may not be large enough to accommodate that. In that case, the distance can be placed nearer depending on homeowner’s preference.

Due to the narrow space, it is advisable that you design your kitchen with base and overhead units to maximize the storage space. The incorporation of appliances must also be done cleverly as built-in appliances would take lesser space on the countertop, giving you more room for cooking preparation. Issues like this are things you should put into consideration as your kitchen is done, changes may come as a dreadful trouble. Some people use a mobile island or the dining table as additional work space due to the lack of room on the worktop.

Galley Shape Kitchen for Efficient Cooking

The shape name galley is inspired by the kitchen of a ship or airplane which translate to small, cramped spaces being used as a kitchen to cook for hundreds or even thousands of people. We can conclusively say that the galley shaped kitchen is the most efficient for cooking as many commercial kitchens in restaurants are also designed in such a way where two long kitchens against the walls with narrow space in between.

This is likely suitable for people wanting a wet kitchen that focuses on cooking and nothing more. The limited space can only accommodate one or two people cooking and preparing; no rooms are available for social or shows. Some homeowners may think as much as it’s efficient, this drawback makes the kitchen wholly appropriate only for cooking. They might enjoy more family interaction within the kitchen or have one that links to the dining area for a more open concept.

The best idea is to have a wall filled with cabinetry for storage purposes and sink for cleaning while the other can be fitted with appliances and cooktop for cooking. The refrigerator can then be placed nearer to the entrance so those who need to access would not need to interfere or pass through the cooking area.

U-Shape

A U-shaped kitchen layout is also an efficient kitchen design though the size of your space will tell how good the shape is. If you have a larger space, very often the U-shape kitchen allows more room for traffic and some even like adding an island in the middle for extra storage and work space. But standard recommendation is having at least 3 and a half feet between the island and cabinetry in order for people to manoeuvre safely and doors opened properly.

This shape of kitchen works typically like the galley with some additional space with one closed side. Again, the refrigerator should be placed at the entrance for easier access while the cooktop and sink can be positioned according to personal preference. Like the one in the picture, the sink is placed against the window while on the right is the cooking station and appliances. It allows sufficient space for the cook to move around.

Similar to the galley kitchen, this layout does not permit a connection to the dining area, unless it is large enough for an island or dining area to be placed near to the kitchen. Comparatively, the u-shape can definitely offer more storage cabinets as compared to galley and the I-shape kitchens.

L-Shaped, The Popular Kitchen Layout

The most commonly seen kitchen layout is the L-shaped as it sits against two walls with adjacent cabinetry and suitable for small to large kitchens. The L-shaped kitchen is open enough to occupy multiple cooks or even guests into the cooking area for more interaction in the kitchen. If you would love to demonstrate cooking to family or guests, then an island is a great add-on with a cooktop on it so you can face them during the session.

This layout allows great movement in the kitchen with every work station spans out with sufficient space in between. It can accommodate moderate to heavy cooking without feeling too cramped.

A Kitchen with Island

Any kitchen with island, be it an I-shaped, U-shaped or L-shaped, is great for family and guest interaction during cooking or dining. The island is a versatile piece of cabinetry to provide ample room for storage or as an extra space for preparation. You can also integrate a sink or cooktop into the island so you can spare rooms in the built-in kitchen.

Some people believe the island adds a touch of style to the entire kitchen feel. It enhances the look of the kitchen and offers the space for more people to utilise the kitchen at one time. If you have two cooktops, then more people can join in the cooking too. Plus, with the island, movement of traffic will not be an issue unless your island is placed too close to the kitchen cabinets. Any distance less than 3 feet could cause massive cramp.

Most people love that the island can provide storage in the forms of shelves or drawers then guests or other family members not involved in cooking may prepare the dining area by fetching utensils, plates, bowls and other necessary items. They would not interfere the cooking area yet still able to access to the kitchen. The storage space can also be cleverly utilised to store cooking books, ornaments and or transformed into a candy bar zone for the kids.

Depending on the room size of your kitchen, the best layout to complement an island is the L-shaped kitchen as it is more open and traffic will not be restricted. The I-shaped layout is also wonderful to complement the island as it serves as a cooking and preparation area while the island can be made a dining area at the same time. As mentioned, the U-shaped kitchen with an island requires a large space so unless you have the luxury of space, it is not advisable to force an island into the U-shaped layout.

To view more images on kitchen layout and shape, you may visit www.kubiq.com.my and even get an online quotation using the Kubiq Price Estimator. Needless to visit the showroom unless you are ready to view, feel and touch before finalising on your purchase. Kubiq offers wide range of kitchen designs that would be ideal for all the kitchen layouts mentioned above.