33 Clever Kitchen Layout Ideas to Optimize Functionality and Flow

By
Kristin Hohenadel
Kristin Hohenadel
Kristin Hohenadel
Kristin Hohenadel has written on design for publications including the New York Times, Interior Design, Slate, Fast Company, and the international editions of Elle Decor.
Learn more about The Spruce's Editorial Process
Updated on 11/07/24
kitchen layout ideas

Jessica Nelson Design / Carina Skrobecki Photography

The best kitchen layout ideas optimize functionality and flow. Whether you are remodeling your kitchen or designing a brand-new space from scratch, here are some common layouts:

Adapt the layout to your lifestyle, whether that means including a bar with seating for an eat-in kitchen; a peninsula to create zones; or floor-to-ceiling built-in storage to maximize vertical space.

Check out these kitchen layout ideas for inspiration.

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    Kitchen Dining Room Combo

    open-plan one-wall kitchen layout

    Studio Peake

    Maximize efficiency in an open-plan space by placing the bulk of your appliances and storage along one wall. Studio Peake used paint to define the cabinetry in this London kitchen and dining room while adding color to the otherwise neutral space. A mix of open display shelves and closed storage keeps things looking tidy.

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    L-Shaped Layout

    l-shaped kitchen layout ideas

    Desiree Burns Interiors

    In a large open-plan space, consider an L-shaped layout that is adapted to the dimensions of your kitchen. Desiree Burns Interiors chose an asymmetrical L-shape for this open kitchen, with a rectangular island placed with the short end perpendicular to the long wall to allow flow.

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    Kitchen Dining Nook

    open-plan kitchen layout with breakfast nook ideas

    Kate Marker Interiors

    If you have the space, include both bar seating around the island and a cozy breakfast nook, like this spacious eat-in kitchen from Kate Marker Interiors.

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    Corner Dining Table

    open-plan kitchen layout with dining table

    Desiree Burns Interiors

    One of the reasons why people love a kitchen island is the chance to pull up a bar stool and enjoy a quick breakfast, a before-dinner drink, or a casual dinner. But for more leisurely meals, consider installing a dining table and chairs nearby for sit-down occasions, like this space from Desiree Burns Interiors.

    Tip

    Be mindful of drawbacks when planning an open-plan kitchen layout. Even with proper ventilation, cooking odors can permeate the rest of the living space. Noise from handling pots and pans and putting away dishes and other kitchen chores can be amplified in an open room.

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    One-Wall Kitchen

    one-wall apartment kitchen layout ideas

    Maydan Architects / Photo by Peter Kubilis

    Save space in an apartment kitchen with a one-wall layout. Maydan Architects installed a sleek black and white one-wall kitchen with LED lighting on the wall opposite the living area, and traded a cumbersome island for a round floating table and chairs.

    4 Things Designers Immediately Notice About a Bad Kitchen Layout
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    Large Kitchen Dining Table

    one-wall kitchen layout with dining table

    Design by Big Chill x Natalie Myers of Veneer Designs / Photo by Tom Windeknecht

    Define a one-wall, open-plan kitchen with wallpaper that will help it blend into adjacent living and dining areas. This kitchen from Big Chill x Natalie Myers of Veneer Designs has neutral patterned wallpaper that complements retro appliances in the airy and open space. A large rectangular dining room table and chairs creates separation with the seating area.

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    Kitchen Island With Sink

    one-wall kitchen with large parallel island

    Marie Flanigan Interiors

    A one-wall kitchen will create a streamlined feel in a larger space, too. Marie Flanigan Interiors built this one-wall kitchen around the windows, adding a long island with a built-in sink opposite the sleek induction stovetop located under the window.

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    Small Kitchen Island

    one-wall kitchen layout with small island

    Desiree Burns Interiors

    Focusing kitchen appliances and storage along one wall is practical for smaller spaces. Desiree Burns Interiors swapped storage drawers for base cabinetry in this one-wall kitchen for a modern user-friendly feel. A small kitchen island includes seating for two.

    Tip

    From a chef’s perspective, a one-wall configuration is one of the least effective working layouts for a kitchen, especially in a larger space where you have to take more steps to get from point A to B. If designing a one-wall kitchen, be conscious of grouping appliances in a way that facilitates basic functions around the oven, sink, and fridge, otherwise known as the kitchen triangle.

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    Floor-to-Ceiling Storage

    one-wall kitchen layout ideas

    Pluck Kitchens

    Concentrate your kitchen cabinets and appliances on a single wall to create an open, uncluttered feel in any size kitchen. This London space from Pluck Kitchens maximizes floor-to-ceiling storage with built-in ovens and both lower and upper cabinetry, leaving the floor space clear for easy circulation.

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    Built-In Window Seat

    one-wall kitchen layout with window seat

    Design by Hoedemaker Pfeiffer / Photo by Kevin Scott

    Kitchen layouts are flexible and should be tailored to the features of your home. Hoedemaker Pfeiffer prioritized the view in this spacious kitchen with a one-wall kitchen that has a built-in window seat on one end. A large farm table with wooden bench seating gives the space a homey and timeless feel.

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    Wide L-Shaped With Island

    L-shaped kitchen layout with waterfall island

    Louis Duncan-He Designs / Eymeric Wildling Photography

    Anchor a wide L-shaped kitchen that is open to the main living space with a waterfall edge island with the closed side facing out. Louis Duncan-He Designs positioned the island seating facing one wall in this all-black midcentury modern kitchen renovation.

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    L-Shaped With Square Island

    small L-shaped kitchen with square work table

    Erin Williamson Design

    If your small L-shaped kitchen has equal sides, consider adding a square island or work table that will fit the space rather than a more standard rectangular model that will eat into available floor space. Erin Williamson Design preserved flow in this small kitchen with a square marble-topped black metal work table.

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    Small Corner Kitchen

    all-white L-shaped kitchen

    Studio Peake

    If you're designing a small apartment kitchen, consider an L-shaped corner space. Studio Peake chose an all-white palette for this efficient and sleek London kitchen that can be hidden from sight thanks to a decorative patterned curtain.

    Tip

    An L-shaped kitchen layout is suited for corner kitchens in open plan spaces from studio apartments to larger spaces. With appliances, countertops, and cabinetry lined up on adjoining walls, the L-shaped kitchen is convenient for cooking.

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    Custom Oval-Shaped Island

    L-shaped kitchen layout with oval island

    Design by Maestri Studio / Nathan Schroder Photography

    In a luxury kitchen, break up the linear feel of an L-shaped layout with a custom island. Maestri Studio created a focal point with a bright yellow island topped with an oval-shaped marble top for a signature look that adds curves and facilitates flow.

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    Varied Finishes and Textures

    u-shaped farmhouse kitchen layout ideas

    Emily Henderson Design / Photo By Kaitlin Green

    Work around windows, angled ceilings, doors, and other quirks by varying finishes throughout your U-shaped kitchen. This farmhouse kitchen from Emily Henderson Design has blue backsplash tile around the wall of windows above the sink. The stove is anchored on one short wall, and the fridge is hidden behind natural wood doors in a floor-to-ceiling cabinet on the opposite wall.

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    L-Shaped With Open Shelves

    L-shaped kitchen layout with sink island

    Design by Joshua Smith Inc. / Photo by Allyson Lubow

    Many people enjoy placing the kitchen sink under a window. In this L-shaped kitchen, Joshua Smith Inc. chose to install the sink in the island instead, leaving the countertops under a trio of windows free for meal prep.

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    L-Shaped With Corner Window

    L-shaped kitchen layout with corner window

    deVOL Kitchens

    In a smaller space with a corner window, place the sink to the left or right of the window and leave the countertop in front of the window free, like this London kitchen from deVOL Kitchens.

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    Rectangular Kitchen Layout

    modern u-shaped kitchen layout ideas

    Jessica Nelson Design / Carina Skrobecki Photography

    In a deep, rectangular U-shaped kitchen, install a whole wall of floor-to-ceiling storage to house the refrigerator. Jessica Nelson Design skipped upper cabinets on the opposite side to maximize light, and opted for open shelving on the oven wall to allow the space to breathe.

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    Angled Corner Sink

    u-shaped kitchen layout with corner sink

    Erin Williamson Design

    Finesse the angles of a long U-shaped kitchen by adding an angled corner sink. This corner sink from Erin Williamson Design straddles the double windows, making the space more comfortable to use.

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    Built-In Banquette

    u-shaped kitchen with banquette seating

    Michelle Berwick Design

    Break up a wall of storage in a U-shaped kitchen with a built-in banquette to bring café energy to your home. Michelle Berwick Design wallpapered the alcove to create a focal point.

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    Long U-Shaped Layout

    u-shaped kitchen layout with fridge on far wall

    Desiree Burns Interiors

    In a long U-style kitchen, consider placing the fridge on the far wall where it won't get in the way of other appliances. A colorful blue runner on the dark hardwood floors of this galley kitchen from Desiree Burns Interiors creates a focal point in the functional, all-white space.

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    Small Kitchen Layout

    small u-shaped kitchen layout ideas

    Design by Leanne Ford Interiors / Photo by Reid Rolls

    Create an airy feel in a small, deep rectangular kitchen with an all-white palette. Leanne Ford Interiors energized this bright and pristine U-shaped space with tomato red accents.

    Tip

    Remember that with a U-shaped kitchen layout, you will need a wide and large space in order to accommodate an island or seating area. Without a proper layout and a good deal of closed storage, a U-shaped kitchen can feel cluttered. Maximize vertical storage in a smaller U-shaped kitchen by running cabinets up to the ceiling.

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    Large Kitchen Triangle

    transitional u-shaped kitchen layout

    Becca Interiors

    Make your U-shaped kitchen functional with a kitchen triangle layout. In this transitional space, the sink occupies the far wall, the oven is on the right wall, and the fridge is on the left wall to optimize flow.

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    Open U-Shaped Layout

    u-shaped kitchen layout ideas

    Jessica Nelson Design / Carina Skrobecki Photography

    Help define a U-shaped kitchen that is open to the front entry in a smaller home by placing bar stools facing in toward the space to give it a sense of separation, like this black and white kitchen from Jessica Nelson Design.

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    Galley Kitchen With Window

    galley kitchen layout ideas with window

    Pluck Kitchens

    If your galley kitchen includes a window, paint it in a warm and cheerful color that will make it glow when the light flows in, like this coral and pink space from Pluck Kitchens.

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    Eat-In Galley Kitchen

    small galley kitchen layout with banquette

    BHDM Design / Photo by Adam Macchia

    In a small one-sided galley kitchen with a window at the far end, consider installing a small banquette for a bistro feel. BHDM Design stuck to a clean neutral palette and chose semi-gloss finishes to amplify light in the tight space.

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    Closed Galley Kitchen

    galley kitchen layout ideas

    Studio Peake

    If your galley kitchen ends with a solid wall, turn it into a feature wall with paint, wallpaper, and/or decor. Studio Peake decorated the far wall in this light turquoise blue galley-style kitchen with patterned wallpaper and a gallery wall of wooden cutting boards in a variety of shapes and sizes that is both decorative and practical.

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    Semi-Open Galley Kitchen

    semi-open galley kitchen layout ideas

    Will Brown Interiors

    If your galley-style kitchen is connected to other spaces, run the same hardwood flooring throughout that allow it to seamlessly blend into the rest of the interior, like this space from from Will Brown Interiors.

    Tip

    Galley kitchens are inspired by the compact, space-saving kitchens on boats, trains, and planes—in which long, narrow rows of cabinetry and appliances are placed on opposite walls with a central walkway in between them. Maximize a galley kitchen in an older city apartment or historic homes with vertical storage, from floor-to-ceiling cabinets to wall hooks for cookware.

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    Galley Layout With Table

    galley kitchen layout with oval table

    Pluck Kitchens

    If your galley kitchen is wide enough, consider swapping a kitchen island for a dining table and chairs. Pluck Kitchens paired an oval table with a slim base and colorful chairs to create a gathering space in this London kitchen.

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    Small Breakfast Bar

    galley kitchen layout with breakfast bar

    deVOL Kitchens

    If you don't have room to install a table in your small galley kitchen, consider a breakfast bar instead, like this Georgian-style apartment in Bath, England, from deVOL Kitchens.

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    Galley Kitchen With Door

    galley kitchen layout with back door

    Rashida Banks for Emily Henderson Design / Photo by Keyanna Bowen

    If your galley kitchen has a door to the outside on one end, be sure that it doesn't block appliances like the dishwasher. In this kitchen from Rashida Banks for Emily Henderson Design, the door opens toward the storage side of the kitchen.

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    Galley Kitchen French Doors

    galley kitchen layout with french doors

    The Home Consultant

    Give a galley kitchen an indoor-outdoor feel by adding French doors, like this extra-long and wide Los Angeles kitchen that leads to an outdoor space from The Home Consultant.

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    Kitchen With Double Islands

    kitchen layout ideas double islands

    Design by Mendelson Group / Photo by Eric Piasecki

    Create a layout that works for you by adding extra features like double islands in a large space. Mendelson Group placed double islands side-by-side and perpendicular to a back wall housing the oven. The space between the islands creates a galley-like effect.

How do you plan a new kitchen layout?

You can plan a kitchen layout yourself, by using online space planning software, or by hiring a kitchen designer. The main steps in planning a kitchen layout involve mapping out a floor plan, setting a budget, getting estimates for any plumbing or electrical work, and choosing appliances.

Next, plan out your lighting scheme, and choose a color palette and finishes like flooring, cabinets, and countertops. Finally, pick out additional furniture like bar stools, a table and chairs for a dining area in an eat-in kitchen, as well as plumbing fixtures and decor accessories.

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