Ideas for L-Shaped Kitchens
For a Kitchen With Multiple Cooks (and Guests), Go With This Flexible Design
Rebekah Zaveloff
January 31, 2011
The L-shaped kitchen is by far the most popular layout these days. It's most often seen with an island, so it's perfect for entertaining, multiple-chef cooking or for making dinner while the kids sit at the island and get help with their homework. The adaptability of this layout is what makes it so desirable. Whereas a galley or U-shaped kitchen can work in the smallest of spaces, you often need a bit more room for an L-shaped kitchen with an island. This layout has the most amount of variations by far and works with any style, whether a kitchen is modern, traditional or somewhere in between.
Believe it or not, there can be such a thing as too much counterspace. When it happens it's most often seen in the L-shaped kitchen layout. In this kitchen, hutch-style cabinets on the countertop solve this problem, add to the aesthetic, and create additional storage. This solution also cuts down on the clutter that can appear when there's too much counterspace outside of the main work triangle.
Tip: Rather than miles of counterspace, this kitchen has a freestanding custom-designed china cabinet at the end of the L.
Sometimes a square island is better than a rectangle.
Tip: If you don't have the room for a main sink in one of the legs of the L, then put it in the island. This makes for a very tight work triangle and still allows for entertaining. This island has seating on two sides which makes for good conversation as well.
Tip: If you don't have the room for a main sink in one of the legs of the L, then put it in the island. This makes for a very tight work triangle and still allows for entertaining. This island has seating on two sides which makes for good conversation as well.
If storage is what you're looking for, the L-shaped kitchen can be the best option for the maximum amount of wall cabinets.
Tip: If you're limited on space and storage in your L-shaped kitchen, adding a pot rack frees up space in a base cabinet.
In its grandest expression, the L-shaped kitchen has a large island, main sink on one wall, range on the other, and prep sink in the island. This creates at least two overlapping work triangles, allowing for multiple cooks to work at the same time. Guest seating at the island creates a "kitchen as theater" feel.
Even in some smaller spaces, you can fit a L-shaped kitchen, small island and prep sink. No seating at this island, but I'm sure having that extra sink more than makes up for it in the cook's eyes!
Tip: If you don't have room for an island and kitchen table, or if you don't have a dining room at all, then an L-shaped kitchen with a table instead of an island is a great solution! This kitchen still has plenty of counter space.
Sometimes the L is broken by a doorway to another room, or in this case a hidden pantry. Also, the break in the L allows for a tall wall of cabinets on one leg.
This kitchen is almost like two galley kitchens and an L at the same time. The broken L with and island creates three distinct stations: prep, cooking and clean-up. Three or four cooks could work easily in this kitchen and never bump into each other.
More:
A vote for the galley kitchen
Ideas for U-shaped kitchens
10 reasons to bring back the humble kitchen table
Next: Browse more home design photos
More:
A vote for the galley kitchen
Ideas for U-shaped kitchens
10 reasons to bring back the humble kitchen table
Next: Browse more home design photos
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This is hugely helpful! Thank you !!
my inlaws have almost that exact same kitchen layout and island! except its not a semicircle its a straight edge. we have eaten and prepped many meals there.