Tips for Creating an Efficient Kitchen Layout

There are many factors to consider when planning a kitchen remodel. It can be easy to get caught up in all the aesthetic details, as this is often the most fun aspect of designing a new kitchen. However, it’s important to remember that even the most beautiful kitchens are hard to enjoy if they’re not functional. That’s why you should always make sure to create an efficient layout that will provide the functionality you need when cooking.

Creating an efficient kitchen layout requires careful planning and strategic design. The following tips will help you develop a layout that will maximize your kitchen’s functionality.

Reduce Traffic

Kitchens are inherently a high-traffic area of your house. You can easily have two or more people in there preparing a big meal, and your entire family will usually eat together in the kitchen. It’s also common for kitchens to be places where people congregate during parties. With so many people occupying your kitchen on a regular basis, it’s important to take steps to minimize obstructions that can make it hard to move freely through the room.

Always make sure you have a primary pathway through your kitchen that allows you to access the most important features, such as your sink, stove, refrigerator and food prep surfaces. This pathway shouldn’t be obstructed when you open the oven, refrigerator or cabinet doors.

You should also create an out-of-the-way space that houses coats, backpacks, mail, and other items that can potentially clutter the counters and walkways in your kitchen.

Use the Working Triangle Principle When Creating Your Layout

The working triangle is a fundamental principle of kitchen design that is focused on creating a smooth and safe flow through the room between the three most important fixtures and appliances – the sink/dishwasher, stove and refrigerator. The key to this principle is to position these three items close together since most of your kitchen activity will involve one or more of these appliances. When they’re all organized in close proximity, it will minimize unnecessary movement while you’re cooking and cleaning up.

When trying to create a kitchen design using the working triangle model, keep the following tips in mind:

• Place the sink first and build around it
• Keep the dishwasher next to the sink so that you can use the same plumbing and make it easy to place dishes in the dishwasher after rinsing
• Place your refrigerator and stove in places that are equally easy to get to from the sink
• If possible, position the stove on an exterior wall to make installing a ventilation system easier

Create Functional Work Zones

Once you’ve determined where you’re going to place your sink, dishwasher, stove and refrigerator, you’ll want to create work zones throughout this triangle to support your cooking efforts. These work zones should contain ample countertop space.

It’s best to organize your kitchen into four primary work zones:

• Prepping – This is typically where your kitchen workflow begins and is used to prepare your meals (it can be near either your stove or your sink)
• Cooking – This zone should be near your stove and oven
• Clean-up – This typically consists of the area near your sink and dishwasher
• Putting away – This area should be by the refrigerator since that is where all the leftover food will end up

Optimize Storage Space

Once you know where your appliances and work zones are, you can decide on the layout of your cabinets. Getting creative with the arrangement of kitchen cabinets can help you maximize your storage space. Keep the following tips in mind:

• Take precise measurements to ensure your cabinets are the right size for the dimensions of your kitchen
• Make sure you have sufficient cabinet space in each work zone to store the tools and equipment that you’ll use in each zone
• Make use of vertical space with high cabinets that extend to the ceiling to get the most storage space possible
• Utilize odd angles and corner spaces to create cabinets that will provide additional storage

Choose the Right Layout to Optimize the Functionality of Your Kitchen

Whether your kitchen remodel uses the existing space as is or creates a brand-new space from scratch, there are a variety of common layouts to choose from. The right layout for your kitchen will depend on the dimensions of your space and your goals for how you want to use your kitchen. Some popular layouts to consider include:

• L-Shaped
• U-Shaped
• Galley
• Island
• Open-Plan
• Single Wall

L-Shaped Kitchen

L-shaped kitchens are the most popular layout. They feature two adjoining walls meeting in an L-shape. Some benefits include:

• Highly versatile and flexible kitchen layout
• Works well in small kitchen spaces
• Allows for an easy integration of a kitchen island

U-Shaped Kitchen

U-shaped kitchens utilize three adjacent walls for cabinetry, appliances, counters and other important kitchen fixtures. This layout is ideal for larger kitchen spaces that can accommodate spreading out all four work zones across three walls. This option provides ample storage and countertop space, and it can often accommodate a kitchen island in larger configurations.

Galley Kitchen

Galley kitchens are arranged along two parallel walls with a central walkway. They’re an effective option for narrow kitchen spaces, providing a great way to maximize your use of limited space. Galley kitchens are most commonly seen in apartments, condos and other small homes.

Island Kitchen

Island kitchens are very popular in homes with large kitchens. This kitchen layout contains a freestanding unit, called an island, in the center of the kitchen that provides extra work and storage pace.

Benefits of island kitchens include:

• Extra countertop space for food prep
• Extra storage space
• Focal point of the kitchen
• Great gathering place for family and friends to eat and socialize

Open-Plan Kitchen

Open-plan kitchens don’t have any walls separating the kitchen from the rest of the living space in your house. This creates a single, open area that allows people to flow seamlessly from one room to another. This layout provides a spacious feel that integrates the kitchen into the other adjoining rooms of the house. It’s common for open-plan kitchens to include an island.

Single Wall Kitchen

Single wall kitchens have all appliances, countertops and cabinetry arranged along one wall. This provides a linear workspace for all cooking and food prep. It can create an efficient workflow in smaller kitchens, allowing you to maximize the space while maintaining a more open feel. However, this layout can easily feel cramped if you typically have multiple people cooking in the kitchen at once.

Sander & Sons Can Bring Your Kitchen Remodel to Life

If you’re considering a kitchen remodel, Sander & Sons can help you create an amazing space that you’ll enjoy for years to come. We’ve been providing custom kitchen remodel services throughout the Denver area for over two decades, and we have the experience to address your specific goals. We’ve worked on kitchens of varying sizes, dimensions and layouts, and we understand how to maximize the space to provide both the functionality and aesthetic appearance you desire.

Sander & Sons is a family-owned business, and we work hard to ensure you receive the same level of care and service that we’d expect for our own family. You can count on receiving unparalleled levels of customer service throughout every stage of the process, from the initial kitchen design through the installation of all cabinets, countertops and fixtures.

Our team will discuss your goals and vision for the kitchen remodel project in detail to ensure we understand exactly what you’re trying to achieve. This allows us to create a customized plan that maximizes your use of the space. We carry a wide range of premium products at an affordable price to provide you with high-quality, long-lasting results at a great value. We also have an extensive network of contractors, designers and builders, so we can coordinate the entire project for you, providing a convenient, hassle-free experience.

Contact us today to schedule a consultation. Sander & Sons serves customers in Denver and the surrounding areas.