A Guide to Freestanding Kitchen Layouts

Finding the right layout for your kitchen is a fundamental undertaking—one that, if done right, ensures the ongoing functionality and practical well-being of the room. Whether your kitchen is modest in size, or a cavernous, great open space, an intelligent layout will help you get the very most out of your floor plan.

While the dimensions of your home will always be a vital determiner when it comes to choosing a layout for your freestanding kitchen, there are ways of optimising floor space to include any number of classic layouts. Here are some of the most common kitchen designs, alongside some advice on how to best utilise them for your kitchen.

The One Wall Kitchen 

Best suited for kitchens where space is at a premium, this straightforward layout offers both efficiency and practicality. Consisting of freestanding shaker cabinets positioned against a single wall, the one-wall kitchen can be a configuration of open shelving, worktops, freestanding pantries, and neatly-designed storage drawers to keep the aesthetic clean and simple.

While the famous work triangle is not an option in a one-wall kitchen, you do have the option to place your fridge and sink at the two ends of your floor plan, with a sink installed centrally to help create a functional set-up for daily kitchen routines.

The Galley Kitchen

Another kitchen design best suited for modest spaces, the galley kitchen features two rows of handmade freestanding cabinets that face each other, establishing a central walkway or galley, which maximises the use of a restricted area.

With the extra row of wooden cabinetry, the galley kitchen provides more flexibility in the quest for storage space—particularly useful for larger families. What’s more, with the two clear distinct rows of cabinets, you’re also afforded that additional worktop space to separate cooking or food preparation zones as required.

The L-Shaped Kitchen

A practical layout option for both small and large spaces, the L-shaped kitchen has cabinets along two right-angled walls. Although the corner requires some smart unit design to utilise the area—no problem for our expert team of cabinet makers—the open-plan layout of the L-shaped kitchen delivers plenty of flexibility through the positioning of appliances and work zones. 

With an L-shaped kitchen, there’s always the option to include a small breakfast nook in the adjacent corner, only adding to the multipurpose qualities of your space. Your kitchen is no longer just a room for cooking and domestic chores, but a place for relaxing; somewhere that you and the family can congregate and talk over the day’s events.

The U-Shaped Kitchen

The U-shaped kitchen is a wonderful layout option for larger spaces. Made up of handmade freestanding cabinets positioned along three adjacent walls, this layout offers plenty in the way of storage, particularly if you opt for a combination of deep drawers and smart shelving solutions within your kitchen plan.

To enhance the sense of space, and stop things from feeling overcrowded with the additional kitchen units, ensure that you keep window areas open and free from clutter, allowing lots of natural light to flood into the room. The U-shape freestanding kitchen is also the perfect environment for a free-flowing work triangle—with enough scope and flexibility to position your fridge, oven, and sink in the most efficient location. Your worktop space is also increased considerably with the addition of the third row of units.

The Kitchen Island

A highly desirable layout option for open-plan households, a freestanding kitchen island kitchen not only offers an enormous work surface at the heart of your kitchen, but also a range of neat storage solutions to keep your space looking clean and clutter-free. To maximise efficiency, it’s also perfectly possible to install your kitchen appliances within a freestanding island. Think ovens, fridges, stove tops and sinks.

An endlessly versatile addition to your kitchen, a smartly-lit freestanding island can also provide your family with a multipurpose central hub; for dining, socialising, or even as a quiet morning workstation.  While your kitchen needs to be big enough to house a freestanding kitchen island, its prime location will naturally enhance the flow of your kitchen, neatly designating zones for cooking, entertainment, mealtimes, and work.

How can we help?

If you’d like any help or advice on the best kind of freestanding kitchen layout for your household, or would like to find out more about our range of handmade shaker cabinets and kitchen units, please get in touch. We’ll find the perfect layout solution for you and your family’s needs.