Planning your kitchen is a fun and rewarding activity if you have the freedom to do it. Many people moving into their first home might consider this option to make things uniquely theirs right away. Kitchens usually come complete with sink, dishwasher, refrigerator, and oven-range combos. Most also have counter space. And while all of these things are great and essential to kitchen functionality, they can pose some interesting challenges if you have limited space. For small kitchens, the following simple design plans are the most common and most rewarding:
The corridor. With the hallway plan, you have all your essential appliances divided between two of the four kitchen walls. On one side, you can choose to keep your oven and fridge, while on the other, you put the rest. One of the key factors in determining what goes where is the location of the pipes for the functionality of the water. Make sure you have the sink and refrigerator on the side that best suits your purposes.
The L-shape. With this option, you use two walls, both adjacent to each other, to determine the placement of all appliances. This literally forms a capital “L” with the two appliance lines meeting in one corner. The advantage of this option is that you have all the necessary locations in one place, so you can avoid having to move.
The only wall For very small kitchens, this may be the best option because it reduces appliances to the bare necessities and allows you, in the same way as the L-shape, to have everything you need in one place, to reduce mobility. A clear advantage of this style is that it allows room to move around and add other appliances as needed. The downside is that if you start to add too much, you have to deviate from this design and go for an option like the runner or L-shape.
The classic triangle. Shape is everything in determining the layout of the room, and in order to stick to that shape, you must first know what appliances you should have in your kitchen. Once you’ve determined this, you can install your refrigerator in one location, your sink in another, and your oven in another. Maybe two are connected by a counter; maybe they are not. Either way, the three main accessories form the shape of a triangle, giving this pick its name.
The U-shape. With this option, most people tend to choose the stove against one small wall with the sink and dishwasher on another and the refrigerator in front.
No matter which option you choose, it’s your kitchen and you have to live with it. Take your pick and it will feel like a home within a home.