U-shaped kitchen
Three walls of counter and storage.
Modular Kitchens
L-shaped kitchen design
An L-shaped kitchen places counters and storage along two adjoining walls and leaves the rest of the room open. It is one of the most practical layouts for apartments: it uses a corner well, keeps the walkway clear and often leaves space for a small dining table.We plan it around your cooking, then make every cabinet to the measurements of your room.
01Fit
Is it right for your home?
Works best when
- Square or nearly square kitchens with two usable walls
- Apartments where the door sits on one of the open sides
- Homes that want a small table or breakfast counter in the same room
- One or two people cooking at a time
- Layouts that need a clear walkway between the kitchen and the rest of the home
Worth considering
- The corner is hard to reach unless it is planned. A corner unit with a pull-out or carousel fixes this.
- Each arm needs enough length for the sink or hob and landing space on either side.
- Very long arms stretch the walk between sink, hob and refrigerator.
- Windows and doors on the two walls decide where tall units can go.
- A second cook is easier to fit if a peninsula or island can extend from one arm.
02Design ideas
Ideas to start from
Sink and hob on separate arms
Giving each its own wall keeps the cooking triangle short and gives both a clear landing space.
Corner carousel or pull-out
Turns the awkward corner into storage you can actually reach.
Tall unit at the end of an arm
Holds the oven, microwave or grains in one place and keeps the counter free.
Breakfast counter on the open side
A short counter with two stools turns the open side into a place to eat.
Closed storage with one open shelf
Wall cabinets for most items and a shelf near the hob for things you reach for daily.
Lighting under the wall cabinets
Task lighting lights the counter without glare or shadow from your own head.
Continuous backsplash
A single tiled or glass surface behind the hob and sink ties the two arms together and wipes clean.
Pantry unit on a spare wall
A floor-to-ceiling unit with pull-out shelves takes bulk groceries and small appliances.
03Materials
Materials and finishes
- Carcass
- A moisture-resistant board such as BWR plywood or HDHMR, with edges sealed well around the sink.
- Shutters
- Laminate for practicality, acrylic for a glossy seamless face, PU paint for a chosen colour, glass for display units. We bring samples so you see them in your own light.
- Countertop
- Granite or engineered quartz, cut cleanly for the hob and sink. The corner join is placed carefully so the seam is tight.
- Hardware
- Soft-close hinges, full-extension drawers and a sturdy corner mechanism, since the corner is used the most.
- Backsplash
- Tiles or a glass panel behind the hob and sink, fitted with the power points planned beforehand.
04Planning
Sizing and planning notes
- Heights and depths
- Counter height is usually 850 to 900 mm. Base cabinets are commonly about 600 mm deep and wall cabinets about 300 to 350 mm, with roughly 450 to 600 mm between the counter and the wall cabinets.
- The corner
- Drawers on the two arms can collide near the corner when both are opened. We leave a filler or use a corner unit so every drawer and door opens fully.
- The cooking triangle
- Keep the sink, hob and refrigerator close enough to avoid extra walking and far enough apart for two people to pass.
- Walkway and open side
- Leave about a metre of clear floor in front of the counters, more if a dining table or a door opens into the space.
- Chimney and gas point
- Fix the chimney position before the layout is final, so the duct route to an outside wall is short with few bends and the hood sits at a comfortable height above the hob.
05Inspiration
Ideas in pictures
Illustrative photos to show styles and ideas. They are not our completed projects.
06FAQ
L-shaped kitchen: your questions
Is an L-shaped kitchen good for a small kitchen?
Yes. It needs only two walls, keeps the walkway open and works in most apartment kitchens. We confirm the arm lengths and door position at the site visit.
How do I use the corner of an L-shaped kitchen?
With a corner unit that has a carousel or pull-out shelves, so the space is reachable. A fixed shelf in the corner is hard to use, so we plan the mechanism with the layout.
Can I add a dining table or breakfast counter?
Often, yes. The open side of the L can take a small table or a short counter with stools, provided there is enough clear floor around it. We check the clearances against your room.
Where should the sink and hob go in an L-shaped kitchen?
Usually on different arms, with the refrigerator near the entrance. The exact position depends on your plumbing, gas and chimney outlet points.
What is the difference between an L-shaped and a U-shaped kitchen?
A U-shaped kitchen uses three walls and gives more worktop and storage, but it needs a wider room. An L-shaped kitchen uses two walls and keeps one side open.
Can you convert my existing kitchen into an L-shape?
Often, depending on where the plumbing, gas and chimney outlet are. We check at the site visit and tell you what the change involves, including any civil work.
Free consultation
Get a free estimate for your l-shaped kitchen
Share a few details and we will call you to plan a site visit. The consultation is free.
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