Five layouts on plan
Choose a layout and how many people cook at once, and the plan changes. The distances drawn come from the National Kitchen & Bath Association (NKBA). They are professional recommendations and not building code, and your remodeler or designer will measure your actual room.
Layout
People cooking at the same time
About this layout
Two parallel runs of cabinets with one aisle between them. Efficient for one cook. The usual problem is traffic: a galley with a door at both ends turns into a hallway, and every pass behind the cook crosses the work aisle.
Two runs meeting at a corner, with open floor left for a table or a cart. The corner needs a plan, because a blind corner cabinet wastes space unless it has a pull-out or a corner drawer solution.
Three walls of cabinets. Plenty of counter and storage, and the work triangle falls naturally. The aisle between the facing runs still follows the 42 or 48 inch guideline, and a narrow U feels tight with two cooks.
A run along one wall and a free-standing island across the work aisle. The aisle guidelines apply on every side you work or walk: 42 or 48 inches on work sides, 36 inches on walkways. An island only works where those clearances survive.
An island fixed to the cabinet run at one end. It suits rooms too narrow for a free-standing island, and it keeps the walkway at the open end at least 36 inches.
With one cook, NKBA suggests at least 42 inches between the facing cabinets.
Clearance guidelines at a glance
| Space | NKBA guideline | Why it matters |
|---|---|---|
| Work aisle, one cook | At least 42 inches | Room to open the oven and dishwasher doors and still get past. |
| Work aisle, more than one cook | At least 48 inches | Two people can work and pass without colliding. |
| Walkway | At least 36 inches | A path through the room, not a place anyone works. |
| Two walkways meeting at a right angle | At least 42 inches for one of them | Turning a corner with a tray, a pot or a child. |
| Work triangle | Legs between sink, cooktop and refrigerator of 4 to 9 feet each, no more than 26 feet in total | Keeps the three main stations close without crowding them. |
What each layout asks of the room
| Layout | Works best when | Watch for |
|---|---|---|
| Galley | The room is narrow, often with a door at one end. | Through traffic crossing the work aisle, and an aisle under the guideline. |
| L-shape | A corner is available and the other side can stay open for a table or a cart. | Blind corner cabinets that waste space unless the corner has a plan. |
| U-shape | The room is wide enough for facing runs plus the aisle between them. | Feeling closed in with two cooks, and awkward corners. |
| Island | There is room for the guideline aisle or walkway on every side of the island. | An island that pinches the walkways, and the extra work to bring power and ventilation to it. |
| Peninsula | The room is too tight for a free-standing island. | A peninsula end that blocks the walkway at the open side. |
Moving things changes the work behind the walls
The easiest layout to build is the one that keeps the sink, the range and the refrigerator where they are, because the plumbing, the gas and the duct stay put. Every station you move adds work: new lines, new openings, sometimes a new wall, and more of the job that needs permits. Kitchen layout changes explains each kind of move, and the permit guide shows how the building office sorts them.
Measure before you plan
- Measure the wallsRecord each wall length and the ceiling height, to the nearest half inch.
- Mark the openingsNote every window and door, with its width, its sill height and the way a door swings.
- Locate the utilitiesMark where the water supply, the drain, the gas line, the vent or duct and the electrical panel are.
- Check the aisles you haveMeasure the floor distance between facing runs, so you know what you live with now.
- Photograph each wallTake one straight-on photo of every wall, and one wide shot from each doorway.
- Hand it to your remodelerA tidy sketch with these numbers is plenty for a first visit. They will measure again.
Small rooms and tight trade-offs
Plenty of working kitchens sit under the guideline distances, especially in older houses and condos. The cost is comfort and safety when two people, or a person and an open door, meet in the same space. If your room cannot meet a guideline, ask your designer what is given up at each tighter dimension, and see small kitchen remodels for ways to gain room without moving walls.
Are the NKBA guidelines the law?
No. They are voluntary professional recommendations. The building code covers safety items such as electrical work and ventilation, and your town’s building office applies it.
How big an island can my kitchen take?
Take the room’s dimensions and subtract the guideline clearance on every side you will work or walk: 42 or 48 inches on work sides and 36 inches on walkways. What is left is the island. If that is too small to be useful, a peninsula, or no island, may serve you better.
What is the work triangle?
It is the path between the sink, the cooktop and the refrigerator. NKBA’s long-standing guideline keeps each leg between 4 and 9 feet and the three legs under 26 feet in total, so the main stations are close but not crowded.
Does an island need its own power and ventilation?
If you cook or plug in at the island, yes, and both take planning. A cooktop on an island needs a hood and a duct path to the outside, and outlets need a route through the floor. Raise it with your remodeler early.