Choose the simplest layout your room allows
A one-wall kitchen keeps the middle free, an L-shape adds a second worktop and a peninsula or island adds a work surface. Our guide to choosing a kitchen layout draws all four in the same room and gives you a five-step test.
Keep the sink, hob and fridge 4 to 9 feet apart
The work triangle joins the sink, the hob and the fridge. NKBA asks for 4 to 9 feet (1.2–2.7 m) on each side and 26 feet (7.9 m) or less in all, with walkways and tall cabinets kept out. Our guide to the kitchen work triangle shows how to measure it and how each layout fits it.
An island needs 42 to 48 inches of free floor where you cook
An island needs about 42 inches (107 cm) of free floor for one cook and 48 inches (122 cm) for two, plus room behind stools. See the space around a kitchen island, with three example rooms.
Measure countertops as length times depth, corner counted once
Multiply length by depth for each piece, add them up and divide by 144 for square feet. Our guide to measuring countertops shows straight runs, L-shapes and islands. For the heights the worktops sit at, see our kitchen dimensions guides.
Quick questions
- Which comes first, the layout or the island?
The layout. Pick the layout your room allows, then check whether an island fits with enough free floor around it. In smaller rooms a peninsula often does the same job.
- Can I plan a kitchen without a designer?
You can plan the layout and the space yourself with these guides and calculators. Before you buy, ask a designer or installer to check plumbing, power, ventilation and local rules.