We’ve previously blogged on the advantages of having a U shaped kitchen layout, but this time we want to broaden your horizons further and focus on an alternative design – the L shaped kitchen.

When re-designing a kitchen or buying a new home, most people generally focus on the kitchen units, doors and floors, as opposed to the kitchen’s shape. Both U shaped and L shaped kitchen designs come with their own pros and cons, and – given that the way your kitchen is laid out can really affect how you use it – it’s an important factor to consider.

An L shaped kitchen is one of the most common designs used in kitchen architecture. It has two adjoining walls which aren’t perpendicular to each other and when you look at it from above you will see an ‘L’ shape (no surprises there then!).

But what is this style actually good for? Here at Kitchen Warehouse, we’ve taken a closer look.

Open plan design

One of the cornerstones of having an L shaped kitchen is the open plan design that it offers. With an L shaped kitchen, you can have a truly spacious area that creates a really modern and minimalistic look. With this kitchen design, you only use two walls in the room, so a lot of free space can be opened up as a result.

If your kitchen backs onto another room such as a living or dining room, then you can create a lot of natural space in your home, with it being a great way of essentially combining two rooms together.

The work triangle

In terms of design, an L shaped kitchen is a beautiful adaptation of one of the most used rooms in the home. But what it is actually like in a practical sense?

One of the great things about an L shaped kitchen layout is that it creates a good work triangle. This is where you have a fridge (for food storage), oven/hob (for cooking) and the kitchen sink (for washing up) in a clearly laid out manner. It makes preparing and cooking food, as well as washing up, a lot easier as the workstations are set out in two adjourning walls – so you don’t need to walk far between the different parts of the kitchen, and everything is easily within reach.

A reduction of through traffic

Something that gripes a lot of people when they are trying to prepare a meal is interruptions from  ’through traffic’. This is basically people coming in and out of the kitchen and essentially getting in the way.

U shaped kitchens can suffer from a lot of through traffic due to the way that they are designed – making  an L shaped kitchen far better suited for a big family. It creates multiple entrances and exits to the room, and because all appliances are located in one corner of the room, it means you have more space for others to roam about the kitchen safely.

Eating space

An L shaped kitchen layout provides additional space in the room stopping you from feeling crammed in and avoiding feeling cluttered and claustrophobic.

With an L shaped design, you can easily incorporate eating space into your kitchen providing you have a little bit of room left over. This can involve putting an island into the room which works better than it usually does in a U shaped kitchen, or even having tables or chairs.

If you don’t have a lot of room in your home for dining, then an L shaped kitchen can really allow you to create this space without sacrificing any of the practical elements of the kitchen itself.

Benefits of an L shaped kitchen

If you are planning on a kitchen redesign or looking for a new property to move into then you should pay a lot of attention to the layout of the kitchen.

For those who have a large family then an L shaped kitchen will really free up space and allow you to cook and prepare food without interruption. It is very efficient for small and medium-sized kitchens, although in big areas it can make the room feel sparse, but this is ideal if you’re seeking a minimal design.

This type of kitchen layout makes food storage, cooking and cleaning up all very practical and workable. . It also lets you create eating space or areas just for socialising without disrupting the flow of the kitchen.

At Kitchen Warehouse, we work on creating L shaped kitchens all the time. Thanks to this experience we know the kind of doors, units and cabinets that work well for this style – why not talk to us about it? You can also take a look through some of our favourite L shaped kitchen designs and the rest of our gallery for inspiration on what could be your dream kitchen.

Contact us

If you would like more advice on an L shaped kitchen design, then feel free to get in touch with a member of our team today. You can fill out our online enquiry form or give us a call on 01765 640 000. Prefer to contact us by email? You can do so here, at contact@kitchenwarehouseltd.com for a quick response from one of our experts.

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