Follow a normal day through the room.
Where do groceries arrive? Where do you make coffee, prepare food and load the dishwasher? Planning around those routines is more useful than choosing an island before you know how it will fit.
L-shaped
Useful for connecting adjacent work zones while keeping part of the room open.
Galley
Two working runs can make a compact room efficient when the aisle remains comfortable.
U-shaped
Three sides create storage and work surface, with careful attention to corners.
Illustrative arrangements only. These diagrams are not measured plans or clearance specifications.
Does an island belong in your kitchen?
An island can add prep space, storage and seating. It also uses circulation space. Consider what happens when a dishwasher is open, someone is cooking and another person is walking through the room. A peninsula or a smaller table may fit the room better.
Appliances shape the plan
Confirm appliance models, required openings, ventilation and service needs before finalizing cabinetry. “Standard size” is not a substitute for checking the actual product specification.
Light the tasks, then the room
Work surfaces need usable task lighting. General room lighting and decorative fixtures should support that plan. Think about cabinet locations, shadows, switches and how the room is used at different times of day.
Open-concept kitchens need an early feasibility check.
Before assuming a wall can be removed, have its structural role and concealed services assessed. The City’s approval requirements depend on the work. Layout decisions involving walls, plumbing or ventilation should be checked before a quote or construction schedule is treated as final.
See the kitchen planning checklist for the questions to resolve before ordering and demolition.
Bring these details to the design discussion.
- Photos from each corner, including doors and adjacent rooms.
- Approximate dimensions and ceiling height, to be verified on site.
- Appliances you want to keep or replace.
- How many people cook, gather or pass through at once.
- What must stay, what may move and the priorities behind those choices.