5 kitchen layout options that will make the cooking process easy and enjoyable

Typically, this type of kitchen layout is used in small spaces. A straight kitchen allows you to keep everything at hand - accessories, dishes, spices and products. Such a kitchen can be hidden behind sliding doors to minimize visual clutter in small open spaces, such as studio apartments. As you can see, with this layout, the sink is often located between the hob and the refrigerator. This arrangement leaves enough space on both sides of the hob, which is important from a safety point of view.

Unfortunately, the sink, hob and fridge take up most of the kitchen work surface, which creates some inconvenience when preparing food, especially when two people are cooking together. In a very small kitchen, you can only use a standard 60 cm wide fridge and, perhaps, a 2-burner stove. In this case, you will have more work surface and storage space. Using a mobile "island" can also be a good solution.

A parallel kitchen is perhaps the most convenient of all possible layouts, if we talk about the initial and main function of the kitchen - a place for cooking. And this is not surprising - the prototype of the parallel kitchen was the cockpit on ships and the galley on airplanes. By definition, such kitchens should make the most efficient use of limited space to prepare food for dozens, and sometimes hundreds of people. Most restaurants and other catering establishments use a similar layout, where cooks work in oblong rooms between a counter with cooking utensils and a long work surface.

"From a functional point of view, most restaurant kitchens are parallel kitchens," says Konstantin Passalakva, chef at Pantagruel restaurant in Kyiv. "For a chef, this is the most convenient arrangement. Everyone works next to each other, without disturbing anyone. Plates and dishes on one side, pots and pans on the other."

Like the Straight and Parallel kitchens, the U-shaped kitchen layout (also called the U-shaped) is convenient when only one person is cooking at a time.

The main problem with the traditional U-shaped kitchen is the limited space inside, which does not allow for a kitchen table and chairs. Also, the second corner joint "eats" useful space due to the appearance of "dead" zones.

To solve the seating issue, one option could be to remove part of the wall between the upper and lower cabinets, as shown in the photo below, to open up access to the living room. This would allow the kitchen worktop to be used as an additional dining area. Another alternative could be to turn one side of the kitchen into a "peninsula" that would serve as a kitchen table, work space and bar - depending on the time of day and mood!

The G-shaped kitchen (or Peninsula Kitchen) is an extended version of the U-shaped kitchen. This layout is ideal for those who want to maximize the usable area in the room.

The fourth side adjoins the regular version of the U-shaped kitchen at an obtuse angle, forming an additional work surface without blocking the passage into the kitchen. In essence, the fourth side is a "peninsula".

The main thing is that the length of the peninsula should not be too long so as not to interfere with comfortable entry and exit to the kitchen. For good ergonomics, the distance to the opposite side of the kitchen should be at least 100 cm. On the other hand, its length should be sufficient so that several guests and kitchen appliances can comfortably accommodate behind it, as shown in the photo below.

To use the "peninsula" as a work surface, its width should preferably be at least 90 cm. It is this fourth side of the kitchen that makes the G-shaped layout convenient for 2 or more people to cook at the same time.

The corner kitchen, or as it is also called, L-shaped or L-shaped, is by far the most popular kitchen layout. As you might guess, this layout consists of two sides perpendicular to each other. The length of the sides can vary from very short to super long, depending on the size of the room.

Those who like to turn cooking into a social event will appreciate the ability of this layout to accommodate multiple people working at the same time, as well as the ability to freely communicate with guests or family members while preparing family dinners or cocktail parties.

To also be able to eat in the kitchen, you may want to put in a good old dining table and chairs. In addition, the surface of the dining table can also be used for cooking, if necessary.