Choosing A Kitchen Layout

Open Plan Kitchens

Open Plan Kitchens

Open plan kitchens are becoming ever more commonplace features in homes across the UK. In fact, many estate agents report that a well designed open plan kitchen can sell a property, ahead of all other features.

One of the biggest upsides of this style is that the layout of the kitchen allows the family to spend

quality time together. Typically, the open plan kitchen actually combines a cooking area, dining and living area as well as play room, depending on the age and stage of the family. This room can work really hard for the entire family, leaving other more formal sitting areas free from everyday clutter.

The drawback is the potential lack of privacy this style creates. If youre a messy cook or the type that hates being disturbed during the crucial moments of preparing a meal, then open plan designs may not be for you.

Galley Kitchens

A galley kitchen takes its name from a ships galley, where traditionally the units run down the two longest walls of the room. Arguably it is the most common kitchen layout in the UK and a variation on this style features in the vast majority of homes at the lower end of the property market. Due to the lower number of units in this type of, kitchen design it is available on a lot lower budget than open plan kitchens and therefore offers a much more cost effective solution.

However, despite galley kitchens being generally amongst the smallest type available, dont be fooled into thinking that they are not functional. Galley styles are often the easiest to work with, due to the close proximity of that holy grail of kitchen layouts - the working triangle of the cooker, fridge and sink.

The galley kitchen effectively creates an ergonomic production line, allowing for speedy retrieval of all the gadgets and gizmos you need to create something spectacular in the kitchen. With modern storage solutions, theres no reason for a galley kitchen not to have all the appliances and gadgets that speed up cooking time. Theres a place for everything, and if you can keep the kitchen in good order, everything will be in its place.

Island kitchens

Island units are becoming one of the most desirable items to have in a kitchen in the UK. They are designed either to blend in seamlessly to the kitchen as a whole or alternatively create a design statement - using different but complementary textures, materials or colours to that of the other units. As well as being aesthetically pleasing, island units provide an extra work surface and storage solutions. They can also be plumbed into the mains gas and water supply, allowing for ovens, sinks and plug sockets to be installed, as well as built in fridges, freezers or even wine coolers.

A word of warning: island units do need a considerable amount of space around their perimeter. Nothing is worse that trying to prepare a meal around a badly planned island unit as they can be more of a hindrance than a help if not located correctly within the room. As a general rule of thumb, an island unit needs to have at least 90 mm of floor space on each side to make it a worthy addition to the kitchen design.

Of course kitchens come in all shapes and sizes and a good kitchen designer will work with the homeowner to plan a room that functions well for all members of the family.

by: Richard Davonport

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