The Shape of Things to Come

When starting to plan the kitchen of your dreams, one of the initial decisions that you’ll need to make is the layout that makes the most sense for how you want your new dream kitchen to look, feel and function. What’s best for you? Let’s discuss L-shaped versus U-shaped kitchen layouts and some of the advantages they each have to offer.

U-shaped kitchens feature cabinets, countertops and appliances linking three walls with an open end. Because there are opportunities for cabinetry on three walls, most U-shaped kitchens offer ample storage space for most homeowners Southern New England. U-shaped kitchens also provide lots of design and layout flexibility. Traditional U-shaped kitchens are closed; they do not connect to other rooms in the house unless you opt to modify the third wall to create an island-breakfast bar combination if space permits. U-shapes make it easy to designate distinct work areas for cooking, meal preparation and clean up, providing enough room for more than one family member to prepare meals or engage in other activities in the kitchen without running into one another.

To avoid challenges with corners in U-shaped kitchens, our designers are knowledgeable in special design elements such as magic corners, lazy-susans and other organizing hardware for you to get the most out of corner storage. Although U-shaped kitchens are not always able to accommodate an island, they still offer plentiful counter space for cooking and for a family to gather.

L-shaped kitchens are another favored choice of homeowners in Southern New England. As the name implies, L-shaped kitchens feature two walls with cabinetry that form an L. L-shaped kitchens provide homeowners options to create an open-floor plan and easily incorporate an island or peninsula. If you don’t want or need an island, L-shaped kitchens are ideal for families with multiple cooks or those who like to entertain because they provide an open, airy space with lots of room to maneuver.

L-shaped kitchens also cater to the way a family cooks, who does the cooking and how often. Appliance placement is key to making L-shaped kitchens function effectively and to make it easier and more enjoyable to prepare meals. In the L-shaped kitchen featured above, the layout allowed for a large island to be incorporated with ample amounts of counterspace and seating for guests. The connecting corner can be a challenge. Our professional designers know how to overcome that challenge with corner cabinets that can pull out or feature a super-susan or other organizing tools to provide additional storage space.

Which shape is ideal for your dream kitchen? Give us a call at 401.463.1550 or make an appointment to visit our Design Center at 139 Jefferson Blvd, Warwick, RI 02888 to create the kitchen of your dreams!