When space is at a premium, there are many advantages to having a U-shaped kitchen design (also called a C-shaped layout), which uses three walls or cabinet sections. He. She It can provide you with an effective working triangle, for example. It can also provide plenty of storage and counter space for the size of the kitchen. and since then No through traffic, it is very safe. CCheck out these examples of relatively small U-shaped kitchens—some with peninsulas—to see the design in action.
The National Kitchen and Bath Association recommends a distance of 60 inches between opposite arms for a U-shaped kitchen in order to meet the needs of a variety of users. In a small kitchen, 42 inches—the minimum working aisle width for a single cooker—or even 36 inches is often all that is possible. (Tip: A counter-depth refrigerator can help save precious inches.)
This kitchen in a Santa Barbara, California, guest house designed by Newman Mindro Androlaitis Architects appears to be less than 60 inches wide. But it looks airy thanks to the open top shelf and high ceiling. The open space under one of the tables allows two chairs to be placed neatly underneath.
This Weil Friedman-designed kitchen is located in a townhouse in a historic district of New York City. Although small, it is filled with high-end details like a Lacanche stove and custom range hood, custom cabinetry, soapstone counters and antique brass appliances. The cabinets are painted a soft pink by Farrow & Ball, and at one end, a comfortable bench surrounded by bookshelves provides storage and seating without blocking the window. At the opposite end, a long pantry and paneled refrigerator blend into the cabinetry that flanks the entryway.
7 small U-shaped kitchens full of ideas
The terms C-shaped and U-shaped are often used interchangeably. But this English kitchen designed by Natalie Holden Interiors shows why the former may be a better term for a U-shaped kitchen where the middle section of the cabinets is longer than the side sections. (And while we’re defining terms, when one arm is shorter than the opposite arm, the layout is sometimes called a J-shape.)
Layouts aside, we love that they saved the unexpected, old-fashioned red refrigerator from the original kitchen.
Dark teal paint, a tile backsplash, and a dark wood floor would have made this U-shaped kitchen in the Toronto area from M-Squared Contracting look like a cave. But the darkness is offset by light countertops, a glossy finish on the tiles and a white vaulted ceiling with a skylight. Also, making the wallpaper match the cabinet paint and refrigerator panels to match the cabinet doors creates a seamless look.
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Zoom in on this white, wood, and black kitchen and you’ll see that there’s more variety in texture and pattern than meets the eye at first glance. The kitchen was designed by Molly J Littlejohn in Portland, Oregon, and has a parquet floor, two countertop materials (one wood and then a solid stone surrounding the sink) and a marble mosaic backsplash. It also has beautiful crystal handles, glass front cabinets and fluted pendant lighting that adds vintage charm. In the back right corner, the upper cabinet extends to the work surface, making good use of the often dead space.
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In this Spanish-style home in Los Angeles’ Mar Vista neighborhood, Kelly Martin Interiors combined cCustom oak cabinets, concrete-colored countertops, variegated green wall tiles, and star-shaped floor tiles pack a lot of depth and organic style—plus plenty of storage—into a small space.
In a narrow U-shaped kitchen, one wing usually contains a tall cabinet and refrigerator, while the back wall contains the stove or sink. But in this kitchen in Washington, D.C., Sarah Khan Turner Place a long pantry on the back wall and turn it into a focal point with fun colorful paint. Check out how much this pantry can hold!
This narrow London kitchen by Vorbild Architecture ditches bold colors and statement cabinet hardware to create a streamlined look and to maximize every inch of width. We think the toe pedal under the sink opens the cabinet door hands-free, and it’s low-tech genius.
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Like the previous kitchen, this Minneapolis kitchen by Locale Design Build features mostly white and wood. Predominantly white palettes are very popular in general but especially in small kitchens, since the typical thinking is that light colors expand the space. But white does not necessarily mean stark or simple. This kitchen’s dark plaster, black appliances, industrial-style lighting, and Shaker-style interior cabinetry are a better fit for the home’s 1930’s Craftsman architecture.
Designers can use a variety of tricks to make a space appear larger. In this Chicago kitchen, for example, Home Redesign | Chicago used an antique mirror for the kitchen hood and a backsplash on the back wall to visually expand the depth of the room. The floor-to-ceiling cabinets and paneled refrigerator look like a wall with picture frame panels, making them disappear into the architecture.
It’s a bit hard to see in this photo, but part of the wing opposite the full-height cabinets literally disappears — it’s a peninsula.
Using a peninsula instead of a full wall in a U-shaped design not only makes the space less restrictive, but also creates a separation between the kitchen and living area without separating them from each other. Furthermore, the peninsula can provide a place for socializing and dining. Clarketon Construction used such a layout in tHis 288-square-foot cottage in Oceanside, California, made a big impact. And how cool are those vintage appliances and the mint and peach color scheme?
Located in Montecito, California, this rustic Mediterranean-style guest house by JL Interiors has overhead cabinets suspended above a short peninsula. This cabinet design is not very common in modern kitchens, but it offers the benefits of providing plenty of storage space while allowing light in through the adjacent glass door.
This kitchen is located in Deception Pass, Washington, in a new 800-square-foot cabin built on existing cabin space. Designed by Greg Robinson is an architectThe cabin features double-height ceilings, allowing for a double row of overhead lockers. Although the space is relatively small, it would be difficult to feel confined when looking at this view.
Paneled appliances that match the cabinetry are the gold standard for creating a seamless look in the kitchen. But white café hardware creates a smooth, upscale look in this Washington, D.C., kitchen designed by Heather DiSabella. A smooth tile backsplash that extends to the ceiling, custom cabinet systems, pulls that maximize storage space, and a custom hood are other touches that fill the small space with function and style.
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One of the downsides of a U- or C-shaped kitchen is the presence of two blind corners. Hello Kitchen installed a specialized Magic Corner system in the back left corner of their fairly spacious Austin, Texas, kitchen in order to use the entire space for storage. Other corner storage options include LeMans (hand-pulled) and corner vanes.
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