What's the best kitchen layout for my space?

last month

I'm looking for feedback and ideas from the community on my kitchen layout designs. I've tried designing my kitchen with a number of configurations including a L-shaped layout and kitchen island, but due to spacing constraints I'm most sold on a U-shaped layout suiting my space the best.
However, I'm struggling to work out where best to place the kitchen pantry and have come up with some ideas of where to put it as shown in my designs. I've had to include some of my designs in reply posts due to the image upload limit. For example, I've thought about putting the pantry in the dining, behind the laundry and in the kitchen. But each configuration has their pros and cons.
I'd like to hear what others think as well as other ideas you may have.

Featured Answer

bigreader

last month

Is this the same house where the angled wall can’t be moved due to a sunken? Lounge? Not being able to access the pantry directly from the kitchen is a pain the backside. It really is just another storage cupboard then, not a pantry. I’d expand on your idea of the option with the pantry up against the angled wall but I’d extend that idea. I’d use the space on the other side of the wall but accessed from the kitchen side. Almost as a step in pantry. You’d have a step up but that wouldn’t be an issue in the pantry.

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Comments (28)

bigreader
last month
Or keep the existing doorway and have a walk-in option by adding a wall.
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dreamer
last month
Completely agree with big reader. A cupboard in another room for kitchen food items, would be so annoying. Along the same lines as bigreader……why not square off the angled wall on the dining side? You already have a doorway from kitchen. Installing a stud timber wall, will instantly provide an enclosed pantry area. If you don’t like this idea, then put a shallow pantry cupboard IN the kitchen. But what is the measurement between new peninsula and proposed pantry? Is there enough walking space between the two? Get your draftsperson to draw up enclosing the angle area, and see what actual space is available. And ask yourself, will that proposed dining area ever get used? I would be putting a dining setting in the adjoining room to kitchen. (The sunken lounge area)
bigreader
last month
Good drawing Dreamer. A whole WIP adds value. In this case for not a lot of cost.
bigreader
last month
Paul, I can’t remember the whole layout but is there a reason the run of cabinets containing the sink can’t be extended another 600. You would still have room before the sliding door.
Paul
Original Author
last month
Thank you @bigreader and @dreamer. You have some great ideas and I do appreciate the drawing. My only concern with the WIP, is that I would essentially lose the dining room.

The family room is a sunken room, but its floor is currently being built up to be level with the floor of the kitchen and other adjacent rooms. If I were to position the pantry (370mm depth) in the kitchen, I would have a clearance of 1120mm between pantry and peninsula.

The space to the right of the peninsula (when looking top-down), is unused so I could push the peninsula to the right. Alternatively, I could position the pantry on the angled wall facing the Family Room.
Paul
Original Author
last month
I think this is a more accurate image of what the kitchen would look like with the pantry in the kitchen
bigreader
last month
If you’re building up the floor resolve the issues that the angled wall causes at the same time. You could square it off and have a long run of cabinetry on the kitchen side for the pantry.
bigreader
last month
Before you finalise your design, have you put furniture in both rooms to check out practicality.
dreamer
last month
I mentioned to put the dining setting in the family room, because of the fact you were raising the floor. That is why I made the suggestion.
I would assume, the pantry in the kitchen, total built cabinets is 370mm deep. As only 300mm internal storage space is required. Anything deeper is a waste. That would work. I would not put the pantry on the angled wall facing family room.
Paul
Original Author
last month
@bigreader that's a really good point. I will add some furniture to my floor plan to help me assess spacing and flow. Thank you
dreamer
last month
As we know from your previous posts, the angled wall is load bearing, so can’t be moved. Maybe have cabinets built similar to this, to square the angle and create more storage or display area.
dreamer
last month
The small bit in the middle of the purple cabinets in my sketch would just be a void. Not accessible. Unless you made a slide out cabinet ….??
dreamer
last month
Example…
dreamer
last month
.
Kate
last month
Hi Paul. I remember your posts from July last year on this. Glad you are down to final 3 options. The pantry in kitchen aligns with my sketch from that post. Really it is your decision. The smaller peninsula loses a seat and cabinet to give you the pantry in kitchen. The other options the pantry is further away and you need to consider impacts on function and aesthetics in those spaces. It really is your choice. If you have the money recessing the pantry into the dining room wall so it is accessed from kitchen would be best and if you haven’t already it would be worth getting that costed. Good luck. Have you done any of your other projects?I have an island bench and 850 between cabinets on each end. 1150 is more than ample
Paul
Original Author
last month
Hi Kate. Oh wow, you remembered my post from last year. I'm impressed.

Yes, we've had a few of the other projects completed or currently underway. Had the roof restored, repaired the ceiling across the whole house and had all the floor tiles stripped. I'm currently having the floor in the sunken family room raised (along with its door and window) as well as the WIR converted into a bathroom. It took quite a bit of research and speaking with lots of people to understand what is and isn't possible with my project as a whole.

So now I'm up to the kitchen and laundry. I showed my wife the feedback/options others have given me thus far and she seems more sold on having the pantry in the dining. Ideally it would be nice to recess the pantry in the wall so it's accessible from the kitchen like you said, but I guess having the pantry in the dining is the next best thing for her since she likes the look of the longer peninsula and the kitchen looks more open spaced without the pantry. I see her point.
bigreader
last month
Can I suggest I you take everything out of your current pantry and move it into an adjacent room as a trial? I can imagine a pantry in the dining area will become very tedious ( although a good way to get your steps in) to get to and you’ll end up having to repurpose kitchen cabinets or live with cluttered benches to keep things on hand.
bigreader
last month
Now that you’ve added in the furniture layout, there’s no reason that the cabinetry run with the sink can’t be extended another 600mm before the peninsula.
Kate
last month
Paul sounds like you have a preference so go for it. Pantry in dining is not so diff in terms of function than a butlers pantry. And you have space in kitchen gor the most used items. Great to here other projects have progressed. We would love to see some After photos.
Paul
Original Author
last month
@dreamer @kate @bigreader Thank you so much for your feedback and ideas. It's definitely helped me re-think how to do things possibly better. Since we also have a goal to increase the storage within the house, I've identified possible locations where we can have a built-in robe and kitchen pantry, as seen in my image. I could foresee only adding 'D' as a built-in robe and 'C' as a built-in kitchen pantry.

However, I'd be interested in hearing your thought on what could be the best combo out of the options.
Kate
last month
Building out the wall at C would allow increased storage there (with or without the chamfered corner. You have moved dining table. There is a lot of unused space in your plan partic between dining and family.
dreamer
last month
What are you keeping in these kitchen pantry cupboards, which are not in the kitchen proper? A, B, C? D is a logical place for general storage or display cabinet.
dreamer
last month
If you reduce the peninsula you would have plenty of room to install a wall of cupboards in the kitchen and have comfortable walking space into kitchen. You can still have your A, B and C storage.
bigreader
last month
I’m concerned about the furniture layout. I get the need for more storage but you also need to live in the space. The options you’ve drawn are taking your home from two living spaces to one. A significant drop in functionality and value. Where is the dining table going? Where are the sofas going in both living spaces? I’d still be aiming to forgo the door into the front living from the kitchen a den straighten that wall out with narrow storage on both sides. You could
dreamer
last month
This is as per your post on 21 march 2026. You keep reinventing the wheel, when I think you have already found the best solution for the kitchen storage. What you do for extra storage is up to you and for you to work out where your furniture is going to go.
dreamer
last month
And this is from your original post. In my opinion this is the best solution for you kitchen pantry storage.
Paul
Original Author
last month
Thank you for everyone's insights. I really do appreciate it. Our goal wasn't to implement all 4 locations, just 2 of the locations. I agree that 'D' works for general storage, which is our goal, and is suitable for positioning a cabinet.

I do think 'A' and 'B' would make that area of the house too compact.

I agree that the best location for the kitchen pantry is adjacent to the peninsula, with the peninsula shortened. But just in case my wife wanted to still keep the peninsula longer, I thought 'C' might be a good compromise.

The aim is to have the sofa, coffee table and TV in the family room, use the lounge area as a play area for my daughter, and place the dining table/chairs in the circular room (crossing over into the lounge a little). But I will need to update the floorplan to see how this will all flow and fit in the house.

I do look forward to sharing photos as more of my project gets completed :)