U-Shaped Kitchens That Make the Most of Their Compact Quarters
The U-shaped layout is perfect for the cook’s working triangle, but if space is tight you’ll need a few tricks
If yours is a U-shaped kitchen, it’s likely that you’re happy with the room’s layout possibilities. But what if its size is the challenge? These space-smart solutions will help you plan the perfect room.
Stretch the space
Pick light-coloured cabinets, rather than dark ones, to bounce light around and maximise the feeling of space in your kitchen. You can increase the impact of this with white worktops and pale-coloured flooring, too.
Want to go a step further? Put a wide drawer unit at the far end of the kitchen to exaggerate the kitchen’s width. Bonus.
Top 30: Australia’s Favourite Kitchens of 2018
Pick light-coloured cabinets, rather than dark ones, to bounce light around and maximise the feeling of space in your kitchen. You can increase the impact of this with white worktops and pale-coloured flooring, too.
Want to go a step further? Put a wide drawer unit at the far end of the kitchen to exaggerate the kitchen’s width. Bonus.
Top 30: Australia’s Favourite Kitchens of 2018
Fit light-enhancing fixtures
Don’t fancy white cabinets? Up the impact of both daylight and artificial lighting in a small U-shaped kitchen with reflective finishes. That may be stainless-steel or high-gloss cabinetry in a light colour – both will work.
You can double the impact by choosing appliances with equal shine-ability. Also, pick long, horizontal handles for drawers, which will exaggerate the appearance of the kitchen’s width and length.
Want kitchen handle inspo? Here are 50 stunning styles in kitchens around the world
Don’t fancy white cabinets? Up the impact of both daylight and artificial lighting in a small U-shaped kitchen with reflective finishes. That may be stainless-steel or high-gloss cabinetry in a light colour – both will work.
You can double the impact by choosing appliances with equal shine-ability. Also, pick long, horizontal handles for drawers, which will exaggerate the appearance of the kitchen’s width and length.
Want kitchen handle inspo? Here are 50 stunning styles in kitchens around the world
Define the cooking zone
A U-shaped kitchen needn’t be confined by three walls – you can use this layout cleverly within an open-plan space to divide cooking, dining and living areas.
Make the most of an open U-shaped design such as this one by including a breakfast bar on the peninsula. A slight overhang of the benchtop at the back of the cabinetry is all it takes.
A U-shaped kitchen needn’t be confined by three walls – you can use this layout cleverly within an open-plan space to divide cooking, dining and living areas.
Make the most of an open U-shaped design such as this one by including a breakfast bar on the peninsula. A slight overhang of the benchtop at the back of the cabinetry is all it takes.
Go up and over
You can make your U-shaped kitchen feel as wide as possible by removing the upper units on the two longest walls. However, if you do this, you might need to make the most of the rear wall to incorporate more storage.
As the far wall is likely to be well-suited to housing a large fridge-freezer, maximise the space by framing it with floor-to-ceiling shelving.
Here, the open shelves have become an attractive focal point and make the perfect display space for everyday items that need to be accessed frequently.
The 8 Biggest Kitchen Blunders
You can make your U-shaped kitchen feel as wide as possible by removing the upper units on the two longest walls. However, if you do this, you might need to make the most of the rear wall to incorporate more storage.
As the far wall is likely to be well-suited to housing a large fridge-freezer, maximise the space by framing it with floor-to-ceiling shelving.
Here, the open shelves have become an attractive focal point and make the perfect display space for everyday items that need to be accessed frequently.
The 8 Biggest Kitchen Blunders
Contrast the cabinetry
If your compact U-shaped kitchen is crying out for wall units on at least two sides, there’s a clever colour trick you can use to stop the space from feeling too enclosed.
Simply choose a darker finish for the base units and a lighter shade for the wall cabinets. Paint the walls and ceiling white, and the cabinetry will simply blend away, making even a tiny space feel bigger.
If your compact U-shaped kitchen is crying out for wall units on at least two sides, there’s a clever colour trick you can use to stop the space from feeling too enclosed.
Simply choose a darker finish for the base units and a lighter shade for the wall cabinets. Paint the walls and ceiling white, and the cabinetry will simply blend away, making even a tiny space feel bigger.
Max out one wall
If you want to load your U-shaped kitchen with storage, but don’t want wall cabinets on all three sides, here’s an alternative. Leave one of the longest walls free and fill the one opposite with floor-to-ceiling cabinetry.
On the third, narrowest wall in this scheme, a half-and-half approach comfortably bridges the gap between the two cabinetry layouts. The result? A kitchen with loads of storage that still feels spacious.
Tell us
Do you have a U-shaped kitchen? Have you used any tricks to make best use of the space? Share your ideas in the Comments section.
More
Browse more kitchen photos
If you want to load your U-shaped kitchen with storage, but don’t want wall cabinets on all three sides, here’s an alternative. Leave one of the longest walls free and fill the one opposite with floor-to-ceiling cabinetry.
On the third, narrowest wall in this scheme, a half-and-half approach comfortably bridges the gap between the two cabinetry layouts. The result? A kitchen with loads of storage that still feels spacious.
Tell us
Do you have a U-shaped kitchen? Have you used any tricks to make best use of the space? Share your ideas in the Comments section.
More
Browse more kitchen photos
Depending on the proportions of your U-shaped kitchen, if you pack out all three sides, you could end up with a crowded room. Create a more spacious feel by swapping solid units on one wall for open shelving.
In this scheme, the designers have used slim shelves to make use of the shallow space beside the window. A low unit beneath the window adds a small amount of additional storage as well as a spot to perch.