5 Efficient Kitchen Layouts for Your New Home

By Christine Cooney, Direct from the Designers™' Staff Writer

The kitchen is more than a space for cooking. Modern kitchens are a place where your family can social and entertain as well. When you are designing your new home, you want to make sure that your kitchen's floor plan fits into your life and the way you work.

A traditional kitchen design consists of three areas: storage, cooking, and cleaning/prep. Normally, these areas are arranged in a triangle to aide workflow, but that isn't the only way to arrange these stations. Our architects are thinking outside the traditional kitchen work triangle to meet the needs and demands of consumers looking for a place not only to cook, but to meet and socialize.

Here are five different kitchen floor plans that provide a place for families to cook and socialize.

The U-shaped Floor Plan

The U-shaped plan is versatile and efficient, designed usually with one workstation on each of the three walls. This design give you storage and counter space on three sides, to maximize efficiency. The 'dead-end' floor plan ensures that traffic won't disrupt the workspace.

The L-shaped Floor Plan

The L-shaped kitchen floor plan places two workstations on one wall and the third on an adjacent wall. This layout is more space-efficient than a U-shaped plan, but may not work as well in kitchens with a small footprint.

The G-shaped Floor Plan

The G-shaped (also known as a Peninsula) floor plan is designed with one end of an island attached to a wall or line of cabinets. The Peninsula kitchen contains the versatility of an island kitchen, with a bit less floor space.

The Island Floor Plan

The Island kitchen floor plan features a freestanding workstation, usually incorporating a cooktop or sink. Some luxury homes have used the space under the counter for added refrigeration or a microwave as well. The Island Floor Plan provides a traffic-free environment with an abundance of counter space.

,

The Galley Floor Plan

The Galley kitchen plan is a perfect design for small spaces, providing extra room and a more open feel. Workstations on parallel walls allow the chef to switch quickly from one task to another by simply turning around.

There are numerous ways to design and style a kitchen. Find your dream home in Direct from the Designers™' Fabulous Kitchen Collection.