WHICH KITCHEN LAYOUT IS BEST FOR YOU?

Terry Watson, kitchen planning expert for Moben Kitchens explains the possible layouts of kitchens and which design could be best for you:

“When thinking of investing in a new kitchen, it really is worth doing your research: choosing a kitchen is not purely down to the way it looks in your home (though that is obviously important,) but how it works on a practical level too.

“When you see a kitchen you like you need to consider how the layout would suit your home. If, for example, you only have a small space you could consider a galley or straight line design. But if you have an open plan kitchen/diner then why not really show it off with a stunning island layout?

 "Here are my top tips for different kitchen shapes:

• Galley Kitchen: These are super efficient. Place your sink and stove on one side, and the fridge on the other, this way you’ll have plenty of moveability when preparing food.

• L shaped Kitchen: The L shaped kitchen can be a lot easier to work in than the galley kitchen, with appliances located centrally and plenty of counter space each side. Positioning some bar stools at one end of the L makes a great surface for family and friends to gather.

• U shaped Kitchen: This really does need a lot of space to be successful. This kitchen is fantastic for maximizing space and storage.

“If you start with a ‘U’ shaped kitchen, this can be changed to an ‘L’ shape by removing the units and altering the position of the three main points of focus – the sink, the cooker and the fridge-freezer. In doing so, it is possible to construct a place for dining within the kitchen quite easily.

“A common problem to both the L shaped and U shaped kitchen is the corner. If not designed cleverly the cabinets here can be inaccessible and the contents hard to reach. Luckily kitchen specialists such as Moben are experts in this and have many design tricks, such as the Le Mans corner storage to counteract this.

• Island: The island kitchen is undoubtedly the most sociable and convenient of all layouts – with a space for everyone to gather and for the chef to entertain, without compromising on room for storage. The ease of cooking in this design is that you can have a sink or a stove installed in the island, leaving hordes of room for food preparation and getting everyone involved with the cooking.

“For a functional kitchen area within an open plan scheme, you need to allow you plenty of space to manoeuvre so ideally you need to leave a minimum of 120cm between runs of units or between units and a central island.

“Moben’s designers have been fully trained and have many years experience, which is a huge benefit with such an important purchase. They talk to homeowners about how they use their kitchen and discuss any special requests, so that the best options can be considered. In addition, they will project manage the entire job, helping people coordinate every aspect of the kitchen and providing reassurance that the various elements will work well together to achieve their desired look.”