Welcome to the New Year – is it time to fulfill that resolution for a new U-Shaped kitchen? With the holidays behind us it’s time to start thinking about a fresh start, and perhaps this means a fresh new kitchen layout for you and your family.
The kitchen layout is the shape made by the arrangement of the major appliances, countertops and storage areas. There are six fundamental kitchen layouts – Galley, L, U, G, Peninsula and Single Wall. The layout and floor plan create the kitchen’s primary work triangle: the path that you make when moving from the refrigerator to the sink to the range when preparing a meal. When designing your new kitchen and choosing the best kitchen countertops and/or cabinets for your home, one of the first considerations is the overall layout of the kitchen. With help from Ideal Home’s Jennifer Ebert we’ll talk more about the U-shaped kitchen.
WHAT IS A U-SHAPED KITCHEN DESIGN?
The U-Shaped kitchen is the most viable layout for kitchens large and small, offering continuous countertops and ample storage throughout the space. As the name suggests, this kitchen design and configuration is comprised of a three-walled “U” shaped design (sometimes referred to as a “C-shaped” kitchen) with cabinetry and countertops running along three sides and an open end for access. 
Its practical layout can provide an additional run of potential storage or appliance space compared with a galley kitchen or L-shaped kitchen. U-shaped kitchens work well in large spaces, but even small kitchens can benefit from a U-shaped design. Six feet of moving-around space between the opposite banks of units is recommended. The design concept of the ‘golden triangle’ is a natural fit with a U-shape: when designing your space, keep your fridge, cooker and/or hob and sink between 120cm and 270cm away from each other. This will make for a practical, time-efficient and safe use of your space, something that is harder to achieve in longer, L-shaped or galley kitchens, for example. Be guided by the size of your room and the light levels when deciding on the look, style and color of your kitchen. In a smaller space with a central window it may pay to stick to a largely white scheme. Modern hi-gloss units will help to keep light levels up, as will glazed tiles and stainless-steel surfaces. Larger kitchens may be more able to handle deep color, dark wood finishes and even hints of pattern
TIPS TO CONSIDER
LARGE SPACE? You may want to consider a peninsula end unit. This smart modern design features conventional units along one wall and one window and a peninsula that continues the run of storage and worktop space without the need for a third wall. 
THINK MINIMAL. Turn a galley kitchen into a U-shaped kitchen by using the third, short wall to house an appliance, such as the range cooker shown here. Continue the run of wall units on this third wall for a defined, well designed space that makes the most of all available space without feeling cramped.
ADD A BREAKFAST NOOK. Extend a worktop to form a worktop-level breakfast bar and the third side of a U-shaped kitchen. Like a peninsula, a breakfast bar can extend a kitchen space out into the center of a room, free from any walls. Integrate kitchen and living areas with the use of a single floor treatment and by introducing elements of kitchen storage outside the boundaries of the kitchen.
PLAN AROUND YOUR WINDOW. A wide window can be the central anchor point of the u-shaped kitchen, filling the space with light and showing off matt-finish units, rich wood and glazed tiles in their best light. The use of wood finishes on the floor and kitchen countertops brings warmth to an otherwise pale decorating scheme and adds a rustic edge.
For even more visual inspiration, Home Designing brings us a showcase of 50 unique U-shaped kitchens. 
Classic Cabinets and Design has vast experience creating all six of the basic kitchen layouts, including U-shaped kitchens, and our team of talented designers will work hard to bring your vision to life! Here’s an example: https://classiccabinetsdesign.com/design-gallery/kitchens/u-shaped-kitchen/
What are you waiting for? Give us a call today!
