Kitchen Trends: Common Kitchen Configurations

Kitchens are as diverse and different as the people who own them; however, most kitchens tend to fall into one of seven basic categories.  The seven most common kitchen configurations include Single Wall, Galley, L-Shaped, L-Shaped with an Island, U-Shaped, U-Shaped with an Island, and G-shaped.  Each layout has unique advantages and disadvantages, but they can all be well suited for particular applications.

Single Wall

Single Wall: While this layout is most efficient in terms of the amount of space needed, it is least efficient in terms of use. All of the appliances must be located along the same wall, requiring the cook to shift back and forth between them while staring at a wall the entire time. It is not ideal for entertaining since the cook�s back is turned towards guests and family members and it is difficult for more than one person to use this kitchen at a time. This layout does work; however, in cases where space is highly restricted or where the owner does not do a lot of cooking or entertaining. It also works best if the sink is located in the middle with the stove and refrigerator located at each end. 

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Galley with Island

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Galley

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Galley: This layout is much easier to use and can still be an efficient use of space. The Galley kitchen has two rows of cabinets and appliances located on parallel walls. There should be at least four feet of open floor area between the two rows of cabinets for kitchens that are used by a single cook most of the time. For kitchens where multiple people prepare meals at the same time, it is more desirable to allow five to six feet of open floor space.  This layout is not ideal for entertaining since it does not allow for guests to interact with the cook, but slight modifications to this traditional layout can help solve that problem. By removing one of the walls along the cabinets, you can create an island which is open to an adjacent space and provides an area for seating and better entertaining potential. This change; however, does reduce the amount of upper cabinet storage by half.

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L-Shaped

L-Shape with Peninsula

?L-Shaped: This layout is the result of two rows of cabinets and appliances located on perpendicular walls. There is more travel distance required between appliances in this layout compared to the Galley shape, but it does allow an open floor area suitable for a small table and chairs. Many eat-in kitchens utilize the L-shape. This layout is also easier to use for multiple cooks. In this layout one wall can be removed creating a peninsula for better entertaining and more seating.

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Modified L-Shaped with Island

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L-Shaped with Island

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L-Shaped with Island: As the name suggests, this layout utilizes the L-shape described above with the addition of an island to create a more efficient use of space. The island helps to add the efficiency of a Galley style kitchen while keeping the second leg of the L-shape. This provides additional counter, cabinet, and seating potential. The island should be placed a minimum of 3�-0� away from any wall or cabinet. This can get tight, so I would recommend a clearance of at least 3�-6� from a cabinet or wall and a minimum of 4�-0� if the island is adjacent to the refrigerator or ovens. Again, if the space is meant to be used by more than one cook at a time, allow for wider clearances.

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U-Shaped

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U-Shaped with Island

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Modified U-Shaped with Island

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U-Shaped with Island: This layout builds on the typical U-shape by adding an island space to serve all three legs of the kitchen. The island addition is ideal for kitchens with multiple cooks since it helps to create working zones for multiple users. The island also helps to keep guests out of the working area of the kitchen while still allowing the cook or cooks to be connected with guests. Adequate clearance around the island is key in this layout with a minimum of 3�-6� required and a recommended 4�-0� to 5�-0� for multiple cooks. The possibilities are nearly endless with this arrangement.

G-Shaped

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Modified G-Shaped

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??????????G-Shaped: The G-shape is formed when a peninsula is added to a U-shaped kitchen. The peninsula provides additional counter and base cabinet storage space and allows for the addition of a bar area. The peninsula also helps to define the limits of the working kitchen from the entertaining areas; however, it can cause traffic flow problems since there is only one way in and one way out of the work area. This is not ideal for more than one cook. Like all the configurations listed here, the G-shape can be modified to allow better flow and more openness.

Although there are seven basic kitchen configurations, there are endless variations of each of these. A skilled designer can help you determine which configuration will work best for you by recognizing the limits imposed by existing walls and structure, by taking into consideration the owner�s budget, and by transforming your personal needs and desires into a uniquely suited design solution.

Kitchen Trends: How the Island Turned the Triangle into a Center

For decades, the �work triangle� dominated the kitchen design landscape giving homeowners something tangible they could use to make sense of their kitchen�s layout and flow. However, the inclusion of the steadfastly popular kitchen island and the more common occurrence of multiple cooks in the kitchen has transformed the work triangle into a series of work centers.

Strictly speaking, the �work triangle� is defined by the National Kitchen and Bath Association as an imaginary straight line drawn from the center of the sink, to the center of the cooktop, to the center of the refrigerator and finally back to the sink. Furthermore, the sum of the work triangle�s three sides should not exceed 26 feet, and each leg should measure between 4 and 9 feet, the work triangle should not cut through an island or peninsula by more than 12 inches, no major traffic patterns should cross through the triangle and finally if the kitchen has only one sink, it should be placed between or across from the cooking surface, preparation area, or refrigerator.

In theory, the working triangle helps homeowners by establishing guidelines for positioning of the three major work areas of a kitchen; the sink, cooktop, and refrigerator. However, the addition of central islands in contemporary kitchen design interrupts the traditional working triangle by bisecting one or more leg of the triangle.

This interruption leads to the creation of independent working zones or centers. Well designed centers actually help a kitchen function more smoothly, especially when there are multiple people working in the same kitchen. The centers still need to be close enough in proximity to be functional while also being separated enough to be practical.

Common centers include food prep, cooking, and cleaning. Often a smaller prep sink with a disposal is needed to assist with cleaning of foods during the prep stages which frees up the main sink for cleaning of dishes and hands. Locating the refrigerator near the prep area is ideal since foods can be retrieved, cleaned and prepared without disrupting other areas of the kitchen. The refrigerator also works best when it is located on the outside edge of the kitchen where children and guests can retrieve drinks or condiments without interrupting the cooks.

Centrally locating the cleaning center allows both cooking and prep tools to be brought to the cleaning area without interrupting each other. The cleaning center should have a large sink with disposal and dishwasher.

The cooking center should include a cooktop, oven, and microwave. Placing the microwave on the outside edge of the cooking center allows it to be used by others for reheating, etc.

The island, in the meantime, serves all the centers and is multi-functional providing space for everything from cutting and chopping to serving and eating.

As you begin to imagine what you want to improve about your kitchen don't hesitate to think outside the triangle and take a more centered approach to your kitchen redesign dreams.

A Contemporary Kitchen Gets a Modern Makeover

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Existing Cooking Station

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??????????This contemporary kitchen was originally designed and built as a bachelor's kitchen; and it showed. The kitchen was tucked away � out of sight, out of mind. The lines were clean and understated and not very functional. The current layout forced the cook and helpers to face a wall at all times with their backs turned to one another and to company. There was little prep space with a lot of wasted floor area floating around between the cooking, cleaning, and assembly areas.  The fixtures, appliances, and finishes were showing their age and had outlived their days as sleek and modern and were now looking drab and lifeless. The cabinets and counters had a shiny gray laminate with a cool gray tile floor and textured gray wall paper which served as the backsplash. It was time for some updating.??

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Floor Plan of Existing Kitchen, Living, and Breakfast Room

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Besides the aesthetic problems facing this kitchen, the relationship between this central hub of the family and the other adjacent spaces was strained, to say the least. The kitchen was located near the living room and adjacent to the breakfast room; however flow between the spaces was interrupted by varying floor levels, partitions, and walls. All three spaces needed to be reworked, reorganized, and reoriented to allow for unity, balance, and sophistication. ? ? ?? ??

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Floor Plan of New Kitchen, Living, and Breakfast Room

The new kitchen, living, and breakfast spaces needed to blend modern flare with functional rationale. The kitchen itself needed to perform equally well for special occasions where six to eight women would converge on the space at once to prepare traditional Korean cuisine and for daily use where the husband and wife could work effortlessly to cater to the three children and close friends. This all needed to be accomplished while opening the kitchen up to the living room and breakfast area. A flawless flow needed to be created to unite the spaces while allowing them to maintain their separate identity and individual functions. And of course, when all is said and done, the space should look feel and function like it was the original crowning jewel of the home.

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View from Existing Hall to New Kitchen

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?The solution required a lot of redirecting of traffic flow and reorienting circulation. The wall at the end of the hall was removed to allow flow directly into the kitchen while leaving an open floor space for multiple cooks inside the kitchen itself. An island was designed at an angle to complete the kitchen triangle and allow for an unobstructed work surface, convenient storage, and place for the children to sit at stools and work on homework or eat their snack.

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View of New Cooking Station

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The cooking station remained in its original location, but became a focal element rather than a back alley nuisance. The sink and dishwasher remained along the outside wall with views to the side yard and the partition between the kitchen and breakfast room was removed. Meals could now be easily prepared and served either on the island or in the breakfast room. The existing hall was extended to form a bridge between the once separate main house and the kitchen and breakfast room. The circulation into the living room was redirected with new steps located off the hall and breakfast room. A partial wall was constructed along the extended hall to define the living room and allow for better furniture placement.

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View of Vertical Tile Backsplash

Existing  Stucco Fireplace

The finishes in all three spaces were redone. The warmth of the maple floors, stained cabinetry, and natural stone countertops replaced the austere and drab gray that had plagued the home before. The modern character of the home was update with European style cabinetry, sleek stainless steel appliances, slender glass tiles run vertically in the backsplash, and contemporary hardware, lighting, and faucets.  The seashell laced stucco was removed from the living room fireplace and replaced with a raised firebox and stacked natural stone. New cabinets and glass shelves were added to each side of the new fireplace.?

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View of New Family Room Fireplace with Built-Ins

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???? ???? ? ? ??? ?The results are as dramatic and beautiful as they are functional. The spaces work in a clever unified balance and give warmth, harmony and purpose to this once understated and out dated kitchen. When asked how they liked their new kitchen, the client said, �It is perfect and far beyond anything we could have imagined on our own.� A modern makeover for a contemporary family.? ?

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A Coastal Home Grows�Up and Out

When the White�s bought their first home it was just the two of them, but six years later they were expecting twins. So, they decided they needed help to develop a design to raise the roof and add on.

The original house had about 2,447 sq. ft. of heated area that contained three bedrooms and two baths. One of the bedrooms was used as a home office for Mrs. White and needed to stay that way. They needed two more bedrooms, a dining room, a playroom, powder room, laundry room and new garage.  

 The main living space in the existing house had a grand vaulted ceiling that the owner�s wanted to preserve and their lot didn�t have much room for growing the house out. Oh, then there were the views�the beautiful riverfront views needed to be maintained along with the compact backyard. This project would require some creative solutions.

The solution was to go up and out in the front of the house. The existing den would be expanded and transformed into the new dining room complete with a side passage to the kitchen with pantry storage and access to the new laundry room and garage. A central hall and foyer would be added for much needed ease of circulation and entertaining space while the existing garage would become the new playroom and media space. A stair was added off the foyer along with a powder room and coat closet.  The foyer, hall, and dining room were designed with an open floor plan separated by columns with arched headers.  A vestibule was added off the dining room with a built-in butler's pantry for china and glassware storage and serving.  There is easy access from the garage to both the foyer and laundry room.

The addition upstairs would house the bedrooms for the boys along with a full bath complete with double vanity sinks and a separate tub and toilet room.  By separating the tub and toilet from the vanity area, it is now easy for one child to be brushing his teeth while the other showers.  It is an ideal arrangement for siblings or guests.  Each bedroom has double closets.  The linen closet in the hall supplies bedding and bath linens for each room providing convenience and ease of use. 

The addition allowed for the family to remain in the home during construction since the major living spaces remained intact and untouched. The addition was sealed off from the main house to reduce dust and debris from entering the home during the renovation.

The new home was expanded to 3,937 sq. ft. and has given the family all the room they need to live and grow. All of the important elements of the existing house were preserved and the addition looks like it was meant to be there. Guests to the house cannot believe that the expansion is even an addition, commenting that they would have never known if they hadn�t been told.

The clients love their new home and all the flexibility and openness of the plan. It has made it possible for them to remain in the house they love for many, many years to come.  The serene views and gentle breeze will be shared by their expanding family allowing them to raise their children in this amazing setting.  It is an ideal addition for their family and one they never imagined could be so perfect. In fact, they said they like it almost as much as the view...

Why Building a Home or Renovation to �Meet Code� spells TROUBLE�

You know they exist, but you�ve probably never seen them. I am not referring to the rare Orange Billed Nightingale-Thrush, I am referring to the International Residential Code. The 2006 IRC for One and Two-Family Dwellings is the gospel of the residential building industry in South Carolina. Even if you have undertaken a residential building project or hired a contractor to build an addition or renovation for you, you have most likely not read the entire 611 page document and you probably know very little about what is in there. That�s not the scary part though. The scary part is that your contractor has probably not ever read the code either, and even if they have and even if they have followed it to the letter, your project still may not contain the level of quality you expect.


The codes are designed to provide a minimum level of protection and safety. They are not designed to increase your property value, improve your home�s character and function, or guarantee that your addition will not look like an addition at all. The sole purpose of the code is to prevent your home from falling down on top of you, spontaneously bursting into flame, filling with toxic fumes, flooding with electrically charged water, or otherwise presenting itself as a death trap. The codes are concerned with life safety and are written in an attempt to protect the home owner and other occupants from unnecessary injury.



The codes are updated every three years and try to keep up with changes in construction materials, methods, and technology. Typically changes made in the code are a reaction to recurring or catastrophic events. For example, recent code changes include items related to fire safety such as requirements for sprinkler systems. These changes have been on the table for a number of years, but did not gain the support necessary for inclusion in the code until a group of college students recently perished in a fairly new built beach house that caught fire. It is vitally important that the building codes be followed, but it is not enough to guarantee that your project will be built to meet your quality of standards.



Like I mentioned before, the codes define minimum standards. If you think that because your contractor is building your new $500,000 home to �meet code� that you will actually have a home that is worth $500,000; then you would be wrong. Homes built to �meet code� have bounce in the floor, cracks in the sheetrock or brick, little to no sound isolation between rooms, stairs and hallways that you cannot move furniture in or out of, doorways that you cannot fit a wheelchair through, room sizes that would satisfy only the smallest of people, and inefficient mechanical, electrical, and plumbing systems. Your home needs to be designed with greater quality and attention than the IRC requires. To add value and to allow your home to continue to appreciate in value, your home needs to be designed above and beyond what the code instructs. Do not trust one of your largest financial investments to a builder or contractor that promises to provide you with a home that will �meet code�. The only home you deserve and the only home you should ever build needs to exceed code.  It needs to be designed by a professional who knows what TROUBLE is and how to avoid it.

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Keys to Making a House a Home..Part II

Bedrooms: Bedrooms play an important role in the family dynamic. Typically, the largest bedroom with the most closet space and closest proximity to its own bathroom is reserved for the �master� or �masters� of the house. This makes sense after all, because if you pay the bills you should get the most comfortable room. If you have let your child or children take over the �master� bedroom, you may want to reconsider this decision and reassert your authority lest they grow up and think they deserve the boss� office without having earned it.

One of the most common trends in new home design it to make the kid's rooms relatively equal in size with comparable closet space and equal access to a private or semi-private bathroom. While I have yet to find a study which proves that sharing a bedroom or bathroom with a sibling is harmful, many parents are opting to eliminate a common source of frustration amongst their children and put an end to the fight over who gets the bigger bedroom. Having said that; however, don�t be surprised if your young children prefer to share a room�at least for a little while.

Bedrooms are often spaces where a great deal of personalization takes place. Whether it is through the use of built-in reading nooks, hinged bookshelves that reveal a secret hiding space, or the use of simply unique furnishings, finishes, or lighting fixtures; the bedroom has evolved into a reflection of individual taste and character. The master bedroom often becomes a place of renewal and rest where a couple may retreat after a hectic day. Bedroom orientation, proximity to the street and other �public� spaces, as well as proper proportions and lighting contribute to the success or failure of your bedroom�s ability to provide the character and sense of sanctuary you desire. Remember, bigger isn�t always better. There are spaces that benefit from a more intimate feel and the master bedroom may function better as a space that encourages coming together as opposed to providing more space for you to be apart.



Bathrooms: Of all the spaces in the home to grow in size over the past few decades, the bathroom has probably expanded the most. It is not uncommon for clients to request a �His� and �Hers� master bathroom layout. After all if the master bedroom is a space that encourages intimacy, the master bath is becoming a space that asserts privacy. There is such a thing as too much sharing and the fact that couples are choosing to limit their exposure to each other�s more utilitarian functions is not surprising. The same desire for privacy is also extending to our children and guests. More and more homes now have private or semi-private bathrooms attached to the children�s and guest bedrooms. This arrangement is also more comfortable for homes where grown children return to visit with their families as well. A well designed bathroom can provide privacy without wasting a ton of space. Many builder homes simply spread out all the plumbing fixtures leaving a virtual dance floor in the bathroom which is inefficient, uncomfortable, and difficult to clean. There are much better ways to design bathrooms to have a relaxing feel while also providing an adequate amount of personal space.

The 1960�s mainstreamed the use of semi-private bathrooms with the birth of the �Jack-n-Jill� bathroom concept. The �Brady Bunch� television series made this concept even more popular and builders and plan book homes have adopted these designs and marketed them as if they were gold. The advantage to a Jack-n-Jill bathroom is that it provides some privacy for multiple users without having to provide completely separate bathrooms for each bedroom. The amount of privacy varies significantly. The layouts generally consist of either two half baths (containing a vanity and toilet) with access to a shared tub/shower room between them or two private vanity spaces with access to a shared tub/shower and toilet room between them. What builders and plan book designers don�t tell you is that a poorly designed Jack-n-Jill bathroom will cost you more than two well designed private bathrooms and will not add the same amount of value to your home in the end. Although, a well designed Jack-n-Jill bathroom can give family members the ability to get ready in the mornings without as much conflict and with additional privacy.



These are just a few of the ways to make your house a home. A home is the place where you spend the most amount of time with the people who mean the most to you. It is generally one of your largest financial investments and most overlooked assets. It can bring you protection, comfort, security, and joy. Your house is a tool meant to be used to foster and encourage a strong sense of family and a place you are proud to call �home�.

Keys to Making a House a Home...

Think about it, our homes have evolved hand in hand with our culture. As a migratory species our homes were mobile and temporary. Once we became settlers, they became more permanent too. The size was dictated by our available resources and their design was a reflection of how our families functioned. Families began to labor less and recreate more. Homes began to have spaces dedicated to our leisure rather than our need.

The average house size in 1950 was 1,000 square feet, while the average house size in 2000 had doubled to 2,070 square feet. Likewise, the divorce rate inflated along with the size of homes, quadrupling from the years 1950 to 2000. Is there a connection? Would life be perfect if we all downsized? No, our homes are not solely to blame for the ills of society, but when expertly designed they can help to foster a strong sense of family and encourage neighbors to support one another. Our homes can help or hinder our quality of life. In my opinion, these are some of the elements of a house that transform it into a family home:

The Front Porch: Initially designed as a functional and necessary part of the home, the front porch has been largely eliminated or reduced in modern homes. The advent of central air conditioning made it possible for families to stay in their homes day and night with comfort. There was no need to retreat to the front porch in the late afternoons to escape summer�s sweet heat. We were no longer forced to congregate in rocking chairs and porch swings sharing greetings with neighbors and family members. We were free to stay indoors and sever the ties that bind us to our communities. We became so accustomed to our privacy that we even began building large, ugly fences around our yards just in case a neighbor might be in their yard at the same time we were in ours. Yet we wonder why people can�t just get along. Creative design and integration of indoor and outdoor living spaces is crucial to forming links between ourselves and our community.

The Family Room: Our homes have always been the place where our family comes to gather. A house with a central Family room that encourages congregation, nurtures our need to belong. Most homes have this room. It does not have to be overly large or contain vaulted ceilings and vast expanses of glass, but it does have to be comfortable. It also has to be accessible from the other nurturing spaces of our home, like the kitchen and porch. The beauty of this space can be ruined by too much openness and too much competition. Recent trends in house designs leave all the living spaces open to one another providing visual separation through the use of columns or half walls. The problem with too much openness is that there is no one space where people can gather and connect on a meaningful level without distraction from adjoining spaces. The other problem is too much competition from other gathering spaces such as the media room, playroom, recreation room, music room, computer room, and bedroom. When a home has more gathering spaces than people, there is no need to be together.

The Kitchen: Kitchens have evolved into the heart of a home. They are a magnet for guests and provide ample entertainment for curious toddlers. It only makes sense that the kitchen has become a significant place in our family life. Kitchens serve a very necessary service by allowing us the means to store, cook, and serve our families with basic daily nourishment, but they are also the places where many American families share their heritage and traditions. Passing down family recipes, embellished with stories of the men and women who perfected them in the first place, coupled with exploration of new and exciting dishes or simply popping cookie dough squares from the carton to the oven. All of these activities bring joy to our families and connect us to our roots. Provided with the right design and connection to adjoining spaces, the kitchen can bring a family together like no other place on earth.

The Rec. Room: While the Family room serves the much needed function of bringing us together on one level, the Rec. room serves to hold us together on another. Any parent who has raised a child from birth to adulthood knows that there comes a time to gather and there comes a time to part. Looking into the eyes of your adoring four year old, you cannot imagine a day when you would believe he came from another planet and you certainly cannot imagine feeling that you wish he still lived there. That day will most likely come whether you are ready or not. This is when the Rec. room helps to hold a family together by allowing you the freedom to be apart under one roof. At some point in your life, your child or even your spouse, will need some space. It is in your best interest to provide that space for them so they can gather with their friends in the safety of your home. Getting to know your child is important, but getting to know their friends is essential. There are many key ingredients that go into the making of a successful Rec. room including adequate size, accessibility to the kitchen and bathroom, sufficient lighting, ease of use, and proper amount of privacy. The right combination of these elements will help you to weather all the seasons of parenting.

The importance of skillful design of bedrooms, bathrooms, dining rooms, and auxiliary spaces is also very high; however, for the purposes of limiting the already excessive length of this blog entry, I will cover them in a separate posting.

As always, I welcome and enjoy your comments. Thanks for reading.