5 L-shaped kitchen with island layout ideas

Posted on 17th January 2024

Need an easy, tried and tested kitchen layout? Enter: the L-shaped kitchen…

L-shaped kitchens have been a popular choice for decades. The layout is simple, well-organised and works with compact designs as well as large open-plan spaces. As the cabinetry hugs the walls, pairing this design with an island is common to give you more space for food prep or seating.

What is an L-shaped kitchen?

An L-shaped kitchen is exactly what it sounds like: a kitchen in the shape of an L. The shape is popular as it follows the kitchen triangle set-up, where the sink, cooker and fridge are three corners of a triangle. While modern kitchen design has moved on from that formulaic design by adding more points to the shape, the L-shaped design keeps things simple and efficient.

What is great about this design is, besides the basic shape, you have a lot of freedom to play with depending on your style. You can easily place cooking and prep areas or appliances where you need them. Its versatility offers lots of scope; it is also a trusted shape for your kitchen designer to work with.

Let’s dive into five examples of L-shaped kitchens. 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, go!

Open-plan L-shape

The L-shaped kitchen works well with an open-plan space as it keeps the kitchen tucked away in a corner, leaving the rest of the room for the living or dining area. Foodie Nick and his wife Katie called upon Tim Brown, the senior designer at Design Interiors in Hove, Sussex, to assist them with their kitchen project. Tim used the length of the L-shape to create a clear cooking and preparation zone. He created three distinct zones in the kitchen by keeping the island clear of any appliances and create a good flow around the kitchen.

Green island in an L-shaped white kitchen — Design Interiors used Davonport’s Hove kitchen in Farrow & Ball’s Studio Green and RAL9016 Traffic White. The project cost £26,400.

The green island with brass handles contrasts the white and black walled cabinets — The green island offers contrast to the white L-shaped kitchen counters.

The open window is a great place for the white butler's sink — The sink area is near the giant window so the homeowners can watch their children playing in the garden.

An L-shaped kitchen perfect for a chef

Dani Mosley, of catering company @family_feasts, worked with designer and Pluck kitchen’s co-founder George Glasier on a layout where the fridge, hob, and sink would all be within easy reach of one another. The L-shaped kitchen layout made this a possibility as everything was quickly within reach, with the large island clear for food prep. The roof is lower in this area compared to the rest of the open-plan space, creating a snug zone.

Pink kitchen with terrazzo worktop — The kitchen is tucked neatly into this space with lower walls. Pluck Kitchens start at £20,000.

A view down a L-shaped pink kitchen — The L-shape design helps to create an open-plan feeling in this relatively compact space.

The island terrazzo compliments the pink kitchen cabinets — The island offers a generous amount of prep space while the wall cupboards conceal the appliances.

Bespoke blue L-shaped kitchen

The Wood Works created this stunning open-plan kitchen that leads into a sunroom. The island is a massive feature of this kitchen. And, its curved design echoes the shape of the arch while the vertical, fluted finish adds textural interest. The L-shaped kitchen creates room for the seating area around the island, which is excellent for cooking while entertaining. You can see the full tour here.

Large blue kitchen leading on to a sun room — The design from The Wood Works cost a total of £63,114. Photography: Nick Smith.

Long l-shaped kitchen with large island — The island has serval points of intrigue including the fluted sides and the marble worktop.

Blue and marble kitchen with blue range cooker — The blue cabinetry contrasts beautifully with the stunning white marble splashback and worktop.

Light-filled country cottage

A couple in Bristol wanted to transform their kitchen into a light-filled extension that overlooked their courtyard garden. They chose the white tones of the cabinets and the natural stone worktop to stay in keeping with the cottage feeling of the home. The L-shaped layout was chosen to create space for cooking, and help draw focus to the large windows and doors. Homeowner Katherine says: “The most successful part of the room is the way it makes us feel – it’s such a relaxing, tranquil layout that has a wonderful connection to the garden.” See the full kitchen here.

Large white l-shaped kitchen — This John Lewis of Hungerford kitchen cost around £45.000. Photography: Ryan Wicks.

Traditional country cottage with a range cooker — The white range cooker by Esse fits snugly into this chimney breast.

White sink area near a window — The metal-framed window by the sink helps to bring in lots of natural light.

Maximise storage with an L-shape kitchen

A family of four in Bromley, Kent, renovated their kitchen by opening up the space, adding more lights and installing a kitchen with a dash of drama. The extra light gained by creating the renovation meant that the couple had the opportunity to design a dark and moody kitchen. The L-shaped design was ideal as it kept the food prep, sink and appliances together while creating a huge storage wall at the back of the kitchen.