EDITABLE KITCHEN PLAN
L-shaped kitchen layout
Two cabinet runs, an open floor and a compact cooking route. Check what fits with this free, editable floor plan before moving or ordering furniture.
3.9 × 3.6 m inside the walls · 12.8 × 11.8 ft
Open this layout in the planner →
Why this arrangement works
Rooms with two usable adjoining walls
Fridge on the edge
The fridge is near the entrance. A 70 cm counter separates it from the cooker and gives groceries and hot dishes somewhere to land.
Wash and unload together
The dishwasher sits immediately beside the sink, with dish storage along the same run. It opens away from the cooker door.
Two places to prepare
Counter space wraps around between the sink and cooker. A separate 100 cm bench beyond the dishwasher adds room for chopping; drawers keep tools close.
Work triangle: 2.56 m + 1.34 m + 1.30 m = 5.20 m, measured between appliance centre-fronts. In the preview, F is the fridge, S the sink and H the hob/oven. Gold marks preparation space.
WORKED EXAMPLE · REVIEWED 16 OCTOBER 2026
Read the dimensions before copying the layout
The example room is 3.9 × 3.6 m (12 ft 10 in × 11 ft 10 in) inside the walls.
The back run is 370 cm long: a 90 cm corner unit, the sink, the dishwasher, two 50 cm drawer units and a 60 cm cupboard. The side run holds a 60 cm cupboard, the cooker, a 70 cm counter and the fridge, ending 20 cm (8 in) from the entrance wall.
In front of the two runs the floor is clear for 330 cm (130 in) × 300 cm (118 in): 10 ft 10 in by 9 ft 10 in.
From the sink, 160 cm (63 in) of continuous worktop runs over the dishwasher to the dish cupboard. The hob has 60 cm (24 in) on one side and 70 cm (28 in) on the other; the 70 cm counter is also the fridge landing.
These are the distances in this example, measured from the starter plan. Your room, units and appliances will differ, so measure them in your own plan.
How it compares with the NKBA guidelines
| Check | NKBA guideline | This example | Result |
|---|---|---|---|
| Work triangle | Each leg 1.2–2.7 m; total no more than 7.9 m | 2.56 + 1.34 + 1.30 = 5.20 m (17 ft) | Meets |
| Landing beside the hob | 305 mm one side, 381 mm the other | 60 cm and 70 cm | Meets |
| Landing by the fridge | 381 mm on the handle side | 70 cm on the cooker side | Meets if the fridge opens from that side |
| Preparation next to the sink | 914 × 610 mm of continuous worktop | 160 cm of worktop over the dishwasher and drawers | Meets |
Guidelines from the NKBA Kitchen Planning Guidelines: recommendations, not regulations. Check your own appliances, door swings and the people who will use the kitchen.
Adaptation A: add a small table
Keep a 1,067 mm work aisle in front of both runs and the space left over is about 223 cm (88 in) by 193 cm (76 in), in the corner diagonally opposite the corner unit. That takes a small table, but the entrance door swings into the same corner. Put the table towards the right-hand wall and check that the door and the chairs clear each other.
Add a table and chairs from the library and open the door on the plan to check the swing.
Adaptation B: a 3.0 m back wall
The back run must lose 70 cm or more. Removing the 60 cm dish cupboard and one 50 cm drawer unit leaves a 260 cm run with 110 cm (43 in) of worktop beside the sink: still more than the NKBA 914 mm preparation area, but with less storage. Move dish storage to the wall units above the dishwasher.
Select the right-hand wall, move it in to 3.0 m, then delete the two units it overlaps.
Common mistakes with a L-shaped kitchen
- Wasting the corner: a 90 cm corner unit needs an internal fitting or it becomes dead space.
- Putting the hob in the corner, where there is no landing space on either side.
- Running the fridge door into the wall: check its hinge side against the end of the run.
Planning from scratch? Follow how to plan a kitchen, step by step, or compare all five layouts on the kitchen planner.
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Plan this kitchen with real kitchen ranges, worktops, wall tiles, floors and paint, check door swings and clearances, and download scaled PDF drawings for your fitter. $11 / £9 / €9.50 a month, tax included.
Questions about the L-shaped kitchen
Where should the sink go in an L-shaped kitchen?
Usually on the run where the waste pipe already is, often under a window, with the dishwasher beside it. Put the hob on the other run so that two people can work without standing back to back.
Can an L-shaped kitchen have an island?
Yes, if the room is deep enough. With 60 cm units, a 1,067 mm work aisle, a 90 cm deep island and a 914 mm walkway behind it, the room needs about 3.48 m (11 ft 5 in) from the run wall to the opposite wall. The island kitchen example adds an island to this L.
Is an L-shaped kitchen good for a small room?
Often, yes. It uses two walls and leaves the rest of the floor open, so it suits small and medium rooms and kitchen-diners.
What to check in your room
The longer preparation bench shares the washing-up run. Keep the dishwasher shut while preparing food, or use the corner counter.
Furniture is represented by generic catalogue items at the dimensions below. These are our worked examples, not retailer room designs or product replicas. Check your actual furniture, door openings and access space.
Changing a wall does not automatically rearrange or resize the furniture. Adjust the walls and individual items to suit your room.
What opens in the planner
| Item | Width × depth | Width × depth |
|---|---|---|
| Corner Base Unit | 90 × 90 cm | 35.4 × 35.4 in |
| Sink Unit · single bowl | 60 × 60 cm | 23.6 × 23.6 in |
| Dishwasher | 60 × 60 cm | 23.6 × 23.6 in |
| Base Unit · 3 drawers | 50 × 60 cm | 19.7 × 23.6 in |
| Base Unit · 3 drawers | 50 × 60 cm | 19.7 × 23.6 in |
| Base Unit · 1 drawer, 1 door | 60 × 60 cm | 23.6 × 23.6 in |
| Base Unit · 1 drawer, 1 door | 60 × 60 cm | 23.6 × 23.6 in |
| Cooker | 60 × 60 cm | 23.6 × 23.6 in |
| Base Unit · 1 drawer, 1 door | 70 × 60 cm | 27.6 × 23.6 in |
| Fridge Freezer | 60 × 65 cm | 23.6 × 25.6 in |
| Window | 100 × 5 cm | 39.4 × 2.0 in |
| Door | 90 × 5 cm | 35.4 × 2.0 in |
Planning references
These sources inform the dimensions or planning principles. The example room sizes and furniture arrangements are our own.
Plan your own kitchen
Use the free kitchen planner to draw your room to scale, try this layout against the others and download a scaled PDF for your fitter. Check the numbers as you go with the kitchen cabinet sizes, worktop height and work triangle and clearances guides.