Most kitchen frustrations — the dishwasher that blocks the drawers, the fridge door that hits the island, the cooktop with nowhere to put a hot pan — are layout problems, and they are baked in before the first cabinet is made. Finishes can be changed later. Layout mostly can't.
This guide walks through how to design a kitchen in the order a designer would: understand how you use it, choose the layout the room can support, check the clearances, then plan storage, light and services.
Step 1: Start with how you cook and live
Before sketching anything, write down honestly how the kitchen is used:
- How many people cook at once, and how often?
- Do you bake, cook elaborate meals or mostly reheat?
- Where do children do homework, and where do guests stand?
- What appliances live on the bench — coffee machine, mixer, air fryer?
- Do you want to hide the mess (a scullery or appliance cupboard) or keep everything within reach?
These answers decide the layout more than the room does. A couple who cook together need a wider aisle and two prep zones. A family that entertains wants the cook facing the room, not the wall.
Step 2: Measure what you really have
Measure wall lengths, ceiling height, window sill heights and door positions, and mark where the plumbing, waste, gas and switchboard are. Note anything fixed: a structural column, a bulkhead, a downpipe. A layout that keeps the sink and cooktop close to their current positions is simpler to build than one that moves every service.
Step 3: Choose a layout the room can support
| Layout | Best for | Watch-outs |
|---|---|---|
| One wall | Small apartments, open-plan rooms | Limited bench space; add an island if room allows |
| Galley | Narrow rooms, one or two cooks | Aisle width is critical; no through-traffic |
| L-shape | Open-plan living, corner rooms | Corner cabinet needs a proper solution |
| U-shape | Enclosed rooms, serious cooks | Can feel closed in; two corners to solve |
| L or galley with island | Family kitchens facing living areas | Needs clearance on every side of the island |
| Peninsula | Rooms too tight for an island | Only one way in and out of the working area |
The honest test: if the room can't fit the island plus comfortable walkways all round, a peninsula or a well-planned galley will work better. A squeezed island makes every part of the kitchen harder to use.
Step 4: Plan the working zones
The classic "work triangle" says the sink, cooktop and fridge should be close to each other with nothing in between. It's still a useful check, but most designers now plan zones:
- Storage zone: fridge and pantry, near where groceries come in.
- Prep zone: the largest clear run of bench, ideally between the sink and cooktop.
- Cooking zone: cooktop and oven, with pots, pans and utensils in drawers directly below.
- Cleaning zone: sink, dishwasher and bin together, with plates and glasses stored close by so unloading is a few steps.
- Social zone: island seating or a bench end where people can sit without being in the way.
Keep through-traffic — the path from the back door to the living room, say — out of the triangle between sink, cooktop and fridge.
Step 5: Check the dimensions that matter
These are common rules of thumb rather than rules, and every kitchen needs checking against the actual appliances and the people using it.
| Item | Common guide |
|---|---|
| Bench height | Around 900 mm; adjust for tall or short households |
| Bench depth | Around 600 mm for base cabinets |
| Walkway between benches or around an island | Roughly 1,000–1,200 mm; wider for two cooks |
| Island depth | Commonly 900 mm or more; deeper with seating or a sink |
| Seating width | About 600 mm per stool |
| Seating overhang | Around 300 mm so knees fit under the bench |
| Landing space beside cooktop | At least a few hundred millimetres each side |
Rangehoods and cooktops have minimum clearances set by the manufacturer — and for gas, by the gas installation rules — so the installation instructions for your specific appliances decide the height of the rangehood and what can sit beside the cooktop.
Door swings are the most commonly missed detail. Check that the dishwasher, oven and fridge doors can open fully without hitting each other, the island or someone standing at the sink.
Step 6: Design the storage
- Drawers over cupboards for base cabinets. You can see and reach everything without kneeling.
- Deep pot drawers under the cooktop, cutlery and utensils in the top drawer beside it.
- A tall pantry with internal drawers, or a walk-in pantry if space allows.
- An appliance cupboard with power inside, so the bench stays clear.
- Corners solved deliberately — a pull-out, a carousel, or a layout that avoids the blind corner altogether.
- Bins in a pull-out drawer beside the sink.
Step 7: Plan light, power and ventilation with the layout
- Task lighting under wall cabinets or shelves so you aren't working in your own shadow.
- Pendants over an island, positioned to its final size.
- General lighting on a separate, dimmable circuit.
- Power points where appliances actually live, plus some inside cupboards and on the island if the design allows.
- A rangehood ducted outside where possible; recirculating hoods filter grease but return the moisture to the room.
- Electrical capacity: an induction cooktop or several large appliances may need a dedicated circuit or a switchboard upgrade — have a licensed electrician check early.
Step 8: Test it before you commit
Mark the benches and island on the floor with masking tape and walk the layout. Open imaginary doors. Stand where the cook stands and check the view. Then have the design drawn up properly — a floor plan, elevations of every wall, and a lighting and power plan — so every trade builds from the same numbers.
Common kitchen design mistakes
- Choosing an island because it's expected, not because the room fits one.
- Putting the dishwasher around a corner from the sink.
- No landing space beside the fridge, oven or cooktop.
- A tall pantry or fridge breaking up the main prep bench.
- Forgetting where small appliances, bins and the charging drawer will go.
- Leaving lighting and power until after the cabinets are drawn.
From layout to a finished kitchen
A layout is the foundation for every other decision. See how we approach kitchen design and layout and full kitchen renovations, and our kitchen renovation cost guide for what moves the budget. If you're on the North Shore, we can measure your kitchen and quote it.
Questions people ask before they commit
What is the most efficient kitchen layout?
There isn't one best layout — it depends on the room. Galley kitchens are very efficient for one cook; L-shapes with an island suit open-plan family rooms; U-shapes give the most bench space in an enclosed room. The right layout is the one that keeps the sink, cooktop and fridge close without traffic cutting through.
How much space do you need for a kitchen island?
As a rule of thumb, allow roughly 1,000 to 1,200 mm of clear walkway on every side of an island, plus the island itself, which is commonly at least 900 mm deep. If the room can't fit that, a peninsula or a galley usually works better than a squeezed island.
Is the kitchen work triangle still relevant?
The idea behind it still holds: keep the sink, cooktop and fridge reasonably close without obstacles between them. Modern kitchens often think in zones instead — prep, cooking, cleaning and storage — especially where two people cook at once.
What is the standard kitchen bench height in Australia?
Benchtops are commonly around 900 mm high and 600 mm deep. That suits many people, but taller or shorter households can adjust the height, and some kitchens use a different height for a baking or island bench.