# Kitchen layouts: which one suits your space

> Kitchen layouts explained: single wall, L-shaped, U-shaped, galley, peninsula and island. Indicative minimum dimensions and the space each one suits.

The shape of the room decides the layout: single wall in narrow spaces, L-shaped or U-shaped when there are two or three walls, galley in long kitchens, and peninsula or island when there is room for a clear walkway of at least 90 cm.

Published on 2026-10-08.

Kitchen layouts come down to six basic shapes, and the best one is not the most eye-catching but the one that fits your room while leaving comfortable walkways and a short working route. An island squeezed into a tight space gets in the way more than it helps, and a well-planned single-wall kitchen can be more practical than a cramped U-shape.

## Minimum dimensions for each layout

The dimensions in this table are indicative and assume 60 cm deep base units; each kitchen is adapted to its actual space.

| Layout | Indicative space | Recommended clear walkway | Suits when |
|---|---|---|---|
| Single wall | One wall of 2.5 to 4 m | 90 cm in front | The kitchen is narrow or open to the living room along one side |
| L-shaped | Two walls of about 2 m each | 90 to 120 cm | There is a free corner and you want room for a table or bar |
| U-shaped | Total internal width of about 2.4 m or more | 120 cm between runs | The room is almost square and you need a lot of storage |
| Galley | Total width of about 2.2 to 2.4 m or more | 100 to 120 cm between runs | The kitchen is long, with a door at one end |
| Peninsula | An L or U with one open-ended run | 90 to 100 cm walkway | You want to open up the kitchen without room for an island |
| Island | One wall or an L plus an island, with a walkway around it | 90 to 120 cm all the way round | The room is large or open to the living room |

## Single-wall kitchen

A single-wall kitchen puts everything along one wall and is the natural solution for narrow spaces or kitchens built into the living room. It is economical to make and leaves the rest of the space free.

Its limit is length. Below about 2.5 metres it is hard to fit a sink, hob, dishwasher and a useful preparation area; above 4 metres the route gets longer and means walking. In apartments in the south of Tenerife intended for holiday lets it is a very common solution, because it keeps the living room and terrace clear. For more storage, wall units up to the ceiling and a tall unit housing the oven and fridge help a great deal.

## L-shaped kitchen

An L-shaped kitchen takes up two walls that meet at a corner and is probably the most versatile layout. It allows a comfortable work triangle, with the sink on one run and the hob on the other, and leaves the centre of the room free.

The tricky part is the corner: without a fitting to make use of it, such as pull-out trays or a carousel, it becomes a deep space nobody can reach. It works well from medium-sized to large kitchens, and in large ones it allows an island opposite. There are more examples on the page about [L-shaped kitchens](https://cocinaentenerife.com/en/l-shaped-kitchens/).

## U-shaped kitchen

A U-shaped kitchen uses three walls and offers the most worktop and storage. It is ideal for people who cook a lot and want everything within a turn.

It needs space: between the two facing runs you must leave at least 120 cm of walkway, which gives an internal width of about 2.4 metres including the units. If the space is tighter, the U becomes oppressive and the doors of the facing units clash. It also has two corners to solve, which makes the hardware somewhat more expensive.

## Galley kitchen

A galley kitchen, also called a parallel or two-run kitchen, places the units along two facing walls. It is very efficient in long kitchens, which are common in apartment blocks in Santa Cruz and La Laguna.

The aisle between the runs should be at least 100 cm, and ideally 120 cm if two people work there or if the dishwasher and oven face each other. The usual approach is to put the sink and hob on one run and the tall units and storage on the other, so nobody has to cross the aisle with a hot pan.

## Peninsula kitchen

A peninsula is an extension of the worktop that comes out from a wall or from one run of an L and is open at one end. It serves as a breakfast bar, separates the kitchen from the living room without closing it off, and adds worktop and storage.

It takes up less space than an island, because it does not need a walkway on all four sides, which is why it is the option for opening a medium-sized kitchen to the living room. You need to leave a clear walkway of at least 90 to 100 cm between the peninsula and the unit opposite. There are more details on the page about [peninsula kitchens](https://cocinaentenerife.com/en/peninsula-kitchens/).

## Island kitchen

An island is a freestanding block of units with a clear walkway on every side, and it needs a large kitchen. The walkway around it should be at least 90 cm, and ideally 100 to 120 cm on the side where you work or where the dishwasher and oven open.

A useful island measures at least about 120 cm long and 60 to 90 cm deep; if it has a breakfast bar with stools, you have to add the knee overhang, which the NKBA puts at about 38 cm at worktop height and 30 cm at a raised bar. With those figures, a kitchen with one run of units and an island needs a total width of about 3.5 to 4 metres. If it falls short, a peninsula usually works better. More ideas on the page about [island kitchens](https://cocinaentenerife.com/en/island-kitchens/).

## The difference between an island and a peninsula

The difference is that an island stands apart from everything and you can walk all the way round it, while a peninsula is joined at one end to the wall or to another unit. In practice, an island needs more space and gives more freedom of movement; a peninsula makes better use of a medium-sized room and it costs less to bring services to it.

Both suit [open-plan kitchens](https://cocinaentenerife.com/en/open-plan-kitchens/). If in doubt, measure the clear width: below about 3.5 metres, a peninsula is usually the sensible option.

## How to decide on yours

To choose a layout, start from three facts: the shape of the room, where the water supply and waste are, and how many people cook at once. Moving the sink away from the soil stack is possible, but it adds building work and sometimes there is not enough fall.

Then check that every clear walkway meets the dimensions in the table with the dishwasher and oven doors open. It is the test that rules out the most layouts on paper and the one that prevents surprises on the first day of use.

## Frequently asked questions

### Can the sink go in the island?

Yes, but it means running water and waste through the floor, which almost always involves building work. The waste pipe needs a fall to the soil stack, and in flats where the floor slab has no room for the pipe it may not be feasible. That is why it is more common to put a preparation area or the hob in the island.

### When does a G-shaped kitchen make sense?

When the room is large and almost square and you need more worktop than a U gives. A G is a U with a peninsula at one end, forming a fourth run. In return it closes off the space, so it only works if the entrance still has a comfortable walkway.

### What height should an island or peninsula breakfast bar be?

The simplest option is to keep it at worktop height, about 90 cm, with stools that sit lower than bar stools. If you prefer a raised bar, about 105 cm, it visually separates the work area but means using tall stools and cutting the worktop at two levels. The difference between seat and bar should be around 25 to 30 cm.

### Can a peninsula have stools on both sides?

On the outer side, yes, if you leave enough worktop overhang for knees: the NKBA recommends about 38 cm at normal worktop height. On the kitchen side there are normally base units, so the bar is only used from outside.

---

Web version: https://cocinaentenerife.com/en/guides/kitchen-layouts/

Cocina en Tenerife: design, manufacture and installation of made-to-measure kitchens in Tenerife. Quote: https://cocinaentenerife.com/en/contact/