How to Lay Out a Small Kitchen

As with so many things, size doesn’t really matter when it comes to kitchen design. In fact, many large so-called ‘gourmet’ or ‘trophy’ kitchens are actually very inefficient and difficult to work in because there is too much space and too great a distance between each of the appliances. Remember, the most optimal dimension for the work triangle connecting the refrigerator, stove, and sink is between 42” and 60” and this can easily be accommodated in a small kitchen.


We think that the two most essential design considerations for a small kitchen are the location of the appliances in the space and the distribution of the counter space. We generally recommend placing the refrigerator in a back corner of the kitchen. The stove should also typically be placed on a wall. If the kitchen has either a peninsula or island, we think that this is a good place to locate the sink.


To learn more about how counter space distribution affects the quality of small kitchen design, watch John and Matthew discuss the five most common small kitchen layouts.


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