L Shaped Kitchen Layout: Planning, Corners and Islands

An L shaped kitchen places counters and cabinets along two adjoining walls that meet at a corner, leaving the rest of the room open. It is one of the most versatile kitchen layouts: it fits small and medium rooms, works well in open-plan homes, and leaves space for a dining table or island. In Singapore, it is a frequent choice when a kitchen is opened up to the living area.

This guide explains how to arrange the work zones along the two legs, how to deal with the corner, when an island helps and when it does not, the dimensions worth checking, and how the layout fits HDB flats and condominiums. It avoids brands and prices; the aim is to help you brief a designer and judge their proposal.

Why choose an L-shaped layout

The L-shape gives a continuous run of worktop around a corner, which suits the natural sequence of cooking. Because it uses only two walls, it keeps the room open on the other two sides, so the cook can face into the room rather than into a corner, and the kitchen connects easily with dining and living areas. There is no through-traffic across the work zone, unlike a galley open at both ends.

It is less efficient than a galley kitchen for very narrow rooms, and less generous in storage than a U-shape in large ones. Our overview of kitchen layout ideas compares all the main options.

Planning the work triangle in an L shaped kitchen

The classic work triangle connects the refrigerator, sink and hob. Guidance from the US National Kitchen and Bath Association, often used as a reference, suggests that the three legs of the triangle should total no more than about 26 feet (roughly 7.9 m), with no single leg shorter than about 4 feet (1.2 m) or longer than about 9 feet (2.7 m). In practice, the aim is simple: the three main points should be close enough to work efficiently but not so close that they crowd each other.

In an L shaped kitchen, a common arrangement is to place the sink on one leg and the hob on the other, with the refrigerator at the open end of one leg. This spreads activities across both runs and keeps the main preparation area between sink and hob. Key points:

Keep the hob away from the corner. A hob in or right beside the corner leaves little landing space and puts pan handles where they clash.
Do not place the sink tight to the corner either, or the person at the sink and the person reaching into the corner cabinet will be in each other’s way.
Put the refrigerator at an end, so others can reach it without entering the cooking zone.
Give each work point counter space on at least one side, ideally 600 mm or more beside the hob and sink.

Solving the corner

The corner is both the strength and the weakness of the L-shape. It provides a continuous worktop, but the base cabinet in the corner is deep and hard to reach. Options include:

Blind corner cabinets with pull-out mechanisms that swing or slide contents into reach.
Carousel units with rotating shelves.
Corner drawers with angled fronts, which make use of the full depth.
Accepting a dead corner for seldom-used items, which is cheaper and sometimes perfectly sensible.

The wall cabinet above the corner has a similar problem. A diagonal corner unit or open shelving can help. Plan door and drawer clearances carefully at the corner: handles on adjacent units can collide unless there is a filler panel between them. Our guide to kitchen storage cabinets explains the hardware options in more detail.

Adding an island or peninsula

An island turns the L-shape into something close to a U, adding worktop, storage and seating. It works well when the room is large enough to keep clear walkways around it. The usual guidance is to leave about 1,000 to 1,200 mm between the island and the main counters, so that cabinet doors can open and people can pass. In a small room, an island that squeezes these aisles makes the kitchen harder to use, not easier.

A peninsula, a counter projecting from the end of one leg, offers similar benefits with a smaller footprint and can define the edge of an open kitchen. It also allows services to be run from the wall rather than through the floor, which matters in flats where floor slabs cannot be cut freely. Our guide to kitchen island design covers dimensions and services.

Dimensions to check

Standard base cabinets are about 600 mm deep, with the worktop slightly deeper, and standard counter heights sit around 850 to 900 mm; a taller cook may prefer slightly higher. Wall cabinets are commonly around 300 to 350 mm deep, mounted with enough clearance above the worktop to work and see comfortably, and the hood above the hob is set at the height its manufacturer specifies.

Leg lengths vary with the room. Very short legs leave too little worktop; very long ones stretch the work triangle. If one leg is much longer than the other, keep the main work zone near the corner and use the far end for storage or appliances. Check that windows, doors and service yard access do not fall in awkward positions along either run.

L shaped kitchen ideas for HDB flats and condos

In HDB flats and many condominiums, the L-shape often emerges when a kitchen wall is removed to create an open or semi-open kitchen. One leg stays along the original kitchen wall with the existing gas and water points, and the second leg becomes a counter facing the dining area. This keeps the heavy services where they already are while gaining an open feel. Our guide to the open-concept kitchen in Singapore covers the trade-offs, especially smoke and smell from local cooking.

Several constraints apply. Some walls in HDB flats cannot be hacked, and works affecting structure require approval. Kitchen floors have waterproofing, so moving the sink to a new position may involve re-routing drainage and redoing waterproofing. Gas connections must be altered by licensed workers. In condominiums, the management corporation’s rules and BCA requirements apply to any structural change. Settle these points before finalising the layout.

Frequently asked questions

Is an L shaped kitchen good for small spaces?

Yes, it suits small and medium rooms well because it uses two walls and leaves the rest of the room open. In very narrow rooms a galley may be more efficient, while in very large rooms a U-shape or added island provides more worktop.

Where should the sink and hob go in an L-shaped kitchen?

A common arrangement puts the sink on one leg and the hob on the other, both set back from the corner, with the refrigerator at the open end of a leg and clear worktop beside each.

How do I use the corner cabinet in an L-shaped kitchen?

Options include blind corner pull-outs, carousel units, angled corner drawers or simply using the corner for seldom-used items. Allow filler panels so adjacent doors and handles do not clash.

Can I add an island to an L-shaped kitchen?

Yes, if the room allows clear aisles of roughly 1,000 to 1,200 mm around it. Where space is tight, a peninsula extending from one leg gives similar benefits with a smaller footprint.

Can I convert my HDB kitchen into an L-shaped open kitchen?

Often, provided the wall to be removed is non-structural and HDB’s renovation rules permit it. Check the flat’s floor plan and obtain any required permit, and plan around existing gas, water and drainage points.

Opening up a kitchen and unsure whether the wall in the way is structural? Talk to our consultancy or get in touch.