L-shaped handleless kitchen with cashmere upper fronts, oak base units and stone backsplash

Layouts · L-shaped

L-shaped kitchen design, planned to the inch

An L-shaped kitchen uses two adjoining walls and leaves the rest of the room open — for a dining table, an island or a view. It works in rooms from about 10 × 10 ft upward, as long as the corner is solved properly.

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Nolte Küchen design

01Why an L

When an L-shaped kitchen is the right plan

An L-shaped kitchen is the natural answer for a corner of an open-plan room. Two runs of cabinets meet at a right angle, the cook faces the room for much of the time, and nothing blocks the path from the kitchen to the table or the garden door.

The legs rarely need to be equal. A well-balanced L usually has one longer leg of about 10–13 ft (3–4 m) carrying tall units and the sink, and a shorter leg of 7–9 ft (2.1–2.7 m) for the cooktop. Legs shorter than roughly 6–7 ft make the corner too dominant; much longer than 13 ft and the walking distances start to grow.

02Work zones

Arranging zones along the two legs

We plan an L as a sequence of zones that follows the way food moves through the kitchen.

Storage at the end
Tall units with the refrigerator and larder close one leg, so groceries go away without crossing the cooking area.
Sink under the window
If the longer leg has the window, the sink and dishwasher go there, with drawers for plates beside the dishwasher.
Prep between
Keep a long, clear stretch of worktop between sink and cooktop — about 36 in (91 cm) is a common target — because that is where most work happens.
Cooking on the short leg
The cooktop sits on the second leg, with pan drawers below and landing space of about 12–15 in (30–38 cm) on each side.

Bright oak L-shaped kitchen with white open shelving and pendant lights — Nolte Küchen design

03The corner

Solving the corner of an L-shaped kitchen

The inside corner is where an L-shaped kitchen wins or loses storage. A plain blind corner cabinet leaves its back half almost unreachable. Nolte’s Le Mans corner unit, planned at 110, 115 or 125 cm (about 43, 45 or 49 in), swings its shelves fully out of the cabinet; it is also available with battery LED lighting. A carousel corner base unit is the alternative where the run is shorter.

Above the worktop, we often stop wall units short of the corner or replace them with an open shelf, so the corner does not feel boxed in. Drawers on either side of the corner need a filler so their fronts and handles clear each other — something the Nolte grid makes easy to set precisely.

04Dimensions

L-shaped kitchen dimensions at a glance

Comfortable room size: From about 10 × 10 ft (3 × 3 m)
Typical leg lengths: 8–13 ft (2.4–4 m); unequal legs are common
Corner unit widths (Nolte): 80, 90, 110, 115 or 125 cm (31.5–49.2 in)
Worktop depth: 60 cm (23.6 in), or 75 cm (29.5 in) with extra-deep base units
Adding an island: 42 in (107 cm) clear to the L for one cook, 48 in (122 cm) for two

05Nolte designs

L-shaped plans in graphite, brown and cream

06Next steps

Adding an island or a peninsula

An L plus an island is a natural pairing in open-plan homes, and it works when the room allows the 42–48 in aisle on the working side. Where it does not, turning the end of one leg into a peninsula gives you seating with less floor. If your room is narrower than an L wants, compare a galley plan. Back to all kitchen layouts, or sketch your L in the 3D configurator.

FAQ

Questions, answered

Still deciding? Call +1 (213) 776-0000 or send us your plan.

Ask a designer

What is the minimum size for an L-shaped kitchen?

A compact L can work with legs of about 7 ft and 6 ft, but it feels comfortable from roughly 10 × 10 ft of room. Below that, a single-wall or galley plan usually gives more usable worktop.

Can an L-shaped kitchen have an island?

Yes, if you can keep about 42 in (107 cm) between the island and the L for one cook, or 48 in (122 cm) for two. We check door swings and seating space behind stools before recommending it.

What is the best corner solution for an L-shaped kitchen?

Where the leg is long enough, a swing-out corner unit such as Nolte’s Le Mans gives the most usable space. On shorter legs a carousel unit works well. We choose the unit once the appliance positions are fixed.

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

Usually on the longer leg, under a window if there is one, with the dishwasher next to it and the cooktop on the other leg. Plumbing location matters too, so we confirm it with your contractor.