One of the most economical types of kitchen designs is the L-shaped kitchen. It creates an easy and efficient workspace that allows you to place your appliances, lighting fixtures and cabinets along angled walls with an open space in the middle. You might think that it’s a layout that can make a kitchen look smaller but there’s always a way to fix this.
So, let’s take a look at a few main advantages to the L-shaped kitchen: the working triangle, open plan living and multiple entrances.
The working triangle
The most practical kitchen designs use the working triangle, and the L-shaped kitchen facilitates this well. A working triangle allows you to move with ease about the kitchen, so you can reach your sink, oven and stove and refrigerator. In an L-shaped kitchen, the working triangle is kept simply between two walls. Because you don’t have to walk far to each part of the kitchen, meal prep is a breeze!
Open plan living
Today’s home designs are created with open plan living in mind. This simply means that the layout is created to make use of large, open spaces for people to gather, instead of sectioning everything off into small enclosed rooms.
As an L-shaped kitchen only uses two walls, it opens up your space. This means that you can have your kitchen lead on to your dining room, living room and beyond, which makes entertaining easy!
Multiple entrances
Another advantage of the L-shaped kitchen is that its open ends allow for multiple entries and exits. This allows traffic to freely flow through the space, meaning more space and less stress when preparing food!
If these three benefits of an L-shaped kitchen haven’t yet convinced you that you need to choose this design, then I’m sure a few examples will. I’ve compiled the best of 25+ L-shaped kitchens to inspire you to create one of your own.
1. Add an island
A major advantage of an L-shaped kitchen is that they are so flexible with the wrap-around design. This means that you can put nearly anything in the middle of the room. Take this kitchen, for example. It has a clean white design and a beautiful large kitchen island in the middle. This provides extra room for preparing food and entertaining.
2. Grey splashback
Add texture, colour and patterns to your L-shaped kitchen with a fancy splashback like this one. I love the simplicity of this kitchen. The palette is clean and fresh, using just three tones – white and light and dark grey. This makes for the perfect foundation to build on! You can add splashes of colour with flowers and decor, or simply leave it as it is.
3. Scandi style
I love a good Scandinavian kitchen. I think this type of space is perfect for the minimalist at heart. The timber and white style looks great paired with other colours should you wish to introduce them, and it also looks beautiful and fresh on its own. I like how little details like the marble splashback give the simple space those luxe vibes.
4. White and blue Shaker style
If you’re wanting to create a peaceful and calm L-shaped kitchen space, then it’s well worth considering the colour blue. Blue cabinets look stunning with white timber walls and white benches, creating a clean and relaxing finish.
5. Exposed beams
If your kitchen has interesting design elements, like exposed wooden beams, then leave them in! They will make your space look more rustic and country style. And when paired with modern cabinets and countertops, they create a gorgeous contemporary farmhouse vibe. There are plenty of little touches you can add if you like a raw finish to your kitchen. So whether you like a country kitchen or farmhouse kitchen, I’ve got you covered.
6. Summer style
This light and airy ambiance looks like an upscale beach house. The counter seating at the kitchen island is a laid-back alternative to a formal dining room, and takes advantage of the gorgeous natural light that pours in through the windows. I also love the natural tones – timber, white and black make for a great combination. And that glossy splashback is something special.
7. Small L-shaped kitchen
If you have a small kitchen or an awkward space, you can still make it work! Clever kitchen design is key to making the most of the space that you have. Think about how you can position your appliances so that they are all within reach, without sacrificing on bench space. For instance, you can even integrate your microwave into the cabinetry, leaving more room for preparation.
8. Dark and moody timber
This timber design is more mid-century than rustic country home, and I love it. I think it’s a great example of how you can use timber without having to make your space rustic. The key to creating a modern mid-century kitchen lies in your finishes – and the black tapware and sleek black benches are just the right kind.
9. Green and dark
This kitchen looks like it’s straight out of a magazine. Every element of the design has been carefully chosen to fit together. The deep green is an interesting choice, but I think it works well in this kitchen-dining space.
10. Home-styled space
Fill your L-shaped kitchen with life and elements that make it like home. If you want to give your kitchen a more lived-in look while still keeping it stylish and clean, display items like chopping boards, plants and other pieces of decor.
11. Statement rangehood
When you have a small L-shaped kitchen, you really need to use the space well. This means placing the stove, sink, microwave and oven all within arm’s reach of each other, which is really practical for when it comes time to prepare food. But even with a small kitchen you can make a big impact with a statement feature like an incredible brass rangehood. If you’re after a unique rangehood and fan extractor, find someone to give you a tip or take care of your rangehood installation from initial planning to finished result.
12. Fun splashback
Most splashbacks are fairly simple – there’s the typical marble or granite, or the much-loved subway tile design. But from different tile shapes to large sheets of marble and granite, there are so many different options when it comes to a fun backdrop for your kitchen. Here are my top 35 kitchen splashback ideas, which I can guarantee that you’ll like.
13. Pay attention to the little things
So often when you’re designing your kitchen, you’re looking at the big elements like cabinets, colour schemes and appliances. But the truth is that it’s the little things that really help to complete your design. It might be something as subtle as pretty rose gold canisters, for example. They can add colour to a bench that’s otherwise fairly plain and neutral.
14. Integrated seating spots
As L-shaped kitchens are all about catering to entertaining, it’s wise to include some handy seating spots. This rustic farmhouse kitchen does this well, ensuring the family can come and go and gather together as you cook!
15. Statement lights
One way to fancy up your contemporary kitchen is to install fun feature lights like these cage-style ones. Lights like this will be sure to draw the eye.
16. Subway tiles
If you’re after a really simple yet effective splashback or feature wall for your L-shaped kitchen, then you can’t look past subway tiles. These handy little things have become hugely popular in home design over the last few years. And it’s no surprise why. They’re versatile and they look good with anything!
If you like how the white really makes this room so big, check out these other white kitchen ideas that you could add to your home.
17. Mint blue island
It’s easy to use pastel colours very poorly in home design. Too much of the colour and you’ve got a childish looking space. Too little of the colour and the design remains bland. But the judicious use of a little pastel works so well in a kitchen. For instance choosing mint blue cabinetry for your island isn’t overpowering and it’s not too little either. Instead, it injects the right amount of colour and life into an all-white kitchen.
18. Use glass cabinetry
If you’re on the lookout for kitchen storage ideas, consider glass cabinetry which will help you showcase your beautiful crockery and stunning glassware.
19. Tiles, tiles and more tiles
If you love a simple colour palette but want a little bit of extra detail, then this might just be the L-shaped kitchen design for you. Cover the walls in geometric white tiles, which stand against dark grey grout. Then tie in these tones throughout the rest of the kitchen – for example, dark grey flooring, a marble-style benchtop, white timber cabinets and a stainless steel rangehood and oven.
Thinking about kitchen flooring options beyond tile? We’ve got a stack of kitchen flooring ideas to help, which include timber, tile and even lino.
20. Blue dreams
This kitchen is what pastel dreams are made of. Seriously! Would you look at the stunning shade of pale blue? Combined with all the raw timber, this makes for a beautiful all-round design. I love the kitchen island design with it’s simple rack for holding teatowels.
21. Different coloured island
As we’ve discussed, the benefits of an L-shaped kitchen are that you have room for a practical island. But just because you install an island doesn’t mean it has to be the exact same colour as the rest of your cabinets. In fact, it can be totally different and turn into a key feature piece. For example, you might have a fairly all-white kitchen, but then there’s the element of surprise – a dark green island!
22. Statement oven
While an oven is a practical and necessary addition to every kitchen, it’s also something that you can have a lot of fun with. Think about how you can make a statement with your oven, such as by finding one in a bold colour.
23. Marble splashback
The beauty of an L-shaped kitchen that uses two intersecting walls is that you can install a gorgeous wraparound splashback, like this one. I’m not only swooning over the marble splashback, but the entire kitchen is such a dream.
24. Table in the middle
The beauty of L-shaped kitchens is that they allow for so much flexibility. Because they provide plenty of room in the middle, you can fill it with whatever you please. You could even repurpose a vintage desk as a kitchen island and will be so different to stock-standard choices.
This is a really practical solution when it comes to dinner time because it’s just a quick step away from the kitchen bench. And it’s also a fabulous option for when you’re entertaining because guests can gather around the table as you cook!
25. Navy and white
If you can’t decide on what colour to use for your kitchen cabinets, why not use both? You can combine two shades and make it work. If you’re going to do this, white is always a great base to start with. From there, choose another colour that sparks your interest – think blue, green, black or grey. Honestly, you can make any colour work! Use one colour for the top cabinetry and the other for the bottom, and voila – you’ve got yourself a seamless kitchen design that’s set apart from the rest!
26. Modern grey
Alternatively, you could skip the bright colours and go for muted shades of grey and slick black instead. This L-shaped kitchen is modern and simple with grey cabinetry, black benchtops, touches of stainless steel, and black appliances. Grey cabinetry is actually having a bit of a moment when it comes to kitchen interior design, as it allows people to embrace either lighter or darker finishes. You’ll be surprised how creative you can be in a grey kitchen.
There you have it, 25+ L-shaped kitchen designs that cater to any taste and style. I hope this has shown you that there are so many ways to dress up an L-shaped kitchen. There are the rustic timber and farmhouse vibe, then there’s the modern kitchen design, there’s the Scandinavian minimal approach, and then there’s a whole lot of designs in between!
Now, the choice is yours. Which design will you go with? I’d love to hear about which style you liked the most. Comment and share below!
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