U-shaped kitchen: how much space inside the U?

15 years ago

I'm idly mulling a major, very-much-in-the-future kitchen remodel and what I've always wanted is a u-shaped working area of the kitchen. That's always struck me as a very efficient working layout for a single cook: a large amount of counter space can be reached without carrying e.g. hot pots back and forth across open space, and guests/helpers can sit on the other side of a counter and be out of the way. In my hypothetical space, two adjacent walls would have lower and upper cabinets, and the third side of the U would have just lower cabs and a counter separating the working area of the kitchen from a breakfast area. I wouldn't want an island. Here's my question: for those of you who have U-shaped kitchens and cook alone most or all of the time, how much space do you think is the right amount to have inside the U? Are there "gotcha" things you wish you'd thought about when planning the space? The swing of oven, fridge, and dishwasher doors seems an obvious thing, but I'd be curious about your sense of what it's like to work in larger vs. more compact U's.

Thanks!

Featured Answer

OCJeff

15 years ago

I would say 50-60 inches. Gives plenty of space for people to work on both sides of the U. We recently moved our island from 59 to 50 inches away from our counter and it actually seems easier to work with (less distance). But if you have a lot of people in there at the same time then I think 60 might be better.

Keep in mind the counter will consume 1-3 inches of space too with the overhang, so err on the side of larger.

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Comments (10)

senator13
15 years ago
Within our U, we will have 53" (that is from counter edge, to counter edge. We have that spacing in our current galley kitchen, and I have always thought it is a great, workable space!
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formerlyflorantha
15 years ago
We have 6.5 feet, which is as large as I would care to have. Not including overhangs.
skyedog
15 years ago
I have 5 feet of space in my U and it works very well. I work both alone and with helpers and there are no problems either way.
Stacy Rahn-Dennis
15 years ago
Mine is 6' counter edge to counter edge.
senator13
15 years ago
I meant to write 5'3", not 53". I hope that helps.
maddybeagle
Original Author
15 years ago
Thanks, everyone. This is VERY helpful and also encouraging, because it suggests that a 10'x10' space is plenty big enough for the working area of the U I'm contemplating. (i.e. 10' across the U = 2' counter against a wall, 5'+ open space in the middle of the U, 2'+ for a slightly wider counter on the peninsular/non-wall arm of the U. (The path across the open end of the U and the breakfast area beyond would be additional square footage, obviously.)
dee850
15 years ago
That's pretty close to what I have. My U is 114" wide from back of peninsula to wall, with 65" inside the U. This spacing works very well for us.
chaparral
15 years ago
We used to have about 6', which was perfect for a single cook, but a bit cramped for two. Now we are pushing out the leg of the U with base cabinets only by 2' and putting one sink on each side of the U, with oven at the end of the U. Hoping to make it easier for 2 or 3 people to cook at once.
Majra
15 years ago
My U is 70" from counter edge to counter edge. My peninsula is 38" wide which leaves plenty of room for me to cook on the kitchen side, and people to sit on the family room side.

I'm also pre-reno, but I will keep my U when the time comes to do the kitchen. Here's a link to one of my inspiration photos.

Here is a link that might be useful: [U-shaped kitchen[(https://www.houzz.com/photos/vista-real-residence-contemporary-kitchen-los-angeles-phvw-vp~105664)