What is an L-shaped kitchen, and what cabinets does it need?
An L-shaped kitchen runs cabinets along two walls that meet at one inside corner, leaving the other two sides of the room open. It suits most medium kitchens, works with a dining table or an island, and keeps the sink, range and refrigerator close without a dead end. The run is built from base cabinets with wall cabinets above, one corner cabinet where the walls meet, a sink base on one leg and the range on the other, and a pantry or the refrigerator at the end of a leg. The one decision that matters most is the corner: a lazy susan, a blind corner base or a corner sink base. RTA Cabinets Plus stocks every cabinet in this run, and the boxes click together on a licensed system.
What goes where in an L-shaped kitchen.
A typical plan, from the corner out. Your wall lengths and appliance sizes set the exact widths.
- The corner, base
- A lazy susan corner cabinet (33" or 36", needing that much wall on both sides of the corner), a blind corner base (42" or 48" wide, with a filler), or a 36" corner sink base.
- The corner, wall
- A diagonal corner or easy reach wall cabinet, each needing 24" of wall on both sides, or a 27" wall blind corner cabinet, lined up over the corner base.
- The sink leg
- A sink base, 24" to 42" wide, or a 30", 33" or 36" farm sink base, with a 24" dishwasher opening beside it and a drawer base on the other side.
- The range leg
- A 30" or 36" range opening between drawer bases, 12" to 36" wide, with a 30" microwave wall cabinet or a hood above it.
- The end of a leg
- A pantry, 18", 24" or 30" wide, or a 33" oven cabinet, 84", 90" or 96" tall, at the end of a run so it does not break up the counter. Or the refrigerator: A 24" deep wall cabinet, 30", 33" or 36" wide, over the refrigerator, with a refrigerator return panel to frame its exposed side.
- Above the counter
- Wall cabinets 12" deep, 30", 36" or 42" tall depending on the ceiling, in widths from 9" to 42", with crown molding on top and light rail underneath.
- The finish
- End panels on any exposed side, fillers at the walls and the corner, toe kick, crown and light rail, all in the cabinet finish.
Where an L-shaped kitchen works, and where it does not.
| Works well | Watch for | |
|---|---|---|
| Space | Fits most medium rooms and leaves two sides open | A very long leg spreads the work out and adds steps |
| Corner | Only one corner to fill | The corner cabinet needs room on both walls; plan it first |
| Flow | Sink on one leg, range on the other keeps two people apart | A doorway near the corner can cut a leg short |
| Expansion | Takes an island well when the room allows a walkway | Without an island, counter space is limited to two walls |
Four rules for a good L.
- Draw the corner first. A lazy susan takes 33" or 36" of each wall; a blind corner base takes 42" or 48" of one wall and less of the other. Everything else is laid out from there.
- Split the jobs across the legs. Sink and dishwasher on one leg, range on the other, so the main work spots are a short turn apart.
- Keep the refrigerator at an end. Near the open end of a leg, so people can reach it without walking through the cooking area.
- Leave space for fillers. At each wall and at the corner, so doors and drawers clear each other and the trim.
Get your L-shaped kitchen drawn free.
- Get it drawn free
- Pick the layout on the design page, enter the wall lengths and where the sink, range and refrigerator go, and choose a door style and finish. Send the measurements and a designer draws the kitchen for free, within 1 business day: a floor plan, 3D renders, an itemized parts list and a price, with no obligation to buy.
What people ask next.
What is an L-shaped kitchen?
A kitchen with cabinets on two walls that meet at one inside corner, forming an L, with the other two sides of the room left open.
What corner cabinet is best for an L-shaped kitchen?
A lazy susan corner cabinet, 33" or 36", is the easiest to reach into but needs that much wall on both sides of the corner. A blind corner base, 42" or 48" wide, uses less of the second wall. A 36" corner sink base puts the sink in the corner.
How big should an L-shaped kitchen be?
There is no fixed minimum, but each leg needs room for the corner cabinet plus the sink or range run. A designer can tell you from your wall lengths whether the legs fit what you want on them.
Can an L-shaped kitchen have an island?
Yes, when the room allows a walkway of about 42" for one cook or 48" for two on each working side of the island. It is one of the most common layouts with an island.
Who we areRTA Cabinets Plus is an independently owned retailer that sells ready to assemble kitchen cabinets and bathroom vanities direct to homeowners, remodelers and trade buyers. Made by a manufacturer that builds cabinets for one of the largest semi-custom brands in the U.S.
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Want a person to check your plan?(305) 782-7587, Monday to Friday, 8am to 5pm ET. Or send your measurements for a free design.