Cabinets · Layouts

Cabinet layouts

Layout determines both how the kitchen works and how much it costs, because cabinets are priced per linear foot. Adding an island or a peninsula adds linear feet, which at $80-$800 per foot depending on tier is the fastest way for a budget to move without anyone changing the cabinet quality.

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Galley puts cabinets on two parallel walls. It is efficient for one cook, cheap per unit of storage, and awkward when two people work at once. L-shape uses two adjoining walls and leaves the room open, which is why it dominates open-plan houses. U-shape uses three walls and gives the most storage per square foot of floor. Island and peninsula layouts add a run in the middle of the room.

The cost mechanic worth understanding. Because cabinets sell per linear foot — roughly $80-$120 stock, $150-$300 semi-custom, $500-$800 custom — a 6-foot island is not a small addition. In custom cabinetry it is thousands of dollars, plus whatever countertop, electrical and plumbing it brings with it.

Layout drives the trades. Moving a sink means plumbing. Moving a range means gas or a dedicated circuit and probably ventilation. An island with an outlet, a sink or a cooktop means electrical, and often plumbing and ventilation too. These are the items that turn a cabinet job into a renovation, and the items that most often trigger permit requirements in your jurisdiction.

Practical rules to test any plan against. Can two people pass? Does the dishwasher door block the main aisle when open? Does the refrigerator door swing into traffic? Is there landing space beside the range and the fridge? Where does the trash go? A plan that fails those questions is not saved by good cabinets.

How to choose

Fix the layout before you shop finishes: Layout determines footage and footage determines cost. Everything else is downstream.
Count the linear feet of each option: Compare plans by footage, not by rendering. That is the price difference.
An island is a trade decision: Add plumbing, electrical and ventilation costs to the cabinet price before deciding you want one.
Tape the plan on the floor: Painter's tape and an hour will tell you more about aisle width than any 3D view.
Check every door swing: Dishwasher, oven and refrigerator doors are the usual sources of regret.
Keep plumbing where it is if you can: Not moving the sink and range is the single largest saving available in a kitchen remodel.

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Upper and Lower Cabinet Balance

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Corner Cabinet Solutions

Island Cabinet Layout

Bathroom Vanity Cabinet Layout

FAQ

Cabinets layouts — common questions

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Does the layout change how much cabinets cost?

Directly. Cabinets are priced per linear foot, so a layout with more run costs more at any tier — $80-$120 per foot stock up to $500-$800 custom.

Is an island always a good idea?

No. In a small kitchen an island can strangle the aisles. It also adds linear feet of cabinetry and often electrical, plumbing and ventilation work.

What layout gives the most storage?

A U-shape generally gives the most cabinet storage per square foot of floor, because it uses three walls.

Do I need a permit to change my kitchen layout?

It depends on your city or county, and mostly on whether plumbing, gas or electrical is being moved. Call your local building department with your specific scope — the rules are set locally, not nationally.

Sources

Where these figures come from

SimplyWise — Cost to Install Kitchen Cabinets in 2026 · retrieved 2026-07-25