Modular Kitchen Layouts Explained: Which One Fits Your Flat

Layout is decided before finish, and it is the decision you cannot undo later. Here is what each layout needs and who it suits.

Straight / single wall

Everything on one run. Suits 1 BHKs and compact flats. Keep the run under about 10 feet, or the walk between sink, hob and fridge becomes tiring. Storage is limited — go full height on uppers.

L-shaped

Two adjacent walls. The right answer for most Bangalore apartments: it produces a natural work triangle and gives enough counter for actual cooking. Put the sink on one leg and the hob on the other with landing space either side of the hob.

Parallel / galley

Two facing runs. Best storage-to-footprint ratio of any layout. Needs at least 1.1m clear floor between counters — below that two people cannot pass, and in a family kitchen that matters daily.

U-shaped

Three walls. Maximum storage and counter, excellent work triangle. Needs a genuinely large kitchen or it closes in. Watch the two corners — both need carousel or magic-corner solutions or you lose real volume.

Island / breakfast counter

Requires clearance on all sides — about 1m minimum — so realistically an open-plan home above roughly 1,600 sq.ft. Putting a hob or sink on the island multiplies cost through plumbing and ducting. A breakfast counter without services is much cheaper and often more useful.

Designing for Indian cooking specifically

Landing space immediately beside the hob for tempering — 450mm minimum
A wet zone that tolerates heavy washing, with a drainboard or second bowl
Permanent counter space for a mixer-grinder that stays plugged in
Tall pantry storage for dry goods rather than deep low shelves
Chimney sized for the hob and ducted to an external wall, not recirculating

The clearances to remember

Dimension	Minimum
Counter depth	600mm
Counter height	850–900mm (set to the primary cook)
Gap between facing counters	1,100mm
Counter to upper unit	500–600mm
Landing beside hob	450mm

Materials and hardware detail is in our modular kitchen guide.

Frequently asked questions

Which kitchen layout is best for a Bangalore apartment? −

L-shaped suits most Bangalore apartment kitchens — it creates a natural work triangle and gives enough counter for real cooking. Parallel or galley is better where the kitchen is a narrow corridor with two facing walls.

What is the minimum gap between two facing kitchen counters? +

1,100mm of clear floor. Below that two people cannot pass each other, which in a family kitchen is a daily irritation rather than a technical detail.

What counter height should a kitchen be? +

850–900mm, set to whoever cooks most. Standard heights are a compromise; if the primary cook is notably tall or short, adjusting by 25–50mm makes a real difference to comfort over years of use.

Do I need an island in my kitchen? +

Only in an open-plan home above roughly 1,600 sq.ft, where you can keep about 1m clearance on all sides. Adding a hob or sink to an island multiplies cost through plumbing and ducting; a services-free breakfast counter is often more useful.

How much landing space do I need beside the hob? +

At least 450mm on the side you work from. This is where tempering, plating and resting hot vessels happens, and its absence is one of the most common complaints we hear about builder kitchens.

Are corner solutions worth the money? +

Yes, in U-shaped and L-shaped kitchens. A dead corner in a base unit is a substantial volume of storage that becomes unreachable. A carousel or magic corner converts it into usable space.

Should the chimney be ducted or recirculating? +

Ducted to an external wall wherever the building permits it. Recirculating filters do not remove moisture or heat, and Indian cooking produces a lot of both. Confirm the duct route before finalising the layout.

Can you change my kitchen layout within the existing plumbing? +

Often yes — moving the hob to a different leg of an L or repositioning storage rarely needs plumbing changes. Relocating the sink is the expensive move, so we design around the existing stack where we can.