Let’s be honest, not many of us experience the luxury of a huge kitchen. Accepting reality, we try to find the optimum solution for the cooking space. It usually should comply with the following requirements: comfort, good design and covering small floor space.
The U-shaped kitchens combine all of these. The alignment of the kitchen modules in a triangle setup provides enough cabinets and space for appliances.
Owners of U-shaped kitchens admit that the greatest advantage of this type of cook space is the flawless workflow. You move from the food prep zone to the sink or to the appliances quickly and easily.
The counter space is just enough and zoned. The cabinets are also sufficient, especially if you have upper cabinets that increase the storage space.
Shortly, the U-shaped kitchens are the best for small or medium-sized rooms. If you are planning a makeover of your kitchen, then you would love to see 32 of the best U-shaped kitchen ideas and designs.
1. Create More Space in a Home with a U-Shaped Kitchen
Part of the U-shaped kitchen can form an island. Placed between the dining area and the kitchen, it makes a good transition between the zones.
Cabinets cover the wall spaces to accommodate all kitchen activities accessories and let the kitchen have an appealing and neat look.
White is the perfect color for a smaller kitchen as it opens up the space. Stainless steel appliances give the U-shaped kitchen a contemporary touch.
2. Upgrade Your U-Shaped Kitchen with White Cabinets
This U-shaped kitchen design idea inspires with the purity of the white color and the textures used to add interest. Matte cabinet doors continue the architectural accents of the ceiling.
The black utilities make an elegant statement that is complemented by small but impacting accents spread around the kitchen space.
3. Bring Farmhouse Charm with Rustic U-Shaped Kitchen
This U-kitchen design idea is based on the farmhouse style. Embossed cabinet doors stand against white subway tiles thanks to their earthy pastel color.
The white countertop ensures enough space for food prep. White continues on the third kitchen module transformed into a kitchen island for comfortable eating and drinking next to the kitchen space.
4. Create a Timeless Rustic Kitchen with Black and White
Black and white make a wonderful for the eye rustic U-shaped kitchen design.
Subway tiles decorate the walls to act as a backsplash and accommodate floating shelves for neat storage of glass jars. All of them are identically decorated to add to the rustic charm of the kitchen.
5. Add Depth to U-Shaped Kitchen with Navy Blue Cabinets
When you design your U-shaped kitchen, you shouldn’t limit it to the white color only. Thanks to the triangle alignment of the modules, there is a clear free space between them that cannot be visually affected by the color.
The navy blue of these cabinets succeeds in giving depth to the embossed doors. The silver pulls and silver hues of the backsplash made out of subway tiles enhance the accentuating color to tie up this kitchen design as a retro classic.
6. Create a Lavish Look with Gold and Marble Accents
Pale neutral colors are good for a smaller kitchen. If you are looking for a way to give the interior of the cooking space a point of personalized interest, try adding metallic accents.
Golden, copper or silver, it depends on your taste and the adjacent interior.
via Recent Spaces
7. Combine Traditional and Modern Elements in a Kitchen
Traditional usually means more comfortable. Modern means more appealing. Combining these two would create a beautiful kitchen with many advantages.
Subway tiles feature a metallic hue that pops out more once the built-in lights are turned on. Glossy white wood covers the cabinets and the kitchen island structure to reflect the generous natural light coming from the windows.
8. Create a Beautiful Contrast with Dark and Light Furniture
If you are looking for a way to blend the kitchen zone with the living space, you need to make one main element identical. That could be the floor texture and color or the color and material of the furniture.
This case features a well-designed option where white color combines with darker brown. The upper cabinets, the long but narrow kitchen island and the furniture in the living room are made from earthy brown wood.
White covers the lower cabinets to match the color of the walls and the ceiling so that the airy feel is sensible.
9. Build the Perfect Retro Classic Kitchen with Neutral Hues
Pale and neutral colors suit best the smaller spaces. This U-shaped kitchen design proves that white is not the only option.
It gives an idea of a two-color combo which defines the elements of the kitchen modules.
10. Transform Your Kitchen with Beautiful Subway Tiles
This farmhouse beauty makes you want to cook, eat and drink in there. The pale earthy brown color of the cabinets accentuates the embossing of the wooden doors.
The golden finish of the hardware adds luxury as a personal taste. The antique look of the metallic items balances the opposite effects included in the design.
11. Add Lasting Charm with Glossy White Kitchen Design
Glossy white surfaces are perfect for smaller kitchens as they succeed in reflecting the light, whether natural or artificial. The visual illusion of a wider space is always a good idea.
The glossy finish is a contemporary choice and people tend to use it in combination with stainless steel appliances.
12. Bring Rustic Elegance with Natural Wood Cabinets
Woodgrain and white gloss create a trendy kitchen design. Stainless steel appliances suit best the modern concept.
The minimalist decoration is represented by nature-inspired decor accents adding a pop of green color.
13. Light Up Your U-Shaped Kitchen with a Skylight
This U-shaped kitchen is an inspiring representative of the combination between the farmhouse and industrial style. Wall-mounted shelves keep things open and rough while the bottom cabinets add a point of interest with their deep navy color.
The elements complementing these two styles are adjacent to their representatives. Chevron wood flooring complements the bottom kitchen unites while the geometric architectural shapes of the inclined ceiling infuse the industrial kitchen members.
All you may need for the kitchen activities is there to mimic the design of a galley kitchen.
14. Modern Kitchen with Marble Flooring and Gray Cabinets
Marble is the easiest to maintain surface when it comes to the kitchen. While most of us consider it for the countertop, it would be a practical decision to make the flooring out of it.
For a good general look of your U-shaped kitchen, match the pattern of the marble used on the different elements.
15. Make an Artistic Statement with Ombre Tiles Backsplash
The focus of your U-shaped kitchen should be the back wall. The alignment of the modules reveals a corridor to it so you should make sure that you make it a statement wall or give it a point of interest.
This creative U-shaped design idea is inspired by the contemporary tile varieties. The ombre pattern of the hexagonal tiles is in the pastel palette of blue-green.
One of the hues repeats the color of the cabinets to unite the kitchen elements and make it an amazing and shiny kitchen.
16. Trendy Glossy White Cabinets and Dark Wood Accents
Want your U-shaped kitchen simpler and yet revealing the modern trends? Combine dark wood with glossy white.
The color of the countertops should be identical to the floor color if you aim for an elegant and united look.
17. Showcase Style with a Contemporary U-Shaped Kitchen
Another example of dark wooden countertops and glossy white cabinets features the elegant creep of glossy black.
Seen in the accents and the utensils, the black color gives this U-shaped kitchen design a customized appearance.
18. Embrace Minimalism with a U-Shaped Kitchen
Farmhouse textures combined with modern designs of kitchen furniture and utilities make an exceptionally comfortable and cozy U-shaped kitchen.
The airy feel of this room is enhanced by built-in light fixtures which also act as accents in the interior.
19. Add Intrigue to a Kitchen with a Classic Wooden Floor
Contemporary and airy- this is how we would describe this U-shaped kitchen design. One of the modules acts as an island of a shorter length than the rest. Instead, its countertop has been widened to make quick eating or drinking comfortable.
The neutral colors of the module elements are compensated by the bold presence of green color. It anchors one of the walls as a statement wall that collaborates with the chairs in the dining area to give these two adjacent areas a motif to unite.
20. Transform Your Kitchen with Hexagonal Floor Tiles
If you want to have a bolder element in your U-shaped kitchen design, that could be the floor space. Interesting patterns, shapes and colors are allowed as long as they match the concept of the cooking module set.
The hexagonal shapes formed by the contemporary floor tiles complement the neutral colors of the furniture.
The black color appears as a point of interest on the upper levels adding the industrial style in the otherwise simple farmhouse design.
21. Maximize Your Space with a Chic U-Shaped Kitchen
The U-shaped kitchen allows placing the fridge outside the furniture.
Especially if the cooking space is small, you would like to think of a kitchen layout that ensures comfortable food prep and cooking and plenty of storage space.
22. Create a Roomy Feel with Pastel Colors
Walls, cabinetry and utensils are in the pastel color palette to give this U-shaped kitchen design an airy feel. This color decision has been the key to this kitchen design as the natural light is limited.
Silver pulls, light fixtures and accents add a shiny touch to the neutral interior and help with the increase of the light by reflecting it on the surface.
via Devol Kitchens
23. Jazz up Your Kitchen with a White Tile Backsplash
White and grey alternate to create a fantastic contemporary kitchen with a farmhouse charm. The subway tile backsplash creates a statement wall that combines the colors of the furniture.
The U-shaped design features a long countertop for built-in utensils, a shorter one acting as an island and a middle one which is shortest for food prep. The size of the furniture modules and their alignment give this U-shaped layout an open concept.
via Fastighetsbyran
24. Create a Cohesive Look with Gray Industrial Lights
This is a popular kitchen layout that features a U-shaped kitchen in the corner of the dining room. White countertops reveal plenty of surfaces for food prep.
The top cabinetry is given a different look with pale gray paint. The gray industrial pendant lights hang at the same height as the cabinets to complement them.
25. Be Bold and Creative with Vibrant Kitchen Decor
The small U-shaped kitchen design could be given a point of interest with accents. The red color stands bold against the glossy white and stainless steel surfaces.
The backsplash of the adjacent wall is in mint grey formed by tiles covering a third of the wall.
via Micasa
26. Achieve Monumental Beauty with Black Cabinets
Butcher block countertop makes a dramatic contrast with the white walls and the black cabinetry. It acts as a mediator between the opposing colors of the kitchen to give it a warm touch.
Black and white accents spread on the countertop make it feel like belonging to the design and make this active space very cozy.
via Athena Calderone
27. Incorporate a Breakfast Bar in Your U-Shaped Kitchen
This elegant kitchen design creates a spacious work triangle because the room allows it. The light grey of the cabinets could barely be noticed under natural light. Stone countertops in white give the cooking nook a neat and hygienic look.
Dark brass elements create a point of interest on the top level while on the lower they go in the lighter shade to reflect the light elegantly.
28. Get an Airy and Comfortable Traditional Kitchen
Butcherblock countertop gives this traditional U-shaped kitchen design a farmhouse touch. Traditional usually means most comfortable when it comes to designs.
There are plenty of cabinets hidden behind white doors which keep all kitchen accessories and ingredients safely stored.
The utensils have been well chosen to blend with the white cabinetry so that they don’t overwhelm the small space and keep it airy.
29. Add a Hint of Nature to Your Kitchen with Planters
The shaped kitchen is very appealing because it is placed at the best spot- to sink with the light! Centering the design around a window will let light fill the air.
This hack is good for all sizes of U-shaped kitchens but it is particularly helpful for the tiniest ones because it will make the compact parts feel bright and inviting.
30. Bring Style and Functionality with Bold Colors
It is possible to add a bold color to your U-shaped layout if you are careful. Usually, the darker color should be used on the lower level.
The breakfast bar of this inspiring kitchen design features a white countertop and bold wood panels in navy blue that break up the neutral interior.
Applying this dramatic color on one element makes sure that the room is not overpowered but sophisticated.
31. Create a Timeless Style with Versatile Mint Milk
Upgrade your white cabinetry with a fresh mint color. The tone is versatile and pairs well with a wide range of decor styles while offering a personal look.
The mint milk color stands amazingly out against the white background and makes an amazing collaboration with natural wood surfaces.
via Reform
32. Add Modern Flair with a Wallpaper Backsplash
Combining the glossy countertop surfaces with a muted backsplash will keep the atmosphere relaxed and welcoming. If you don’t want to invest in a tile backsplash, you can opt for a wallpaper covering mimicking white brick texture.
The grey shades of the bricks collaborate with the milky grey of the cabinetry to create a continuous U-shaped kitchen design.
