I would always choose an island bench first but love the "Other" Asian inspired kitchen you have posted

Surely it depends on the space you have available.

I agree with genkii, but single wall and L-shape would be too open for me if there is enough space to do something different. Funnily enough - seeing that you don't like the G-shape - I don't mind it as I like cooking and chatting to my guests/family. The Island option is great if there is enough space

I hate islands - I prefer G-style. Works best for me.

Any style that doesn't have the sink and stove top opposite each other or more than a step between the two, suits me.

I think shape is dependent to a large extent on the size of the space and placement of doors, windows and so on. So I'm flexible on that front although I do prefer U-shaped in general. But the one thing I am adamant about is that my kitchen (or kitchen-dining) must be in a self-contained room. Open-plan arrangements where there is nothing to separate the kitchen (and the inevitable smells, steam/smoke and grease no matter how good the extractor fan) from my living areas, upholstered furniture, library of books and so on have zero appeal.

The ideal kitchen for me is where only one person can cook at a time and that kitchen is off limits during the cooking time to everybody else...in my dreams!

I'm late to this party! My kitchen is a combo of L that wraps around the wall, my stove and refrigerator in the smaller side of L. On the long side my sink, which is at a window for a view. But I also have an island, which puts the kitchen into a galley category. It is the easiest kitchen to navigate - more storage than I need, but I manage to fill the drawers and cupboards. What I love is I have space for them to be organised. Also, I have 1.2 metre space between L cupboards and island, which is 2.7 m long x 90cm wide. Two people can easily cook here without bothering each other. The island has no cooking top or sink - a big plus in my eye.

Here here Col B. I loathe the whole triangle layout that means I have to do a mad dash across a kitchen with a pot of boiling water from stove top to sink!

Lydia you just described my kitchen!

mines like Lydia's too heres a photo of it nearly finished

It depends how much available space you have. I've been dreaming for an island kitchen for a long time. Unfortunately, my kitchen is too small for it and I have a G-shaped kitchen. I love it anyways :)

I have an L shape with a small cooking island with half wall behind shielding the walk through pantry and a large entertaining/prep island. Works a treat with all the family able to be using the kitchen at the same time without tripping over each other.

Agree with island being free of cooktop and sink....think the ‘kitchen triangle’ was from the days when the kitchen was a seperate room and not being infiltrated by one and all...this is what I’ve planned for my next kitchen....always nerve wrecking wondering if you’ve got it right....

Jacqueline Macho, with the laundry / butler's pantry A1. Make sure lighting over the sink and hotplates is towards the wall so that when you are working there, there are no shadows over the area. I found in my last home, centrally placed, the lights weren't serving the best purpose. Something to consider.

Thank you Lydia I will definitely take on your advise.

Compact 'U' shape for me.....strictly one person at a time.

I love a good island bench and kitchen

W

I love the way the outdoor is bought indoors visa versa

Jacqueline Macho, just a quick question. Do you have rubbish bin drawers and if so where are they. I’m just thinking about where you would do most of your food prep etc. I agree with the lighting in the Butlers pantry. We put strip lighting under our top cabinets so when doing the dishes we had good lighting, no shadows.
The sink next to your fridge is for doing dishes or food prep?

After a galley kitchen, then a U shape kitchen and being an extremely messy cook, I found my favourite kitchen goes back to the very old form of wrapping around the entire space, with eating table in the centre. This offers preparation space of table, as an Island bench, heaps of bench space and ensures that the table must be cleared up to finally enjoy the end result of all that mess. My only other pet like is the stove, fridge and sink in close proximity, because as said before, being a messy cook, this contains the spread.Furthermore this kitchen type takes whatever space is available.

Bree Martin I’m still trying to work the fine details out, but I would put a bin under/next to the sink in he kitchen with the recycling in the laundry. I’m thinking of a drawer dishwasher in kitchen with a full dishwasher in laundry. Food prep would be done between sink and stovetop. Other option would be to put sink in front of window between pantries but it is a dangerous navigation if I have large pots of boiling water to pour down the sink..... my last kitchen had an island without sink or cooktop and I really liked that. What do you think?

Jacqueline Macho, I agree the sink between the two pantries would be too dangerous. I would check the measurement for your work area between the sink and cooktop. As you have a large cooktop and sink between the fridge and oven...is there enough room to do all the food prep? I love a clean island and have never liked the idea of having any cooktop on an island as it seems too dangerous. A large sink takes up too much room on an island, especially if you’ve forked out for lovely stone or granite. I have for my new build, which we have been in for a month now, put in a small round bowl. I’m glad I did as I use it for food prep, and it has filter water for drinking. It doesn’t compromise the look or use of our island. I have a large and deep sink in the butlers for doing the washing up. I only have one dishwasher...yes folks just one. As my benches are 950mm high I opted for an Asko xxl....they are taller than others. After renting a house with a fisher and paykel dish drawers, I swore never to have them in our new build. So I personally can’t recommend them. Others might like them. Kitchens cost so much that’s why we obsess over them.

Two musts for me .....

Always have a two bin 'slide-out' cupboard immediately under your prep/chopping area.

Have your crockery & glassware cupboards plus cutlery & utensil draws within arms reach of your dishwasher.

I like island benches because they are great for entertaining. Everyone either sits around the island or helps with food preparation. Also everything is close at hand

I am always surprised when architects/designers place a wine rack next to a stove or refrigerator - wine does not need to be heated regularly by these motors. Is seems like anaftetthought, "Oh, a narrow gap - let's put wine shelves there."

Go

I like to be able to sit in the kitchen (either at an island or old fashioned farmhouse table) but still have a more formal dining room. I dont mind either U shape or island but it really depends on space available as most spaces can be designed to meet your needs. I currently need advice designing my kitchen, please comment under my post. thanks

The shape of the room and door and window placement makes a difference to the layout suited to the room. As a designer and a cook the most important thing to me is function irrelevant of shape . Placing things into the right "zone" makes a huge difference and can turn a great looking kitchen into a great functioning kitchen as well. Storage zone, prep zone, cook zone,make a drink zone, separating these areas can make particularly a family Kitchen work well.

Try not to put the dishwasher between the sink and the hob so the second person in the kitchen or Kids can load and unload the dishwasher while the keeping out of the 'Prep and cook zone'. Also the 'make a drink zone' (kettle, jug, toaster) should be outside of the 'prep and cook zone' for the same reason. Keep the fridge, fruit bowl and the snack type food to the outside as this is the first place the kids will go to. Invest in a good rubbish bin system and a powerful but quiet extraction unit.

I've had three of these different types of kitchens, it really depends on your house, we have renovated three times and you have to work within the boundaries. I voted G shape because there is less walking but love my current kitchen with island and L shape, very large 7 metres by 3 metres with three sinks.

I did a spruce -up of the original kitchen in the 60's house I bought a couple of years ago as there were more pressing renos that needed doing before a new kitchen. Paint, deep cleaning, repairs, new stove and extractor and some new surfaces is all I did, so it is still the same layout as when the house was built. It's G shaped. It works surprisingly well and I feel no urgency to rip it out and replace it at the moment. I am going to rip up the layers of vinyl and lino on the floor as there is a lovely hardwood floor underneath, but I need to get it investigated to make sure there is no lurking asbestos.

My kitchen for a new build is close to the one in the photo. Have dish drawer in island bench and one in scullery as well. Sink in island bench and in scullery. Can't get my head around cooking on island bench where grandchildren and/or adults may be sitting. Cook top in middle of the bench also and using same glass window backdrop to look out to the garden. Double oven in same position as this one. Coffee tea etc in scullery and microwave.. Just made sure there was good walking space between the bench and island bench. Fridge in in wall opposite end of island bench. Been planned for 12+ months but build just being framed up now. My biggest issue is that I have a genuine light intolerance so no light bulbs glaring at me. Fell free to comment as it my biggest issue throughout the build.