Tools for the job

Base units & appliances

Base units are usually a standard height of 870mm (2ft 10in) and depth of 590mm (1ft 11in), and available in a range of widths including 300mm (1ft), 400mm (1ft 4in), 500mm (1ft 7½in), 800mm (2ft 7½in) and 1000mm (3ft 3in), the latter two having two cupboard doors. These are made with no top surface, requiring either a worktop or a sink to finish them off.

The carcass of these cupboards may simply be covered by a door, in which case they are called ‘High Line’ cupboards, or they may include one or more drawers, when they are referred to as ‘Drawer Line’. When planning the floor cupboards, it is best to group drawer line units together to keep the lines of the kitchen running uninterrupted.

Taller base units are also widely available to provide further storage space, but they cannot be covered by worktop, so may reduce the available space for food preparation in a small kitchen.

Corner units are designed to utilise the space where two perpendicular runs of cupboards meet, providing storage space all the way back into the corner.

Units are also available to house appliances and disguise or ‘integrate’ them into the look of the kitchen.

Before the base units are fitted, it's best to consider where the appliances are to be located, then arrange the base units around them. In practice this generally leads to one of five distinct floorplans.

• kitchen appliances
• Attributes common to all kitchen appliances
• Kitchen base units

Laying out the base units & appliances

To plan the layout of the base units;

• Accurately measure the size of the walls of the room at floor level and at a height of 900mm (3ft). Using the smallest of these measurements, draw a scale plan of the room onto the squared paper.
• Mark where doors, windows and radiators are sited. Also measure the height of any window sills; these will need to be at least 910mm (3ft ½in) high to accommodate a unit and worktop beneath them.
• Mark the plan with the location of current services such as hot and cold water, drainage, gas and electrical sockets. Moving these around will add significant time (and therefore cost) to the kitchen installation. You should aim to group all plumbed appliances, such as sink, dishwasher and washing machine into a reasonably small area to keep plumbing simple and efficient.
• Cut scale drawings of each of the appliances, sinks and cupboards from a separate sheet of paper and position these on the floorplan. Move these around until you can achieve a working triangle you’re satisfied with.
• If you plan to have an extractor fan, this and the hob should be positioned on an external wall to allow it to vent to the outside.
• Check you will have large enough worktop areas, remembering that most appliances fit beneath a working surface.
• Fill the gaps between the appliances with cupboards and draw units, trying to group the styles of units i.e. all drawers together.
• Any breakfast bar will need to allow 300mm (1ft) of knee room under the worktop.
• Use a kickboard plinth to finish off the underside of base units, making them appear as a single continuous piece of furniture.

Wall Units

In a small kitchen, wall units are where the bulk of the storage will be delivered, and their layout can have a significant impact on the overall look and practicality of the room.

Like base units, wall cupboards are available in a range of widths including 300mm (1ft), 400mm (1ft 4in), 500mm (1ft 7½in), 800mm (2ft 7½in) and 1000mm (3ft 3in), the latter two having two cupboard doors, which allow various combinations of cupboards to fill any available space.

Wall units are usually 300mm (1ft) deep, but come in a variety of heights, from shallow cupboards to be hung above a hob, to tall units for rooms with high ceilings, to cabinets that are designed to sit on the worktop surface.

Corner units are designed to utilise the space where two perpendicular runs of cupboards meet, providing storage space all the way back into the corner.

• Kitchen wall units
• Kitchen unit doors
• Kitchen plinths & cornicing

Laying out the wall units

• Wall units should be hung such that their base is at least 450mm (1ft 6in) above the height of the worktop (which will usually be at a height of 900mm (3ft)). The highest practical shelf height is 1060mm (3ft 6in) above the worktop.
• A minimum gap of 760mm (2ft 6in) must be left above the hob, so a full height wall cupboard cannot be installed here. Instead, use a shallow wall cupboard, a shelf or an extractor, checking that there is enough wall space for these to be hung above the 760mm gap.
• Wall units come in a wide range of shapes and sizes, which can often be mixed and matched. Wherever possible though, try to keep the doors of each wall unit in line with those of the base units beneath it to achieve a sleek and symmetrical look.
• Cornicing should be fitted to top edges and pelmets should be fitted to the bottom edges of wall units to make them appear as a single piece of furniture. Pelmets can also hide worktop lighting suspended from the underside of the wall units.
• Wall units do not necessarily have to be hung on a wall. Units with a ‘good’ rear surface, designed to be seen, can be mounted on top of base units with the use of a supporting leg, which keep the working surface beneath clear for use.

Examples of base and wall units

Further information and useful links

• Planning a new kitchen
• Example kitchen floor plans
• Designing a safe kitchen layout
• Low cost kitchen refurbishment
• More kitchens topics

• Find a Kitchen Planner near you
• Find a Kitchen Worktop supplier near you
• Find a Kitchen Units supplier near you