Designing a new kitchen requires a good understanding of kitchen unit sizes. For DIY enthusiasts in the UK, this guide offers essential insights on kitchen cabinets, wall cabinets, and other kitchen units.
Knowing standard kitchen cabinet dimensions can simplify your project, ensuring a functional and stylish kitchen. Whether you’re upgrading an existing kitchen or building a new one from scratch, getting the sizes right is crucial for achieving a seamless look and maximising storage space.
Understanding Standard Kitchen Unit Sizes
Standard kitchen unit sizes are the foundation of any kitchen design. These dimensions ensure a seamless and efficient layout, saving space, time, and money during planning.
Adhering to standard kitchen cabinet sizes helps in achieving uniformity and compatibility with various kitchen accessories and appliances.
Benefits of Standard Sizes
Standard sizes ensure consistency, making your kitchen look cohesive. They simplify the planning process, allowing you to visualise and map out your kitchen layout effectively. Furthermore, standard sizes make it easier to find replacements when needed.
Base Units
Base units, the workhorses of kitchen cabinetry, provide essential storage space and support for worktops. These units come in various standard dimensions to fit different kitchen layouts.
Base cabinets are crucial for supporting countertops and housing appliances, making them fundamental to the overall structure and functionality of your kitchen. Understanding their dimensions and applications is key to effective kitchen planning.
Standard Dimensions for Base Units
- Width: 300mm, 400mm, 500mm, 600mm, 800mm, 900mm, 1000mm
- Depth: 560mm
- Height: 720mm (without legs), 870mm (with legs)
These dimensions offer flexibility to accommodate various kitchen sizes and layouts. By mixing and matching different widths, you can create a customised layout that suits your space and needs.
Common Uses for Base Units
Base units are perfect for storing pots, pans, and kitchen accessories. They also house built-in appliances such as ovens and dishwashers, contributing to a streamlined kitchen layout.
These units often include drawers or pull-out shelves, enhancing their functionality and making it easier to organise kitchen items.
Base units often come with adjustable legs so they can accommodate uneven floors or specific design preferences.
Wall Units
Wall units, also known as upper cabinets, provide additional storage space without occupying floor space. Kitchen wall cabinets are essential for maximising vertical storage. Properly planned wall units can significantly increase your kitchen’s storage capacity without making the space feel cramped.
Standard Dimensions for Wall Units
- Width: 300mm, 400mm, 500mm, 600mm, 800mm, 1000mm
- Depth: 300mm
- Height: 575mm, 720mm, 900mm
These dimensions offer flexibility to fit various kitchen designs and ceiling heights.
The depth of kitchen wall cabinets is standardised to ensure the units are not too intrusive, maintaining an open and spacious feel.
Installation Height Considerations for Wall Units
Install wall cabinets with the bottom edge 450-500mm above the worktop space. This height ensures easy access and usability, fitting well with the overall flow of the kitchen.
It’s important to consider the height of all family members to ensure everyone can reach the upper cabinets comfortably. Proper installation height is crucial for maintaining an ergonomic kitchen design.
Common Uses for Wall Units
Wall units are ideal for storing plates, glasses, and pantry items. They keep essentials within easy reach while freeing up countertop space.
These units often include adjustable shelves, allowing you to customise the storage space according to your needs.
Properly planned kitchen wall units can make a big difference in keeping your kitchen organised and efficient.
Consider combining your wall cabinets with open shelves or cabinets with glass inserts to display decorative items or frequently used dishes.
Tall Units
Tall units, or tall cabinets, provide vertical storage and are ideal for housing integrated appliances. These units maximise storage without compromising floor space.
Tall units can serve as pantry cabinets, utility cabinets, or even house large appliances like fridges and ovens. They are a great way to utilise vertical space in your kitchen, offering ample storage and a clean, streamlined look.
Standard Dimensions for Tall Units
- Width: 300mm, 400mm, 500mm, 600mm
- Depth: 560mm
- Height: 1970mm, 2150mm
These dimensions ensure that tall units can fit seamlessly with other kitchen cabinetry. They offer substantial storage space, making them perfect for storing bulkier items or integrating appliances. The standard depth ensures they align with base units, maintaining a cohesive look across the kitchen.
Common Uses for Tall Units
Tall units are perfect for pantry cabinets or utility cabinets. They can house integrated fridges and ovens, offering ample storage for dry goods and small appliances.
These units are particularly useful in kitchens with limited floor space, as they make use of vertical space effectively.
By incorporating pull-out shelves or baskets, you can enhance the accessibility and organisation of tall units.
Special Units
Special units like corner cabinets and drawer units enhance functionality and storage efficiency in the kitchen. These units cater to specific needs and spaces.
Special units are designed to make the most of awkward or otherwise unused spaces, offering creative storage solutions that enhance the overall functionality of your kitchen.
Corner Units
Corner units, available in L-shaped and carousel configurations, optimise awkward corner spaces, providing additional storage.
These units make it easier to access items stored in corner spaces, which can often be difficult to reach. By utilising corner units, you can ensure that every inch of your kitchen is used effectively.
Drawer Units
Drawer units, available in standard sizes, are ideal for organising utensils and smaller kitchen accessories. They offer easy access and can be customised with dividers or inserts.
Drawer units are particularly useful in base cabinets, providing a practical solution for storing items that would otherwise be difficult to organise in traditional cabinets.
Plinths and End Panels
Plinths and end panels, available in standard sizes, provide finishing touches for a polished look. Plinths cover gaps between base units and the floor, while end panels give a neat finish to cabinet sides. These components are essential for achieving a professional, finished appearance in your kitchen.
