Kitchen + living room layouts and floor plan ideas.

Kitchen + Living Rooms hold a special place as “the heart of the home” for a reason. They are the bustling hub where food is prepared, creativity flourishes, and cherished moments are shared with loved ones.

Crafting a functional and stylish kitchen + living room layout is essential for maximizing efficiency and creating an inviting space for cooking, entertaining, and gathering with family and friends. From the placement of appliances to the arrangement of cabinets and countertops, every element plays a vital role in shaping the overall flow and functionality of your kitchen + living room.

While kitchen design trends and materials come and go, there are some kitchen layout principles that are tried and true. You may have heard of the “kitchen triangle” — placing your stovetop, sink, and refrigerator in a triangle formation. By arranging these three elements in a triangular formation, cooks can seamlessly navigate between tasks, making meal preparation a more efficient and enjoyable experience. This classic layout continues to stand the test of time, serving as a cornerstone of functional kitchen design.

Whether you're in the process of designing a new kitchen + living room or looking to revamp your existing one, these are the key components to consider on your layout plan:

1. Appliances: Common kitchen appliances include a refrigerator, freezer, stove or cooktop, oven, vent hood, microwave, and dishwasher. If you are starting a new kitchen design from scratch, we recommend placing your appliances and sink on the plan first and building the rest of the design around them. It’s important to also take note of any electrical, water, or gas hookups you’ll need to support these appliances and indicate their placement and dimensions on the plan.
2. Sink: The sink is a crucial element in a kitchen, used for washing dishes, food preparation, and cleaning. It’s common to place the sink in front of a window, but this is purely a stylistic choice. If you have the space, some modern kitchens include two sinks in the kitchen plan — one for food prep closer to your stove or main worktop and the other for cleaning closer to your dishwasher or where you store dishes.
3. Countertops: Countertops are essential work surfaces in a kitchen. They provide space for food preparation, cooking, and other kitchen tasks. Indicate the location and dimensions of countertops on your floor plan. Standard counter depth is 24 inches, this is also the standard size for base cabinets. But if you go the custom cabinetry route, you can get creative with your counter depth and extend up to 30 inches deep.
4. Cabinets and Storage: In addition to your base cabinets with countertops, you can incorporate open shelving, wall cabinets, or tall pantry cabinets in your plan for additional storage space for dishes, cookware, and pantry items. The standard depth for wall cabinets is 12”. Pantry cabinet depths can vary in size depending on your layout.
5. Kitchen Island or Work Table: An island or work table provides additional workspace, storage, and seating options. Allow for between 24 and 48 inches of walking space around your island.
6. Seating: Seating areas in kitchens come in all shapes and sizes. If you have an island or work table, you may want to include stools or bench seating on one or multiple sides. If you plan to have a dining area in your kitchen, include a dining table and chairs or a breakfast nook with banquette seating. Or, take a page out of our favorite kitchen designer’s book (cough Helen Parkhust of DeVol cough) and include an accent chair or two for a more cozy seating option.
7. Lighting Fixtures: Proper task lighting is essential in a kitchen. Include lighting fixtures such as overhead lights, pendant lights, wall sconces, and under-cabinet lighting in your plan to ensure adequate illumination.

Remember, the specific elements and layout of a kitchen can vary depending on personal preferences, available space, and functional needs. It's important to create a floor plan that optimizes workflow, provides ample storage, and reflects your unique style. Get creative and have fun with your layouts! If you need an extra hand, check out our step-by-step guide on How To Design a Kitchen.

They say the kitchen is the heart of the home. But if you ask us, the kitchen + living room gives it a run for its money since it’s likely the most used room in your house. From entertaining guests to lounging around reading a book to watching way too much TV (no judgment here), your main living space has to be both comfortable and functional.

These are some of the most common kitchen + living room furniture pieces that you’ll need to account for on your floor plan with tips on the best ways to arrange them in your space:

1. Sofa, Couch, or Sectional: A staple of any kitchen + living room, the sofa or couch provides a comfortable seating option for relaxation and socializing. The sofa should be the functional focal point of the room. When creating the furniture plan for your kitchen + living room, start with the sofa as the largest piece of furniture and plan the rest of the room around it. If you have a small kitchen + living room, you may want to select a sofa with a shallower depth or a L-shaped sectional to maximize your seating space. If you have a large kitchen + living room, you may want to consider multiple couches to take advantage of your space.
2. Armchairs: These individual accent chairs offer additional seating and can be placed strategically around the kitchen + living room to create cozy conversation areas. In addition to leaving space around furniture groupings, make sure to also leave space around each piece of furniture. This allows people to move freely using various routes within the kitchen + living room. It's important to strike a balance between creating a cozy seating area and providing enough room for easy navigation.
3. Coffee Table: A central piece, the coffee table sits in front of the sofa and provides a surface for placing drinks, books, and other items. Pro tip: The recommended distance between a coffee table and the sofa in a kitchen + living room is roughly 15-18”. This allows for enough space to move around comfortably and ensures that the coffee table is within easy reach from the seating area.
4. Side Tables and/or Ottomans: Placed next to sofas or armchairs, side tables offer a convenient surface for placing lamps, drinks, or other small items. Ottomans are even more versatile and can serve as a footrest, extra seating, or even a side table or coffee table when paired with a tray. Choose side tables or ottomans that are proportionate to the furniture they accompany. The height of the side table should be similar to or slightly lower than the armrest or seat height of the sofa or chair.
5. Console, Entertainment Center or TV Stand: This furniture piece typically houses the television and often includes additional storage for media devices, gaming consoles, or to display decorative items. Ensure that the size of the media console is proportionate to the size of the screen it will be supporting. Pro tip: the distance between the TV screen and the edge of your sofa should be 1.5x the diagonal measurement of the TV screen (no squinting allowed!). Even if you don’t plan to include a TV in your kitchen + living room (we support your decision for less screen time!), a freestanding console or built-in shelving unit is great for storage and organization. You can hide (or replace) your TV with a large piece of wall art.

Remember, these are just the basics and recommendations. The specific furniture arrangement will vary based on personal preferences and the size or shape of the kitchen + living room. Get creative and have fun with your layouts! If you need an extra hand, check out our step-by-step guide on How To Design a Living Room.