Planning & Checklists
Kitchen Planning Guide
Updated 3 min read
The short answer
A kitchen works or fails on clearances and sequence. Get the walkways, counter heights and appliance clearances right and almost any layout is usable; get them wrong and no finish will rescue it. The sequence matters just as much: appliances must be selected before cabinetry is built, and cabinetry must be installed and levelled before countertops can be templated.
Working dimensions
These are the conventions kitchens are designed around. Treat them as a starting point and depart from them deliberately — a kitchen for someone very tall or a wheelchair user should not use the defaults.
| Element | Dimension | Note |
|---|---|---|
| Counter height | 900mm | Adjust to the primary cook’s height. |
| Upper cabinet clearance | 450–500mm above counter | Less feels cramped, more is out of reach. |
| Walkway, one cook | 900mm | Between island and perimeter run. |
| Walkway, two cooks | 1050–1200mm | Also the practical minimum with an appliance door open. |
| Island seating overhang | 300mm at counter height | Deeper needs concealed steel support. |
| Counter depth | 635mm | Standard, accommodating a 600mm base cabinet plus overhang. |
| Toe kick | 100mm high × 75mm deep | A deeper recess is noticeably more comfortable to stand at. |
| Sink to cooktop | 900mm min. counter between | Prep space where you actually need it. |
The sequence that prevents rework
Most kitchen cost overruns come from doing these in the wrong order.
- Settle the layoutWhere the sink, cooktop, fridge and dishwasher go. Moving any of these later means moving services, which is the expensive change.
- Select appliancesExact models, not categories. Integrated panel dimensions, hood insert sizes and sink cut-outs are all built to a specific model’s published specification.
- Choose the countertop materialIt affects cabinet support requirements, overhang detailing and sink mounting method.
- Approve cabinetry drawingsElevations showing every cabinet, its interior configuration and how the run terminates.
- Services rough-inElectrical and plumbing moved to their final positions by licensed trades, before cabinetry arrives.
- Install and level cabinetryCountertop templating cannot begin until cabinetry is installed and levelled — this is the step that most often surprises people with a delay.
- Template, fabricate and install countertopsStone fabrication takes time after templating. Plan for the kitchen being unusable during this window.
- FinishingBacksplash, hardware, filling, caulking, touch-up and final door alignment.
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Decisions people regret
- Too few drawers
- Drawers beat doors for base cabinets almost every time, because you can see and reach everything. Three drawers per 900mm base is a good default.
- Undersized walkways
- An island that leaves less than 900mm of circulation looks generous on a plan and is unpleasant in use, particularly with a dishwasher door open.
- Cabinets to the ceiling in a 10ft room
- The top shelf becomes unreachable without a ladder. In tall rooms, a considered stopping point with a cornice often looks and works better.
- Forgetting the small-appliance home
- Kettle, toaster, coffee machine and mixer all need a home with power. Designing an appliance garage or a dedicated run prevents permanent counter clutter.
- Under-specified lighting
- Under-cabinet lighting is not optional in a working kitchen — upper cabinets shadow the counter directly beneath them.
Answers
Frequently asked questions
- How long does a kitchen renovation take?
- A cabinetry-and-finishes renovation without moving walls typically runs several weeks, driven largely by cabinetry lead time and the countertop templating gap. Renovations involving structural change or relocated services take considerably longer and are governed by permits and trade sequencing.
- Do I need to choose appliances before cabinetry is built?
- Yes, and this is not negotiable for integrated appliances. Panel dimensions, hinge geometry, hood insert size and sink cut-outs are all built to a specific model’s published specification. Substituting a model after fabrication usually means remaking components.
- Should the island have a sink or cooktop?
- Both are popular and both bring services into the island, which adds cost and permit scope. A sink in the island puts the person washing up facing the room, which many households prefer. A cooktop needs ventilation, which is a bigger commitment. A clean prep island with no services is simpler, cheaper and genuinely more flexible.
- What is the most common kitchen planning mistake?
- Undersized walkways around an island. On a plan a 750mm gap looks fine; in use, with an oven door or dishwasher open, it is a bottleneck. Below 900mm you will notice it every day.
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