Things You'll Need

Instructions

1

Measure the length of both walls that make up your L-shaped kitchen, making note of windows, doorways and any existing plumbing or wiring.
2

Download free software to help you lay out the kitchen design. Smartdraw is a free program with kitchen templates you can customize. Google Sketchup allows you to create a 3D model for your kitchen for free, without any templates specifically for kitchens. Sketchup offers a "warehouse" where you can view other creators' designs.
3

Follow the program's instructions and place the existing elements on your kitchen layout. If your final design calls for relocating plumbing fixtures or wiring, creating your kitchen design will be more expensive.
4

Decide where you'd like to place your sink, if you are designing an L-shaped kitchen from scratch. Place the sink in the corner of the "L" to maximize space, or beneath a window on either wall. Ideally, your kitchen has a work triangle from the sink to the stove to the fridge. The length of the longest leg should be no more than 26 feet, and the length of the shortest leg should be no more than 12 feet.
5

Place the refrigerator next, preferably at one end of the "L. Breaking up counter space with a floor-to-ceiling element affects your work flow, so avoid it if you can. The stove with an overhead vent or microwave is a floor-to-ceiling element, and should be as far away from your refrigerator as possible while remaining within the triangle. Add an island and place your stove there with a downdraft vent and you'll have more flexibility in the L design.
6

Design space for a dishwasher beside the sink. Coordinate the opening of your refrigerator door with the layout of your cabinets. You need ample clearance to fully open the door without cabinets blocking it.
7

Allocate the remaining space around the perimeter of the "L" for additional built-in appliances and cabinets. If a wine cooler or an ice maker is part of your design, place it first and then fill in with cabinets. Standard base cabinets are 24-inches deep and 36-inches tall. Wall cabinets range from 12 to15-inches deep and 30 to 42-inches high. Place overhead cabinets no less than 18-inches above the countertops and at least 24-inches above the stove top.