London kitchens come in every shape. A long galley in the back addition of a Victorian terrace. A kitchen-diner opened into a side return. A small kitchen in a converted flat. An open-plan corner of a new-build living room. A family kitchen at the back of an interwar semi. Standard kitchen units come in fixed widths, which leaves gaps and fillers in rooms like these.
A bespoke kitchen starts with the room. The cabinets are made to fit its walls, heights and quirks. This guide covers how to plan one: how you use the room, layouts that suit London homes, larders, dressers and islands, the worktop, sink and appliances you choose, and the other trades a kitchen needs.
Start with how you use the room
Before thinking about doors and colours, think about how the kitchen works for you:
- Who cooks, and how often? Is there more than one cook at a time?
- Do you eat in the kitchen, or is it purely for cooking?
- What do you need to store: pans, dry food, small appliances, cleaning things, recycling?
- Where does the shopping come in, and where does it go?
- Does the kitchen need to be quiet and tidy because it’s part of a living space?
Answers to these shape everything else. Bring them to the design visit.
Layouts that suit London homes
| Home | Common kitchen shape | Things to think about |
|---|---|---|
| Victorian or Edwardian terrace | Galley in the back addition, or opened into a side return | Long, narrow runs; making use of height; uneven walls |
| Converted flat | Small kitchen or part of the living room | Every bit of space counts; access up shared stairs |
| Mansion block flat | Separate kitchen, often with tall ceilings | Tall cupboards; lifts and building booking rules |
| Interwar semi | Kitchen at the back, sometimes extended | Room for a larder or island once opened up |
| New-build flat | Open-plan with the living area | Kitchen needs to look calm from the sofa; stud walls |
In a galley, the gap between the two runs matters: enough room for doors and drawers to open and people to pass. In an open-plan room, the kitchen often benefits from tall, flush cupboards that hide appliances and clutter.
Cabinets made to the room
Because the cabinets are made for your room, they can fill it properly. Cabinets can run right up to the ceiling, which adds storage and avoids a dusty gap on top. Widths can be whatever the room needs, so there are no filler strips at the ends. Corners can be planned so the space isn’t lost.
In period homes, cabinets are scribed to follow walls that lean or bow, and set level on adjustable feet or a plinth to deal with sloping floors. We make kitchen cabinets from moisture-resistant MDF and birch plywood, finished by spray painting or hand painting in a colour agreed with you. The materials and finish are agreed in your quote.
Larders, dressers and islands
- Larders. A tall cupboard with shelves and drawers for dry food can do more than many base units. In a terrace, an alcove beside an old chimney breast in the kitchen can make a natural larder.
- Dressers. A dresser with open shelves above and cupboards below suits a period kitchen-diner and gives a place for everyday plates and glasses.
- Islands. An island adds worktop and storage, and gives a place to sit. It needs space around it for doors, drawers and people to move. In many London kitchens there isn’t room, and a peninsula or a table works better. Islands are made where space allows.
Thinking about fitted furniture? We design, make and fit it across London: we visit, measure and talk through the design, then send a written quote. Arrange a design visit.
Worktop, sink and appliances
The worktop, sink and appliances are your choice. Cabinets are made around the worktop, sink and appliances you choose, so it helps to decide on these early, or at least know their sizes. Integrated appliances need cabinets made to their dimensions and fitting instructions, including any ventilation gaps.
Check delivery and fitting arrangements for the worktop and appliances when you choose them, and let us know at the design visit who is supplying and fitting what.
Plumbing, gas and electrics
A kitchen needs more than carpentry. We make and fit the cabinets; other trades do the rest:
- Your plumber handles water supplies, waste pipes and connecting the sink and dishwasher.
- Your electrician handles sockets, lighting, cooker circuits and any new wiring. Part P of the Building Regulations covers some electrical work in homes.
- A Gas Safe registered engineer must do any gas work, such as connecting a gas hob. You can check an engineer on the Gas Safe Register.
- Your builder or plasterer handles any walls to be moved, made good or plastered, and your decorator any painting of walls and ceilings.
The order matters. Usually pipes and wiring are moved first, walls are made good, then cabinets are fitted, then the worktop, sink and appliances go in and are connected. Plan this with your other trades early. For anything that needs approval, see GOV.UK’s guide to Building Regulations approval.
Boilers in kitchens
Many London homes have the boiler in the kitchen. If it’s to be housed in a cupboard, the cupboard must give the clearances and ventilation set out in the manufacturer’s instructions, and keep access for servicing. Moving a boiler is for a Gas Safe registered engineer. See cupboards for boilers, meters and fuse boards.
Flats, leases and access
If you live in a leasehold flat, check your lease before planning a new kitchen. A lease can require consent for alterations, especially where pipes or walls change. We can’t advise on your lease. See fitted furniture in a leasehold flat.
Kitchen cabinets are made in our workshop and brought to your home in sections sized for the route in: stairs, landings, lifts and doors. In blocks of flats, lifts may need booking. Much of London is covered by controlled parking zones, so tell us about parking at the design visit.
Next steps
When you get in touch, we arrange a design visit. We visit, measure and talk through the design, including how you use the room, what you want to store and what the other trades will do. We then send a written quote. The kitchen is made in our workshop and fitted in your home; fitting on Saturdays is by arrangement. See our bespoke kitchens page and how it works for more.
Quick answers
Do you supply worktops and appliances?
Cabinets are made around the worktop, sink and appliances you choose. The materials and finish of the cabinets are agreed in your quote.
Do you do the plumbing and electrics?
No. Plumbing is for your plumber, wiring for your electrician and any gas work for a Gas Safe registered engineer. We make and fit the cabinets.
Can I have an island?
Where space allows. An island needs room around it for doors, drawers and people to move. In smaller kitchens, a peninsula or table may work better.
Can a kitchen fit an uneven period room?
Yes. Cabinets are scribed to follow the walls and set level on adjustable feet or a plinth.
Can you build a cupboard around my boiler?
Yes, as long as it gives the clearances, ventilation and access set out in the boiler manufacturer’s instructions.
Do I need permission for a new kitchen in a flat?
Check your lease, as it may require consent for alterations. We can’t advise on your lease.
Related services
More advice
- Spray-Painted vs Hand-Painted Furniture
- MDF vs Plywood for Fitted Furniture
- What a Fitted Furniture Quote Should Include
- Fitted Furniture in a Leasehold Flat: Check Your Lease
- All advice
This guide is general information about fitted furniture. It isn’t legal, planning or building advice; for those, speak to the council, your landlord or managing agent, or a suitably qualified professional.